The 4 differences between shyness and social phobia

We find a person who does not dare to express himself or speak in public and who keeps the expression of his thoughts inhibited. This person suffers from it and finds it difficult to relate and defend her position. Why does it cost you so much? Some interpret that this person is tremendously shy, while others consider that she has a social phobia. But, what differences are there between one thing and another?

To this end we are going to make a brief definition of each of the two concepts, to later focus on the differences between shyness and social phobia.

• Related article: "Social phobia: what is it and how to overcome it?"

What do we understand by shyness?

The shyness it is a personality trait present in a large number of people in which the subject who possesses it has difficulty in express themselves in public and bond with their peers, which requires a certain effort and usually generate anxiety.

These types of people tend to be quiet not because they have nothing to say but because they are afraid to do so due to the possibility of being judged negatively.

It's not about the shy person be introverted (in fact shy people can actually be very extroverted), but out of fear they have to exercise extreme caution about what they say and to whom, and do not dare to express their points of view with firmness. These people can feel insecure and uncomfortable in social situations, and they do not usually deal with large groups of unfamiliar people.

A shy person may suffer from such shyness by causing some isolation and limitation of social life. However, shyness is not considered a pathology unless it is taken to the extreme and social situations are actively avoided or symptoms such as anxiety crisis are generated.

Social phobia

Social phobia or social anxiety disorder is an anxiety-related disorder in which the subject who suffers from it has an irrational and persistent fear of exposing himself in social situations or before certain people, due to the fear of being judged or performing any action that makes them look ridiculous.

The person tries as much as possible avoid social situations and you feel a high level of anxiety if you are forced to participate in these situations, and you may experience an anxiety crisis. The person acknowledges that the fear of her is irrational, and is not due to other disorders or substance use.

This disorder can appear in a generalized way or by circumscribing panic to specific situations such as making an exhibition or a certain type of activity in public.

Differences between shyness and social phobia

As we can see from the definitions of shyness and social phobia, both concepts are similar in the core of the concept: in both cases the person suffers from a fear of being socially judged by her actions or words, inhibiting her interaction with her peers to some degree and causing a more or less severe limitation of expression and social bonding.

In fact, it is sometimes considered that social phobia is the pathological extreme of shyness, and it is not surprising that personalities with a high level of shyness in childhood can develop social phobia in the future (although it does not have to occur).

Despite the aforementioned similarities, we can find several differences between shyness and social phobia, some of the main being the following.

1. Non-avoidance of social interaction

In the first place, shyness is a more or less stable personality characteristic throughout life, although it can be reduced according to the life experience of the subject varies. But even though it may produce some limitations is not considered a disorder.

Social phobia implies the presence of a high level of fear to confront social situations that provoke their avoidance in a continuous and persistent way. However the shy person does is able to carry out an interaction in social situations and although she does not feel safe in such contexts, she does not avoid them so actively. For example, the shy one may go to a party even though he doesn't talk much, but the phobic will avoid it if he can.

2. Widespread fear

Another point in which both concepts differ is that while the shy person tends to feel uncomfortable in specific situations or people, in social phobia fear and tends to be more generalized (even if we are talking about a circumscribed phobia).

3. Physiological differences

A third point of contrast is the presence of symptomatology at the physiological level. A shy person may suffer blushing, sweating, gastrointestinal discomfort and some nervousness when exposed, but in general there are no major alterations. However, in the case of social phobia, tachycardias, difficulties respiratory and severe anxiety attacks not only when facing the situation, but also when imagining it in advance.

4. The intensity of the limitation

Finally, the shy person may suffer at a certain moment due to the perception of disability to relate or defend their point of view, but in the case of a social phobia fear and worry are more continuous and limit their quality of life.

Thus, someone shy may prefer to cross a street instead of the one a few meters away so as not to meet someone specific, while a person with social phobia is capable of not leaving home knowing that at that time a person they like comes back from work and could meet them for chance.