How long can you go without any human interaction? Or any meaningful interaction? | Page 2 | INFJ Forum

How long can you go without any human interaction? Or any meaningful interaction?

I think for me I can last about three days without real life meaningful interaction, and I get lonely by the end of two days without basic real-life non-meaningful interaction.

I wonder if INTJs can go longer?

I've answered this before. I think it depends largely on the context. If I'm surrounded by people but can't interact with them I might start going crazy.

If however it's just me secluded somewhere in the mountains, in a forest, on an island, in my apartment... In this case I can last indefinitely without human interaction. I kind of prefer it a lot of the time. I'd chose being alone to having to deal with the sort of people that like to take out their own problems on me and others.

I can go extreme socially awkward introvert after not interacting with anyone for an entire weekend. Other people are like blinding sunlight after being somewhere very dark for an extended period of time. I always need to readjust.
 
Irl? Probably quite awhile. I don't really have ppl in my world I consider trust-worthy. Onlines a lot easier for wtv reason. But seriously i avoid the hell out genuine social interaction, its just hard to be myself around others. Sometimes that's bc of fear, but even if its not I'm always trying to figure out the 'right' or responsible thing to say, so the whole thing just comes off as feeling more like a job than anything enjoyable.

I feel like if you boiled most coversations down to their fundamentals you'd basically find a candy-coated power struggle, some with less candy than others. Usually ill find myself in one of two positions: the guy who frantically blurts out every thought that crosses his mind, or the guy who pretends to care while the other one does. Usually I'm the latter, and mostly because I dread the former. I mean, like the information I just shared here; if that is in fact the truth of most human interactions, who would want to see that? It just kills the whole mystery. "Ah okay, I see what you want. . To talk while I listen, play father and ill be mummy and you won't give me evil glares when I see you in the hallways at work anymore." No thanks, ill take my chances and live my truth if not speak it. . Except for random, isolated packets of personal information dished out haphazardly on internet forums naturally.
 
A week is enough nowadays. But I desperately need my alone time. Luckily my close friends and family respect that.
 
i just want to say that i love the title of this post… it will be the name of my next album lol…
 
Pretty darn long. I can TALK to MYSELF if I have to.

PS: KuKuKuKuKuKu!
 
I can be alone for days, without anyone even noticing where I am. Sometimes I feel very antisocial and it's not a good thing because when I'm alone for too long, it gets depressing...
 
I can spend a great deal of time on my own, but it's not good for me so I avoid it. I get too introspective and isolated, to the point where I don't even recognize other people as human beings, just objects to be analyzed.

It's strange because there were times in my life where I could be around people 24/7 without needing space.
 
Irl? Probably quite awhile. I don't really have ppl in my world I consider trust-worthy. Onlines a lot easier for wtv reason. But seriously i avoid the hell out genuine social interaction, its just hard to be myself around others. Sometimes that's bc of fear, but even if its not I'm always trying to figure out the 'right' or responsible thing to say, so the whole thing just comes off as feeling more like a job than anything enjoyable.

I feel like if you boiled most coversations down to their fundamentals you'd basically find a candy-coated power struggle, some with less candy than others. Usually ill find myself in one of two positions: the guy who frantically blurts out every thought that crosses his mind, or the guy who pretends to care while the other one does. Usually I'm the latter, and mostly because I dread the former. I mean, like the information I just shared here; if that is in fact the truth of most human interactions, who would want to see that? It just kills the whole mystery. "Ah okay, I see what you want. . To talk while I listen, play father and ill be mummy and you won't give me evil glares when I see you in the hallways at work anymore." No thanks, ill take my chances and live my truth if not speak it. . Except for random, isolated packets of personal information dished out haphazardly on internet forums naturally.

Do you have any friends who are INTPs or ISTPs? Or even INTJs or ENTPs for that matter? You might like talking to people who are actually more interested in ideas than power struggles, I find a good conversation with a like mind usually takes off that edge of power dynamics. I have one female INTP or ISTP friend that I really enjoy hanging out with because we end up debating politics and religion.
 
Hmm....

If I'm still able to use my computer, I can go a few days without social interaction. But during that time, I'll probably listen to interviews on Youtube and check out this place.

But going cold, no social interaction whatsoever, maybe a day, day and a half.
 
Pretty much what [MENTION=2263]bagelriffic[/MENTION] said. I'd rather keep my mouth shut if there's nothing to say, and it's draining to improvise a conversation when i'm not in the mood. However, over-indulge in isolation is something that i try to avoid, makes things worse, so i keep in touch with friends even if i'm not "up" enough.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sensiko
I used to think I was able to handle long periods of solitude without interruption, until I got my bookkeeping position. Essentially I'm stuck inside a tiny cubicle (*cough* prison chamber* lol jk) all day, mindlessly entering data. If it wasn't for the interaction that I have with my fellow coworkers every now and then, I think I would have had a mental breakdown.
 
not more than 5 or so days at a time. I get lonely
 
It's nice to have a few people who you've been through a few things with, who you don't have to explain yourself to for them to get you. so, in that sense, it's tough to be away from people you've known for a long time. It begins to feel lonely and alienating to keep your distance.
 
Last edited:
I used to think I was able to handle long periods of solitude without interruption, until I got my bookkeeping position. Essentially I'm stuck inside a tiny cubicle (*cough* prison chamber* lol jk) all day, mindlessly entering data. If it wasn't for the interaction that I have with my fellow coworkers every now and then, I think I would have had a mental breakdown.

I had a job like that where I would work alone for about four hours, and it wreaked havoc on my personal relationships and self esteem. :(
 
  • Like
Reactions: rawr
Not long. I would go crazy. I can't even go a week without texting my friends and I do get lonely if I don't talk to my bf or friends for a while. I need interaction everyday.
 
[MENTION=5301]jupiterswoon[/MENTION]

I appreciate the advice though I've seen the reality I live in is determined more by what object relation I'm working through than mbti, some appear more agreeable than others, though I do think mbti's a factor as well.

In a nutshell (and in hopes of contributing versus derailing this thread topic) object relations are the ideas of past relationships projected onto others and ourselves to act out a predetermined emotional charge that connects the two ideas. We identify and know ourselves through these ideas, this is why we need social interaction to sustain our identity, why we need others to know ourselves. This is also why meditation is so effective in cultivating self-realization.

Of course abandoning your object relations is like putting your mind and life in a meat grinder and not necessarily something I'd advocate at this point, though if the truth of you is something you find appealing just be sure to read the fine-print before you get started, because after a certain point there's no going back.
 
It just depends on what I'm doing. If I am in a particularly inspired mindset, I can go a week or more without any interaction. If I am in a less inspired mindset, perhaps a few days. I am greatly invested in the lives of my friends, so going without any interaction would feel pretty lonely.
 
Human contact: not very long. I require it.

Meaningful interaction: years.