What to Do If an Introvert Ignores You

If you have introverted friends/family members, you have probably sometimes faced a lack of communication from their side. There are times you do not hear from them for days, and even if you get a hold of them, they are not so chatty.

You may feel they are ignoring you.

And, you probably wonder why they are doing so and what to do if they are ignoring you?

Generally speaking, it is not actually easy to tell whether an introvert is ignoring you or going through their recharging period. So, you have to be patient. If the silence persists, you can contact and check on them from time to time. But make sure not to irritate them.

Here’s an article that tells you signs that an introvert needs recharge. If you find your introverted friend/family member relating to these signs, you’re probably better off letting them be for a while and just allowing them to recharge their social batteries.

Now,

How do you know your friend is not just ignoring you but is mad at you? You might think they are going through their usual phase of recharging. But what if they are unhappy with you?

How to Tell If An Introvert Is Mad At You?

We introverts are not very expressive with words. Hence, you have to observe our behaviors towards you to understand if we are mad at you or not. Here are some reliable indicators.

1. Giving Short Replies

Is the person giving you very short answers? Then there is a high chance they are ignoring you. When introverts are mad at you, they try to make the conversation as short as possible. You may see them in a gathering talking normally with others. But when you ask them anything, they might give you short answers and not ask any follow-up questions.

2. Find Excuses Not To Meet With You

Whenever you invite them to a party or casual hangouts, they will give you random excuses like, “I have other people I have promised to meet with.” “Or I have important things to do.”

They will avoid places where they might cross paths with you. And try to avoid making eye contact with you even when they see you. If they are really mad at you, they will not even bother to keep these acts subtle.

3. Silent Treatment and Showing Indifference

Some introverts get mad at people and choose silent treatment. They will ignore your calls and messages no matter how desperate you sound. If you irritate them, they will even extend the period of the silent treatment.

It is even worse when they become indifferent to you. Introverts can be present with you, but brush off anything you say to them. They may pay more interest to other people than you. Suddenly, they may seem apathetic towards you but caring to others.

4. Emotional Outbursts

Introverts are not as expressive as extroverts. They are good at keeping their emotions bottled up. But even they have limits. If they feel mistreated by you, they may have given you a piece of their mind. If that happens, you actually ruffle their feathers the wrong way.

You might probably want to read this article I wrote. It talks about the different indicators an introvert give off when they don’t like you.

If you do find they’re ignoring you: Hey, that’s okay. Let’s have a look at what you can do to reverse that spell.

What to Do If An Introvert Ignores You?

So, you might not be sure why an introvert is ignoring you. Whatever the reason you have to keep your cool. Here is what you can do about it:

1. Give It Time

If you are sure you have done nothing wrong with your introverted friend, then you should be patient. The person might take some alone time for reasons not related to you. When you call them or message them on social media, do not expect to get a fast reply.

Also, they might be busy with something more important to them. An introvert might not be ignoring you. Sometimes, they get tired of social interaction. They need alone time to feel refreshed and start interacting with people again. Stop being dominant and let them enjoy their freedom.

2. Be Upfront And Ask

Your introverted friend may not reach out to you even after you give them time and space. So, you can take a direct approach. Call them and ask if they are busy (an email or a text is much preferred). If they say they are busy, you can give them some more time.

However, if the answer seems to be an excuse, you can directly ask them if they have any issue with you. If the person values your friendship, they will surely give a valid explanation. Do not irritate them by asking too many questions.

3. Do Not Accuse Them

Do not approach an introvert aggressively, and accuse them of hurting you with their silent treatment. You cannot blame them for not reaching out to you as much as you do. Introverts do not have the same approach to friendship as extroverts do.

They may not express their emotions, but they deeply care about their friends and family too. So, you have to be understanding and try to see things from their point of view.

4. Apologize If You Hurt Them

When an introvert suddenly avoids you, consider your behavior towards the person. Have you done something to hurt them or make them feel low about themselves? You may have made them feel ignored. Thus, they may think you want to avoid them.

If you have done something wrong, meet or call the person and apologize for your behavior. You can also clear the misunderstanding to make things easy between you two.

5. Move On

If an introvert is busy recharging, let them be and focus on other people or activities. You must not constantly think about why you are getting ignored and how to fix the problem. If you genuinely care about the person, you can reach out now and then.

However, when things go on like this for too long, and you find the person interacting with others normally, it is a clear sign they do not want to interact with you. So, you have to let go and move on.

Why Do Introverts Sometimes Ignore People?

Before you assume your introverted friend has problems with you, first, you need to be sure. Introverts often prefer to do nothing with others and get engrossed in their world. They isolate themselves and spend some alone time.

Here are some of the common reasons introverts choose to ignore people or activities that involve a crowd of people:

They took part in social gatherings. Now they feel mentally exhausted and want to stay alone for a while
They ignore people to avoid small talk
They’re probably re-vitalizing themselves with their leisure activities or hobbies
Introverts avoid situations where they may be confronted and have to argue with others
Some introverts can be shy. They avoid people, not because they do not like to talk. It is because they do not know how to start a conversation
They will avoid situations where they have to do things they do not want to
Introverts avoid people or places that remind them about embarrassing incidents
They ignore invitations to crowded parties
If introverts think they have done something wrong, they will isolate themselves
They often choose to ignore instead of fighting when people make them mad

So, these are some typical reasons introverts ignore someone or a crowd of people.

Don’t worry. If you give them their required space and time, they’ll definitely miss you and get back to you when they feel social again.

Can An Introvert Miss You?

Just because an introvert does not express too much emotion does not mean they do not care about people. You may have an introverted family member or friend in your life who has rarely expressed their feelings to you.

Introverts are often shy and do not know whether their emotions will be accepted. So, they keep their feelings to themselves.

Like any other person, an introvert also cares about others. They dislike small talks or unnecessary conversations. But they enjoy talking about deep and meaningful things with their loved ones.

And they miss people with whom they have a deep connection. They may even be the first ones to contact you when they miss you. Some introverts miss others. Yet, they do not take the first step because they think they might bother others. So, yes, introverts miss their friends!

Do you want to make them miss you? Go ahead and check this article out where you’ll know how to make an introvert miss you.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you have learned what to do when an introvert ignores you. If you have given an introvert reason to ignore you, you should apologize to them. You should also be patient and give your introvert friend space to get back to you.