What’s the difference? is a new editorial product that explains the similarities and differences between health terms that are often confused with medical terms and why they matter.
The terms “shyness” and “social anxiety” are often used interchangeably because both involve feeling uncomfortable in social situations.
However, feeling shy or having a shy personality is not the same as experiencing social anxiety (short for ‘social anxiety disorder’).
Here are some of the similarities and differences, and what the distinction means.
What do they look like?
It can be normal to feel nervous or even stressed in new social situations or when interacting with new people. And everyone differs in how comfortable they feel interacting with others.
For people who are shy or socially anxious, social situations can be very uncomfortable, stressful or even threatening. There may be a strong desire to avoid these situations.
People who are shy or socially anxious may respond by “running away” (withdrawing from the situation or avoiding it altogether), “freezing” (disengaging or feeling disconnected from their body), or “fawning” (trying to appease or placate others ).
A complex interplay of biological and environmental factors is also believed to influence the development of shyness and social anxiety.
For example both shy children and adults with social anxiety they have neural circuits that respond strongly to stressful social situations, such as exclusion or exclusion.
People who are shy or socially anxious often report physical symptoms of anxiety in certain situations or even when they expect them. These include sweating, flushing, shaking, increased heart rate or hyperventilation.
How are they different?
Social anxiety is a diagnosable mental health condition and is an example of an anxiety disorder.
For people who struggle with social anxiety, social situations – including social interactions, being observed and performing in front of others – cause intense fear or anxiety about being judged, criticized or rejected.
To be diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, social anxiety must be persistent (lasting more than six months) and have a significant negative impact on important areas of life, such as work, school, relationships, and identity or sense of belonging of the self.
Many adults with social anxiety report that they felt shy, timid, and lacked confidence as children. However, not all shy children develop social anxiety. Also, feeling shy does not necessarily mean that a person meets the criteria for social anxiety disorder.
People vary in how shy or outgoing they are, depending on where they are, who they are with, and how comfortable they are in the situation. This is especially true for children, who sometimes appear reserved and shy with strangers and peers, and extroverted with familiar and trusted adults.
Individual differences in temperament, personality traits, early childhood experiences, family upbringing and environment, and parenting style can also influence the extent to which people feel shy in social situations.
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However, people with social anxiety have overwhelming fears of embarrassing themselves or being judged negatively by others. they experience these fears consistently and across multiple social situations.
The intensity of this fear or anxiety often leads people to avoid situations. If a situation cannot be avoided, they may engage in safety behaviors such as looking at their phone, wearing sunglasses, or rehearsing conversation topics.
The effect that social anxiety can have on a person’s life can be far-reaching. It can include low self-esteem, the breakdown of friendships or romantic relationships, difficulty pursuing and progressing in a career, and dropping out of school.
The impact this has on a person’s ability to live a meaningful and fulfilling life, and the distress it causes, differentiates social anxiety from shyness.
Children may show similar signs or symptoms of social anxiety as adults. But they may also feel upset and tearful, irritable, have angry outbursts, cling to their parents or refuse to talk in certain situations.
If left untreated, social anxiety can set children and young people up for a future of missed opportunities, so early intervention is key. With professional and parental support, patience and guidance, children can be taught strategies to overcome social anxiety.
Why does the distinction matter?
Social anxiety disorder is a mental health condition that insists for people who do not receive adequate support or treatment.
Without treatment, it can lead to difficulties in education and work, and in developing meaningful relationships.
A diagnosis of social anxiety disorder can be validating for some people, as it recognizes the level of anxiety and that its impact is more severe than shyness.
Diagnosis can also be an important first step in accessing appropriate, evidence-based treatment.
Different people have different support needs. However, clinical practice guidelines recommend cognitive-behavioral therapy (a type of psychological therapy that teaches people practical coping skills). This is often used with exposure therapy (a type of psychological therapy that helps people face their fears by breaking them down into a series of step-by-step activities). This combination is effective in person, In connection and to short treatments.
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For more support or further reading
Online resources about social anxiety include:
Thank you Black Dog Institute Live Experience Advisory Network members for providing feedback and information on this article and our research.
