Other people seem to think I'm antisocial, but I don't feel that way. Who is right?

I had a bit of a bad experience this weekend. My wife and I went to a wedding that only really involved people from her extended family and the people closest to her she hadn't spoken to in 3 years.



I mostly stuck to myself, but helped out here and there and talked to people who spoke to me. But on the ride back home, my wife said I was being antisocial and asked me what was wrong. I said I didn't know and she said I was getting angry. I wasn't angry really, just anxious and I wanted to go home.



I don't know what she expected me to do. She knew when she married me that I'm no social butterfly and that I don't know how to ';work the room.'; And when she kept asking me what was the matter, it just made me feel more exposed and anxious until I got really short with her and started crying from it all.



Why do I feel so badgered by simple human interaction? Why can't I just interact with people the way everyone else does? They make it look so easy when they do it. What's wrong with me?Other people seem to think I'm antisocial, but I don't feel that way. Who is right?
First of all, lots of people are intorverted like you. I personally hate going to weddings and parties and making small talk with people I don't know... YUK. On the other hand, my husband, an extrovert, loves it... and really knows how to ';work a room.'; I usually end up trailing behind him or just sitting at a table off in a corner or occasionally running off to the restroom.



Secondly, ask your wife about specific behaviors that she noticed. Don't let her just tell you that you are ';anti-social'; because that can mean different things to different people. Get specific examples.



Thirdly, it obviously does not help when your wife asks too many questions. She may not realize that you are getting anxious. You need to have a ';time out'; sign or something to let her know that you are getting overwhelmed.



Fourthly... learn to accept your weaknesses as well as your strengths. So you aren't the most social guy in the world... the next time you are in a place where you have to be social... you and your wife work should out a plan ahead of time - maybe work on talking with one person and having a goal of asking them one question in the conversation, or maybe just ';helping out'; like you were, or maybe just being ';with'; your wife and listening to others...



Anyway, keep working on it. I'm sure she has things that she needs to work on, too - and you can help her out with those as well.Other people seem to think I'm antisocial, but I don't feel that way. Who is right?
same here. i dont talk. like at all... i just enjoy listening... everyone's always all like- ';what the heck? why dont you ever talk?'; and i dont know why. i just like listening.
I get the same thing all the time and have learned to ignore it because i know how i really am. So if you have a solution, let me know.
I am the same way, I hate it when people mistake shyness for me being a witch with a b. They assume because i don' chat that much that i am anti social. Sometimes it is hard for me to talk to people that I know much less stangers, if i get to excited i start stuttering and me in an agruement forget it, I have a hard time expressing how i feel i just think some of us are and some of us aren't that way, Good luck.