I have taken this approach myself, to some extent, but I'd advise a more mixed approach to those who are interested in trying this.
I've spent most of my twenties pursuing social interaction because I felt that I should and that it would be healthy. I even had a few girlfriends, which was all kinds of agonizing. At the end of my twenties I 'took a break'. To my surprise I discovered that I felt so much happier with a life that, too outsiders, was lonely and sad. The 'break' became a new way of life for me.
However, first of all I don't regret pushing myself to socialize. I learned many skills that I feel I wouldn't have learned had I not pushed myself. I can be comfortably normal when I need to, and that gives me many advantages.
Second, even though I'm quite happy being mostly alone, I definitely notice that I a more healthy person if I force myself into some social interaction (including deeper personal and emotional connections).
For me it's a bit like eating. Much of the time I don't really eat well or enough unless I force myself to. But when I do, I have more energy and and a better general sense of well-being. Similarly, when I forego socializing and/or fostering some deeper emotional connections, I have a tendency to spend way too much time thinking about unimportant things, I forget to properly verbalize or structure my thoughts into something 'worthwhile', and my rhythm and structure disappears, including normal sleep. Even minimal interaction with others in the form of flatmates or meetups significantly alleviates much of the bad stuff.
I've spent most of my twenties pursuing social interaction because I felt that I should and that it would be healthy. I even had a few girlfriends, which was all kinds of agonizing. At the end of my twenties I 'took a break'. To my surprise I discovered that I felt so much happier with a life that, too outsiders, was lonely and sad. The 'break' became a new way of life for me.
However, first of all I don't regret pushing myself to socialize. I learned many skills that I feel I wouldn't have learned had I not pushed myself. I can be comfortably normal when I need to, and that gives me many advantages.
Second, even though I'm quite happy being mostly alone, I definitely notice that I a more healthy person if I force myself into some social interaction (including deeper personal and emotional connections).
For me it's a bit like eating. Much of the time I don't really eat well or enough unless I force myself to. But when I do, I have more energy and and a better general sense of well-being. Similarly, when I forego socializing and/or fostering some deeper emotional connections, I have a tendency to spend way too much time thinking about unimportant things, I forget to properly verbalize or structure my thoughts into something 'worthwhile', and my rhythm and structure disappears, including normal sleep. Even minimal interaction with others in the form of flatmates or meetups significantly alleviates much of the bad stuff.