I'd been online for a decade-plus by that time, but when smartphones and broadband became more common in the mid-00's or so, more people were online. And that's when I realized not only were there other people like me, there were a LOT of other people like me! So many that we started comparing notes. And after a while we collectively, as a community, decided...there was nothing actually wrong with us. Despite what we'd been told since childhood by parents, relatives, teachers and doctors. Oh, and advertisers. And that overflowed into offline life, too. Now that I know that I'm an introvert (as well as a few flavors of neurodiverse), I know who to look for for comfortable socializing offline, and where/how to look for them. And, I've learned how to identify extroverts and neurotypicals.
The Pandemic though...that taught me that neurotypical extroverts hurt as much when they're alone for too long as I do after being forced to socialize for hours. When the semi-shutdowns went into effect, I felt a tremendous load be removed from my shoulders. It was seriously like opening my eyes for the first time in my life. This was the life that fit me, and I'd never been allowed to experience it before. My sibling on the other hand never actually isolated much and when she inevitably tested positive and had to quarantine for two weeks, I learned just how...painful it was for her to not have near constant contact and interaction with other people, in person.
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