I Run Away from People I Like — And Then I Regret It (Every Single Time)

It starts with excitement.

A text that makes me smile like an idiot. A conversation that flows effortlessly. A presence that makes the world a little softer. And just when everything feels… right — I leave.

Sometimes slowly, sometimes like a storm. But I always run.

Even when I like them.
Actually, especially when I like them.

Why Do I Do This?

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to answer that.
And I still don’t have a perfectly packaged explanation.
Being an Introvert, I thought it Just Meant “Needing Alone Time”’

That’s what most people think introversion is — “just someone who loves staying in.” And sure, that’s part of it. I love my space, my thoughts, my quiet little routines.

But no one talks about this other side of being an introvert:
The emotional overwhelm when someone gets too close. Real, raw closeness — the kind that can see your flaws, your fears, your 3am breakdowns and your 11pm hangry tantrums — that closeness feels dangerous. Vulnerable. Like a spotlight on the parts of me I’ve learned to keep hidden.