It’s normal to feel some nervousness in certain situations, such as before a job interview or going on a date. Some people are naturally shy and take a bit to open up to others, so these situations may cause more discomfort for those who are shy than for those who are not. Others have social anxiety, which can make even everyday interactions cause serious anxiety. Many people use shyness and social anxiety as interchangeable terms, however, they are not the same thing. While there are some similarities between the two, there are quite a key differences between shyness and social anxiety.  

Shyness is a personality trait, like introversion, that generally doesn’t raise cause for concern. Social anxiety, on the other hand, is an anxiety disorder that can seriously impact one’s life and cause them to avoid even activities they enjoy and want to do. 

The fact that many people don’t realize there are differences between shyness and social anxiety leads to social anxiety getting brushed off and people not getting the help that they need. Here’s what you need to know about some of the key differences between shyness and social anxiety. 

Shyness Vs Social Anxiety

While the two share some characteristics, there are quite a few differences between shyness and social anxiety. The two have such similarities that some think social anxiety is just extreme shyness, while others may be confused about whether or not they are merely shy or whether they have social anxiety. To better understand the differences between shyness and social anxiety, let’s dive into what both of these are, so you can see what is normal behavior and what is a symptom of a social anxiety disorder. 

What Is Shyness?

As previously mentioned, shyness is a personality trait. Shyness often includes passiveness and uncertainty, typically in new situations or around people that you are either unfamiliar with or uncomfortable around. Some people grow out of shyness, some develop it, and others find that it lets up the more comfortable they get in a situation or around someone.

People who are shy often:

• Are passive and quiet around others
• Avoid uncomfortable social situations
• Avoid eye contact
• Are hesitant to try new things
• Feel like they don’t belong 
• Excessively rehearse what they want to say/how they want to behave
• Wish to be perfect in their social interactions

What Is Social Anxiety?

Social anxiety is a type of anxiety disorder. People with social anxiety experience extreme, debilitating anxiety about how they are perceived and act in social settings or in social interactions. Contrary to what many people believe, social anxiety is not solely experienced by those who are introverted and/or shy, but also by extroverts and people who are popular and seem to enjoy being the center of attention. 

People with social anxiety often struggle with concern over how other people view their social interactions and deep inadequacy. They often realize when their anxiety is irrational, which can lead to worsened symptoms from their frustration with themselves. 

People with social anxiety commonly experience symptoms such as:

• Rapid heart rate
• Sweating
• Difficulty breathing
• Difficulty speaking
• Shaking
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Blushing
• Muscle tension
• Rigid posture
• “Blanking out” and forgetting what you were going to say or do
• Feeling as though you are out of your body
• Panic attacks
• Numbness
• Headaches or migraines

The Main Differences Between Shyness And Social Anxiety

Depending on how they present, shyness and social anxiety can look similar, and also change, depending on the person’s mental health and age. Shyness typically goes away after a person adjusts to being in a situation or begins to feel comfortable around a new person. Social anxiety, on the other hand, is present before, during, and after situations. Shyness is typically situational, and while social anxiety can be too, shyness can go away while social anxiety can persist long after the person is no longer in a situation or around a person. 

Someone who is shy will typically try to blend into the background, avoid people or interactions, or become quiet around others when they are loud and bubbly around their loved ones. 

Someone with social anxiety will typically experience some doubt and uncertainty, such as seeking constant validation, display social awkwardness, and experience physical symptoms, such as having a panic attack. 

While shyness can turn into social anxiety if someone feels anxious about the fact that they are shy and then start to try to avoid or worry about social interactions, shyness in and of itself isn’t an anxiety disorder. Many shy people open up once they feel comfortable and don’t mind social situations, even though they may be reserved and stick to the people that they know. 

Social anxiety can worsen with time, as the fear and anxiety symptoms increase. Why shy people may avoid social interactions sometimes, people who have social anxiety can fear them, worry about them for months prior to the event, feel like they are going to be sick throughout the entire event, and then overanalyze how they behaved during the event long after it’s passed. Usually, people who have social anxiety realize their fear is overblown, but they don’t know how to control it. 

One of the major differences between shyness and social anxiety is the intensity to which it impacts your life. Shy people may feel awkward around people they don’t know or in new situations, but typically, that doesn’t prevent them from living their lives. People with social anxiety can go to extremes to avoid people and social interactions, and the social anxiety can seriously impact their life, such as keeping them from doing everyday activities, like going to the grocery store.

Are You Struggling With Social Anxiety?

