PostalMag.com audiobooks reviewer Jonathan Lowe interviews Dr. Laurie Helgoe, PhD.
Lowe 1) As a doctor what about your career and people you were seeing led to writing your first book? And second?
HELGOE: In general, after absorbing so many observations from the lives of my clients as well as my own, I wanted to share my insights through writing. I authored four books prior to INTROVERT POWER. But that fifth book was one I had essentially been writing all my life. My own therapy helped me wake up to my introversion and that changed my life. I wanted to help other introverts wake up as well.
FRAGILE BULLY, my most recent book, tackled the topic of narcissism. I am keenly interested in the way personality and culture interact, and was noticing how so many of us were getting triggered by narcissism – on social media, in conversations and, more than ever, in the political sphere. I wanted to help people “unhook” from a losing and destructive game.
Lowe 2) I’m an introvert, and so are many creative people, famous or otherwise. Do most introverts struggle with depression or shyness, and what misconceptions do people have about us?
HELGOE: There are few good ways to describe “most introverts” because we comprise half of the population. In fact, that is the first misconception: that we all behave the same way. Some introverts are shy; others are quite social. What the shy and social introvert share, however, is that they process things internally. People who process things internally need more time and space for reflection. True, an internal orientation makes us more vulnerable to depression and anxiety. It also brings advantages, and can be a source of creativity, as you mentioned. Almost every creative endeavor requires the ability to observe and interpret the world around us in new ways. That is an introvert function.
Lowe 3) Extroverts seem to crave action and sensory stimulation, and can suffer from stress and/or lack of an attention span. Do extroverts have a bigger chance to become narcissistic, and what do percentages look like?
HELGOE: Yes, there is a relationship between extroversion and the type of narcissism we are most familiar with: the overt, grandiose type. There is a type of narcissism more related to introversion, and I also discuss this “covert, vulnerable narcissism” in my book. But your point is spot on: just as introversion and extraversion both have their own strengths, each are associated with certain vulnerabilities. Extraverts are more vulnerable to externalizing, reward-seeking disorders (substance use disorders, grandiose narcissism) while introverts are more likely to experience disorders associated with introspection (anxiety, depression). One orientation isn’t inherently healthier than the other.
Lowe 4) Sports fans. Introverts or both introverts and extroverts in large part?
HELGOE: I don’t have stats on this, but I would venture that loud, highly stimulating sports events would have more appeal to the extravert, while calmer contests would appeal to the introvert (think Wimbledon and Olympics competitions). That said, I’m an introvert and dove into Wrigleyville to watch the Cubs win the World Series in 2016. Values motivate us to move into spaces that might otherwise be stressful.
Lowe 5) Women read romances, and men watch sports on TV. For the most part. That’s what I learned in reviewing audiobooks, listening at work while the guys were listening to ball games and screaming for their teams.! Which is why I wrote The Umpire Has No Clothes. Any thoughts on the subject?
HELGOE: Ooh dangerous territory. My sister screams harder for sports teams than anyone I know (she is an extravert). Your book sounds fun (see what I did there?)
Lowe 6) Do you listen to audiobooks, and what do you think of your narrators?
HELGOE: Yes – I love audiobooks!! I got to select my narrators from the finalists, so I am really happy with the way they handled the content. Narrating is difficult. I did it in a studio once and I had no idea how many distracting sounds I make while speaking.
Lowe 7) What’s next for you?
HELGOE: Look for a podcast in which I may use the occasional expletive (my extraverted husband will be joining me). And I am spending more time at my easel. You can peek at my oil paintings at LaurieHelgoeArt.com.
Dr. Laurie Helgoe is a psychologist, educator, and author of INTROVERT POWER and FRAGILE BULLY. Visit Dr. Helgoe at DrLaurieHelgoe.com, on Facebook at IntrovertPower and FragileBully, and on Twitter and Instagram.
Postmarked for Death is out of print because it’s going to be published again in 2023 by a major publisher, news to follow!