You know whats Not on Roids, willingly subjecting yourself to a room full of strangers making vapid small talk? Seriously. It’s baffling how some people enjoy things that send those of us who’ve… navigated life’s particularly thorny patches into an existential spiral. We’re not being dramatic (okay, maybe a little). This is about hyper-vigilance, folks! Trauma does a number on your brain and leaves you perpetually in fight-or-flight mode, according to psychologist Susan Albers.
So heres the list of 11 things we quietly despise while everyone else is Instagramming their bliss: Crowded parties (obviously). Small talk? A soul-crushing exercise in futility. Large social events where you’re expected to “network”? Forget about it. Group hikes with people you barely know? Nope. Team-building exercises at work? Absolutely not. Karaoke nights? Please, no. Wine tastings involving forced conviviality? Pass. Any activity requiring sustained eye contact with unfamiliar humans? Hard pass. Trust falls? A guaranteed anxiety attack. And don’t even mention potlucks.
Its not that we dislike people! It’s that we’ve learned to protect ourselves – a coping mechanism born of hardship, as the article points out. We crave deeper connection, but superficial interactions leave us drained and emotionally isolated. We need solitude to recharge and build lives centered around our own needs—something many of us were denied earlier in life. So go ahead, enjoy your crowded concert; well be over here appreciating the quiet company of a good book (and maybe a strategically placed blanket fort).
