In terms of media coverage, there’s understandably a lot of focus on the negative mental health implications of lockdown, and how it is adversely affecting people’s mood and emotions. What we hear less about, however, is the tendency for self-isolation having a POSITIVE impact on anxiety and stress in some individuals, in particular those wired to thrive on solitude. For the sake of balance, if nothing else, this is something well worth shining a light on. It’s a phenomenon especially true to introverts, who glean their energy from alone time, and for whom normal life can therefore pose significant psychological challenges. For these personality types, beneath the concern and worry that goes without saying at the moment, there might lurk a subtle sense of relief at no longer having to override the need for space and quiet, on which their mental health might be tightly hinged. For those of an introverted nature, quarantine may actually be releasing some considerable emotional pressure. Despite being optimally suited for capsule living, there are of course many factors affecting the extent to which these positive effects of aloneness will play out. They may be negated by economic influences, home setup, home schooling pressures and/ or relationships dynamics, to name but a few. . So, while there is a good chance introverts might be more inclined to find the confines of lockdown an easier territory to navigate than extroverts, what does all this actually mean, in the long run? The main take home, you could say, is the realisation that a perceived weakness such as introversion might actually (and ironically) lend an upper hand in some of life’s biggest tests of emotional resilience. For personal self esteem and confidence, this is important, especially for those who might have always seen their limited social elasticity as a restraint... rather than the catapult that it potentially could be!