I assume you can be an introvert who has no mental issues.

I also assume you can be an introvert who has some spectrum and type of mental illness, sexual and gender classification they choose, past exploitation and/or violence committed against you, etc.

I just think it is interesting b/c the person underneath the shell is different person to person and I think we lump very granular groups into large piles for ease of discussion and use.

I think he wanted a mental health, possibly a moral/spiritual awakening but he was toward the end or had completed the hike and was facing reality that there was a mental issue or past event in his life that he could not get past. Maybe just going back to the "real world" was just to much if it had to be in his own skin with his past.

It's... Not even close. What I had in mind was what clinical narcissists, sociopaths and psychopaths do. Their brains are wired completely differently than what is regarded as normal, to the point where you can see that on CT scans. There was a story about a researcher who figured out he's a high-functioning psychopath by looking at his CT scans. I'm digressing. So, typically, starting from a very early age they'd learn the behaviors they need to do in order to not get into trouble. Down to 'make an upward arch with your mouth when you see someone who knows you'. Must be very hard to live like that, I don't think it's comparable to what introverts do. Because introverts simply amplify behaviors that they do have, or understand, or are at least able to relate to from parts of personal experience. Contrast that to literally coming up with an artificial persona that you can't even relate to in any way and having to always stick to that.

This is why the masks ar pretty much always super charming and likeable. If you're acting anyway, might as well act like someone that's super likeable. Pretty much how you max out a player in some game.