Quora: Alone, but not lonely
Q: How do people who seek solitude let well-meaning others know that they are not lonely?
A: Introvert.
That is a word you may have to teach them.
Some people, oddly enough, prefer their own company. They are happy on their own, being able to pursue their own interests without interference.
To the majority, the extroverts, this sounds boring and more like a punishment than a conscious choice.
There is a common misconception that introverts are shy, socially inept and lonely individuals. People that, for their own good, should be thrown out of their comfortable dens and planted among happy socialites that will help them blossom.
Now, that is a punishment, if ever there was one.
As for how you can make them listen: All you can do is tell them how you feel, which may seem as easy as explaining quantum physics to a hamster. That is the annoying thing about communication. People will hear and understand what they want to, and not always what you are actually saying.
Nevertheless, be firm, be patient – be you.
