Shyness Vs Social Anxiety
These are some criteria from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders aka the DSM-5.
in order to be diagnosed with social anxiety we have to have:
1. A marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others.This could be meeting new people, giving a speech, or having someone watch what you do like eating or working on something.
2. Fear that we will act in a way or show anxiety symptoms that will be negatively evaluated. Like being embarrassed or rejected by others because of how we act .
3. Social situations which almost always provoke fear or anxiety, and therefore we avoid them or endure them with intense fear and anxiety.
This fear or anxiety we feel is out of proportion of the actual threat that's posed by the social situation.
These feelings are persistent, meaning, they have to last for 6 months or more.
When we have social anxiety, we avoid any and all social situations because the fear and anxiety, as well as the worry that we are going to do something embarrassing is so unbearable that it's just easier on us to not be around people at all.
We can also have anticipatory anxiety leading up to a social event where we have to practice our speech multiple times beforehand. Or we worry about an upcoming event days or maybe even weeks in advance. We can become so worried and anxious that we can feel sick, or our mind can go blank and we might sweat. The severeness of it can also lead to a panic attack.
But if our anxiety always leads to a panic attack, we may be a suffering from a panic disorder, not social anxiety .
When we are shy, it's part of who we are, meaning, it's a personality trait we have.
Those who are shy can live a full life. They can do what they want and get along just fine, they just tend to be more quiet and reserved until they know you better. They may prefer to spend time with people they already know well.
They can feel a little anxious about meeting new people or going to do new things.
However, Shyness is Okay and manageable, but not debilitating. Social anxiety impairs our ability to function. Making it difficult, if not impossible, for us to do what we need to do , like work, school or many things in our social lives .
The main distinction here is that even if someone with Shyness feels uncomfortable, they are still able to do the things they need and want to do.
Not all people with social anxiety are shy, meaning, that their fear of social situations is Not part of who they are. It is a mental illness that is holding them back from doing things they love . Once they overcome the symptoms, they can be an extrovert, love being the life of the party or center of attention.
People who are shy, do not like those things. They would prefer to not be at a big party or have everyone paying attention to them. Their shyness is not holding them back from doing the things that they love. They love spending time with one or two close friends at a time and not getting too much attention .
How do we know if we are experiencing shyness or social anxiety?
Here are a few quick questions to clear it up for you.
1. Does your anxiety or fear about seeing other people keep you from doing the things you love?
2. Do you feel your anxiety or shyness makes it hard for you to do what you need to do to succeed in life?
3. Does your fear or anxiety feels so overwhelming that you sometimes have a panic attack?
4. Have you ever had to call in sick to school or work because of anxiety?
If you answered yes to these questions, it's most likely what you're struggling with a social anxiety disorder. If none of that rang true for you, then it's possible that you're shy.
Overall, know that if you're anxiety or fear about social situations is getting in the way of you doing what you love, please speak up and reach out for professional help.
By finding a therapist who helps push you to fight back against those worry thoughts, you Can overcome it.
Feel free to reblog this or share what's helped you overcome your social anxiety !
