Introversion, shyness, and social anxiety are all terms that get intermingled and used to describe a person’s personality. While they may have similar characteristics, the three terms mean different things. Someone who is introverted, may not be shy for example. And shyness does not always mean that someone has Social Anxiety Disorder. The purpose of this article is to shed some light on the meaning and differences of each construct.
Someone who is introverted may label themselves or may be seen by others as shy or vice versa. Likewise, someone who is shy may think they suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder, when the symptoms may not reach that level of anxiety. While these beliefs may be incorrect, it can be somewhat confusing to clearly distinguish between the three. This article breaks down the three constructs of introversion, shyness, and Social Anxiety Disorder by providing more definition and examples.
Introversion
Introversion goes back to the 1920s and the psychologist Carl Jung. Today it is a mainstay of personality tests, including the widely used Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Introverts are not shy, rather they find other people tiring along with environments that are over stimulating. Introverts may seem shy, because they tend to be more quiet and reserved. They would rather observe than join in a group discussion, are very thoughtful, and tend to keep emotions private. They think before they speak, and tend to be more introspective. Introverts also need their alone-time to decompress and re-energize.
Shyness
Shyness refers to feelings of tension and discomfort when around other people. Shyness indicates a fear during social situations. Shy people feel awkward and may display physical signs of this such as sweating or blushing. They do not want to approach or be approached by others. While they do want to connect with others, they feel unsure about how to interact because they are nervous or timid. So, when does shyness escalate to Social Anxiety Disorder?
Social Anxiety
Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. The anxiety is more intense and persistent than shyness. It escalates to a more chronic fear of being watched and judged by others, and one tends to be very cautious about by their behavior in public. This can even interfere with school or work productivity. While shyness tends to occur during social situations, those who have Social Anxiety Disorder fear a social situation before they even happen and may find ways to avoid them all costs.
People with Social Anxiety Disorder can even experience panic attacks. A panic attack is a period of intense fear that suddenly erupts with symptoms like an an accelerated heart rate, trembling, shortness of breath, dizziness, and nausea.
Summary
So while it is easy to see how the three constructs of introversion, shyness, and Social Anxiety Disorder can easily get confused, and one term may be used to describe another, they are very different from one another. If you feel like you might have Social Anxiety Disorder, the best advice is to have a psychiatric diagnosis, as several treatment options are available.
Additional Resources
http://www.apa.org/topics/shyness/
http://anxietypanichealth.com/2008/09/16/shyness-or-social-phobia/
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[…] All too often introversion gets tagged up with words that are not their equals. If someone says they are introverted someone else says they are just shy, If someone says they don’t like to be around people someone else assumes they are just awkward or may have a little social anxiety. This is not the case at all. These are three different words with entirely different meanings. […]
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Hey, my name is Anjan. I’m 26 yrs old and I live Mumbai India. I’m honored with an extraordinary life and marvelous companions, however it has not generally been similar to this.
I see myself as simply a normal fellow who began having fits of anxiety and nervousness in his initial twenties, albeit I didn’t realize that is the thing that they were at the time.
It’s been a long hard street however in the end in the wake of misery from this condition for more than 6 yrs, I am satisfied to say I am completely frenzy free. I no more have nervousness hanging over me throughout the day, however when distressing occasions happen regardless I get restless emotions like others does. That is simply piece of human instinct.
An anxiety attack wasn’t something we planned or could control such as sleeping so the physical after effects aren’t either. Blaming ourselves in situations like this get us nowhere. Acceptance is good thing to do but facing your fear is the best action to take! Yeah, I am introvert, shy or aloof (according to them) but what they don’t know that I’m trembling when I’m about to take the initiative to speak. So, what I did is, tries to calm my nerves, ashwagandha root is a good option because it improves resistance to stress, possibly decreasing cortisol production then everything will follow when you able to control yourself.
I have historically identified as an introvert because I feel like it fits the way I feel, but more recently I’ve read about social anxiety disorder, and wonder if I may have this disorder but not realize it. I’ve never been one to really like clubs or dancing, and I always thought it was because it just doesn’t feel fun to me, plus the crowded atmosphere and noise is a lot to handle. But now I’m wondering if I have social anxiety disorder because I usually feel self conscious and don’t dance because I feel stupid doing it. My wife loves to dance, but I feel nervous and anxious every time we go to a party where dancing is likely to happen.
Similarly, I’ve held the same job for a number of years, but have shied away from moving up because I don’t like the idea of being advanced management. I’ve held a similar job title in the past, and did not do well, so now I feel like I’m not cut out for it. One of my faults is interacting with people. Whereas I’m not a blithering idiot when talking to people, I don’t feel like social interaction is my best quality, and try to minimize it at much as I can. So….based on this explanation, what do you think?
[…] Here is an article explaining the differences between introversion, shyness and social anxiety disorder -> The Confusion Surrounding Introversion, Shyness, and Social Anxiety Disorder […]
[…] Original article can be found here […]
Hi
Absolutely, Introversion & Shyness are totally different aspects. Well sometime, I also want to be alone & want to keep reserve in few things that might not be because of any shy or something.
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