I always tell my small circle of friends that people are like advil, I can only take them in small doses.
What is also irritating is when you get an extrovert around you and they somehow think you won't mind them chatting your ear off. Like no, you're all draining. Your gift of gab doesn't make you special, only that much more annoying.
I loathe small talk. It's mind numbing.
The way I cope is my cell phone or a book. If I must, I will text my dad and tell him to call me. "Oh sorry, I have to take this. Looks like I might have to leave."

P.S. I like your name

90% of the time I am happy being a solitary hermit, but the other 10% I can get lonely, partly because I haven’t bothered maintaining “friendships”. Best for me is keeping busy, function based socialization like volunteering, work, babysitting. Everyone seems to enjoy my company when I am there, but no one seeks my company later. I enjoy having a dog.

I simply tell people I need a lot of personal space to become socially acceptable because the term introversion has a lot of false stigmas related to it and people "think they know" what it means.

Yep... I totally get that. Honestly, I would say that maturity and wisdom have helped me cope.

Also being a teacher, I have a bunch of enthusiastic teenagers who (falsely) think I'm greatest thing since the Rolling Stones because I get physics and can help them get it too. Being a perceived "rock star" physics teacher helps just a touch.

I'm pretty sure we all totally relate to what you said. I could have said it myself verbatim. Welcome. You're among friends here

Oh yes, I can relate. I will retire in a year or two and have thought about moving out west, someplace like AZ or NM or Nev. But then I think about moving somewhere, where I know NO ONE, and start to feel overwhelmed by the very notion.

I think I was damaged, in one sense, by having a good college experience, and a first "real job" experience. Both were situations where there were a lot of people around my age, and a lot of social activities that got put together, like going to the bar after work. But then you go out into the real world and it becomes more and more difficult to find people you are compatible with, who share your interests, etc. College and my first work experiences led me to think it would be easy to meet new people, and it isn't.

I think as introverts we need to find ways to meet new people where the focus is not necessarily on MEETING NEW PEOPLE. I have thought about getting involved in some type of animal rescue organization, or volunteering at a human services agency. Either of these would bring me into contact with new people, without having to have a first encounter that is fraught with stress and anxiety. If that leads to a friendship, great. But at least I would not just be hiding out at home.