As you see, shyness and social anxiety are not the same. Social anxiety is a psychological disorder that causes serious distress to people’s lives. Luckily, there are treatment options available to help with social anxiety, such as medication and therapy. Ogden Psychological Services is here to help you. If you’re struggling with social anxiety, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our goal is to help you live your life to its fullest capacity. We can help you manage and work through your social anxiety. Contact us to set up a psychological evaluation or an appointment.

“You need therapy” is a phrase often used as an insult or a joke, which makes many people assume that therapy is bad or something to be ashamed of. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. However, due to the stigma against mental health issues and services, it’s common for people to assume they should only go to therapy in extreme circumstances or that going to therapy means they’re broken. People often assume that so long as they have loved ones to lean on and can function in their day-to-day life, they don’t need therapy. 

These misconceptions lead to many people suffering in silence instead of getting the help that they need. People are incredibly resilient, but everyone needs help to process things and to deal with hard emotions and situations. When you go to therapy, it provides you with the tools you need in order to manage your thoughts and emotions so that you can lead a happier life. 

Therapy is one of those things that never hurts to try – you don’t need a big reason to go, and it’s a safe, confidential environment for you to talk about what’s going on in your life. If you’re questioning whether or not you should go to therapy, rest assured that you can seek it out at any time. It’s there to help you with whatever issues you may have, regardless of whether or not you have a mental health condition or have suffered trauma. 

Here’s what you need to know about why people go to therapy, as well as signs that indicate that you could potentially benefit from it.

Why Do People Go To Therapy?

People go to therapy for many reasons, from needing help with a mental illness, to having family or relationship issues, to suffering trauma or grief, to experiencing a significant life change, and more. Therapy is designed to help make your life better. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a serious reason to go to therapy or benefit from it. The decision to start therapy is a highly personal one and varies greatly depending on the person. 

Some people go to therapy because they feel overwhelmed, others because they feel like they don’t have anyone they can talk to or like they’ve run out of resources, others because they’re ready for a change, and others still because they just feel like they need help.

There are many, many reasons why people go to therapy, and they are all of them valid. Therapy gives you the tools you need to handle life better and can help to improve the symptoms of many different mental health conditions. As such, people find it beneficial to go to therapy for help with everything from life challenges to mental illnesses to emotional difficulties and more.

Should I Go To Therapy?

Knowing whether or not you should go to therapy can be challenging. After all, everyone experiences challenges. How do you know whether or not you should seek out professional help with said challenges? 

While you don’t need a big reason to go to therapy and if you want to try it, that’s good enough to give it a shot, here are some of the factors that indicate you could potentially benefit from going to therapy. 

Signs You Could Benefit From Therapy

It’s not always clear to see whether you should go to therapy or not. But here are some signs that talking to a therapist could be beneficial to you.

#1. You Can’t Change A Negative Pattern

It can be incredibly demoralizing to set an intention to do better only to fail every time we try. Therapy can help you understand what’s holding you to your negative pattern, help you find what’s keeping you from making progress, and celebrate the victories with you, encouraging you to build lasting habits. 

#2. You’re Feel Overwhelmed

Whether there’s a lot going on in your life right now or you’re struggling with strong emotions that you can’t manage, therapy can help you sort through your feelings and provide you with the necessary tools to manage what’s going on better.

#3. You’re Avoiding People

Mental health issues can lead you to avoid social situations and cause you to withdraw from your loved ones and avoid dealing with people. Therapy can help you sort through why this is and provide you with necessary support so you can build those relationships again.

#4. You’re Relying On Substances To Cope

Sex, alcohol, drugs, and other substances may help you feel better initially, but they won’t fix the underlying issues that made you turn to them for escapism. Therapy provides a healthy, long-term solution to help you manage whatever you’re trying to escape from.

#5. You Don’t Care About Anything

It’s very common for people with depression to stop caring about their lives. If you’ve lost interest in the things you used to enjoy, a therapist can help you understand why life isn’t enjoyable anymore and figure out how to help you enjoy it again.

#6. You’re Going Through A Major Life Event

Change is a part of life, but some are hard to navigate on our own. If you’ve recently lost someone, lost a job, are going through a divorce, have been or are currently experiencing trauma, if you go to therapy, the therapist can help you work through it.

#7. People Are Worried About You

If your actions are affecting those around you or they’re expressing concerns about your welfare, it could be a good idea to go to therapy to sort through what is going on and help you develop healthy relationships, with yourself and with those around you.

These are but some of the reasons why people go to therapy. Regardless of whether you are experiencing something listed above or not, if you feel like you could benefit from therapy, it is always a good idea to try it.

Are You Considering Going To Therapy?

Ogden Psychological Services provides individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, and other mental health services, such as neurofeedback therapy. If you are considering whether you should go to therapy, we can help. Contact us for an intake and let us help you work towards a happier, more fulfilling life.