Becoming more withdrawn from normal. I have reached my limit with people

I am an introvert, I always have been, but lately I am finding myself withdrawing from conversations more than normal. Yesterday for example, mind you I spent 9 hours hanging out with some friends, so that was a large chunk of time, but it got to be so overwhelming at a couple of points, and I kept withdrawing further and further in as the night went on. I do not want to seem like I am being rude, but once I start withdrawing in it becomes practically impossible to stop. Of the people I was hanging out with, two of them have very strong personalities, which made it even harder. It was nice to see my one friend since this was my first time seeing her since the beginning of December it got so difficult to keep from completely shutting down.

The only thing that keep me doing so, at least while we were downstairs was the fact that we were playing a strategy game and that required focus, thus allowing me to focus on something else, at least for awhile. My friend did notice that I was withdrawing and retreating inwards, especially at the end of the game, since there was so much ambient noise from other residents of the building watching a basketball game in the lounge.

Once were done playing we went upstairs to my dorm room and hung out there for a couple more hours, and towards the end of the that I was withdrawing again. Which I found odd, because we were in my room, in a place where I am very comfortable, but even then it was too much for me. My friend again noticed, and my roommate who came back from an event was also there and noticed too.

Then today, I went and had dinner with some of my roommates friends at the Quaker Steak on campus and I was fine for a little over an hour and some, but I spent the last 30 minutes fight with everything that I had to not start retreating again, but I kinda failed. Luckily dinner was only 2 hours and I was able to go back to my room. Once I got there, I made some tea and went to my little hidey-hole in the building that I live in, and I still there right now. I am trying to recharge from the last two days, but that is proving to be rather difficult, I do not want to stay here for too much longer since it is drafty and cold, but I am not in the mood of dealing with people either. So I guess I will take being cold for a little bit longer.

These two example are just a couple of example where people are just getting to be too much for me. Most of my friends are extroverts, sometimes by a lot and I am the exact opposite, and it is starting to get completely overwhelming. There are only a very small handful of people that I am no completely overwhelmed by right now, and luckily one of them is my roommate. It would be very awkward if this was not the case, lol. Anyways, rant ended. Sorry for the wall of text.

 

The thing is, I normally do not withdraw as often or as hard as I have been in the last couple of days, which is why I am slightly concerned. I can try taking things more slowly but somethings that is simply not an option. I am a full time graduate student, which means there are times that I am going to be in a crowded areas or having to face uncomfortable situations, and I cannot afford to become withdrawn. I am about to go in to the work force and I need to keep past this habit of withdrawing. I cannot afford it anymore.