Olivia Hinojosa

Mr.Munoz
English DC - 5th
12-15-14
Social Anxiety: How is it different from shyness?
Are we a society of Anxiety?

Shyness tends to typically be confused with Social Anxiety. In the

article Asocial and afraid: An examination of shyness and anxiety in
emerging adulthood, when asked how they feel in a social setting, a
man with shyness states I feel tense when I am with people I dont
know well. Whereas a man with a diagnosed Social Anxiety, states I
feel painful self-conscious when Im around strangers. There is an
distinction between those who experience SAD and those shy
individuals who simply report more fear in social settings than their nonshy peers (Barry Afraid and Asocial???). While shyness is a personal
issue and can create many problems in children, social anxiety is
a mental illness that creates similar, but much more extreme problems.
According to the article Shyness in late childhood: relations with
attributional styles and self-esteem, Shyness refers to feelings of
embarrassment and discomfort in social situations, especially those that
involve strangers or unfamiliar people. Shyness is the uncomfortable
feeling in social settings where communication with strangers is present.
Symptoms of shyness include blushing, sweating, a pounding heart or
upset stomach. Studies show that persistent feelings of shyness may be
associated to social or psychological problems in children. According to

the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical

Manual of Mental Disorders, Shyness, social withdrawal, and social
isolation are not listed as mental disorders. However, they are in fact
closely associated, and can be a precursor of Social Anxiety Disorder.
Shyness is considered a milder version of Social Anxiety Disorder at the
end of the socially anxious continuum (GrecoTreating childhood).
Shyness has proven to affect peoples lives in negative matters. Shyness
had been linked to lower quality relationships and according to the
article Shyness and Relationship Satisfaction: Evaluating the
Associations Between Shyness, Self- esteem, and Relationship
Satisfaction in Couples, lowers levels of problems and distress in
marriage. People who struggle with shyness tend to cut back on
communication, which is essential in a healthy marriage and
relationship. Shyness makes communication and vulnerability harder to
obtain and use. People with shyness tend to not want to interact and
choose to stay home which lessens their ability to communicate and
meet people. However, people with Anxiety, even if they want to go out,
have the fear and cannot interact with others without going into a type of
panic.
Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by a marked and persistent
fear of one more more social performance situations in which the person
is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by
others(GrecoTreating). Statistics show that Social Anxiety Disorder
affects nearly 1 in 10 adolescents with only 7% out of 9% receiving
treatment. According to the article When to get anxious about social
anxiety disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is among the most
prevalent of the anxiety disorders. Symtoms of Social Anxiety Disorder
include sweating, heart palpitations, muscle tension, or upset stomache.
Symptoms of SAD tend to last of a duration between ten and thirty
years, after treatment. Anxiety is not typically seen in just adults, it is

seen in all ages, from childhood to full adulthood. Social Anxiety

Disorder affects many aspects of life, but mainly has mainly been
proven to develop higher levels of impairment in childrens social and
academic functioning. Social Anxiety DisorderAD can even cause
additional psychiatric disorders such as depression and substance
disorders (Burstein). Hendriks speaks in her article Two year course of
anxiety disorders: different across disorders of dimensions that
Anxiety disorders are associated with a high burden of disease because
of psychosocial and functional impairments. In indivuduals with
anxiety disorders the anxiety is out of proportion to the actual threat. The
fear is not usually rational, which is why it negatively affects the victim,
as well as their family and friends. Social Anxiety Disorders affect
peoples lives in many different ways. Social Anxiety Disorder AD
affects romantic relationships, just like shyness does. However, Social
Anxiety Disorder patients prove to have long-term problems when in
any relationship. Being a mentall illness, Social Anxiety Disorder affects
the chemicals in the brain that keep a person calm and feeling safe.
Being worried or fearful around people impairs communication and
connection between people. Not being able to communicate with your
spouse can not only increase problems within the relationship, but also
with their friends and family.
Anxiety has proven to interfer the lives of many famous icons in our
world today. Johnny Depp, Emma Stone, Michael Jackson, Marilyn
Monroe are only a couple examples of celebrities who have suffered
with Anxiety Disorders. Most of them speak out about the trouble they
have had performing and recording movies with their mental illness.
They do not compare to the problems of shy individuals, where stage
freight is a temporary problem in large crowds. The effects of Anxiety
go on and on, and differ in different circumstances and levels of
Anxiety. Anxiety has been proven to drastically change lives and the

way these victims view the world. Anxiety does not just stop at affecting
social aspects. Along side of the external sweating and blushing of
Anxiety is the hidden internal bondage of Anxiety.

We have seen that Social Anxiety has affected many people in many
different ways, but the big question is, are we a society of Anxiety?
People in todays society tend to dimish the real effects of an Anxiety
Disorder. They do not associate it as an illness. However, despite
popular opinion, Anxiety Disorders are diseases that change the
chemicals in the brain and turn on the flight or fight response
continuously. Anxiety is frowned upon in todays society. Only 7% out
of 9% get treated, because most people do not see Anxiety as a threat to
health. According to the article, The SAD Stress Anxiety Depression
Sruggle of our Society, Richard Boyd states that We are in a society
where we want to function and will give up a lot of our authentic self in
order to be able to soldier on no matter how dysfunctional that marching
step may be. We try to prevail and to keep going as we are starting to
fall apart. We are a society of Anxiety and it is important that we open
our eyes to the problems Anxiety can cause.

Works Cited
Barry, Carolyn McNamara, Larry J Nelson, and Jennifer L
Christofferson. "Asocial And Afraid:
An Examination Of Shyness And Anxiety In Emerging
Adulthood."Journal Of Family
Studies 19.1 (2013): 2-18. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Dec.
2014.
Burstein, Marcy. "When To Get Anxious About Social Anxiety
Disorder."Contemporary
Pediatrics 29.12 (2012): 32-42. CINAHL Complete. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.
Chan, S., M., and A. K. Y. Wong. "Shyness In Late Childhood:
Relations With Attributional
Styles And Self-Esteem." Child: Care, Health & Development 39.2
(2013): 213-219.
CINAHL Complete. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.
Greco, Laurie A.Morris, Tracy L. "Treating Childhood Shyness And
Related Behavior:
Empirically Evaluated Approaches To Promote Positive Social
Interactions." Clinical Child & Family Psychology Review 4.4
(2001): 299-318. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
Collection. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.
Hendriks, Sanne M., et al. "Two-Year Course Of Anxiety Disorders:
Different Across Disorders

Or Dimensions?." Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 128.3 (2013): 212221.Academic

Search Complete. Web. 3 Dec. 2014.
Porter, Eliora Chambless, Dianne L. "Shying Away From A Good
Thing: Social Anxiety In
Romantic Relationships." Journal Of Clinical Psychology 70.6 (2014):
546-561.
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.

"Simply Not Coping - The SAD (Stress, Anxiety, Depression) Struggle

of Our Society." The
SAD Stress Anxiety Depression Struggle of Our Society. Richard
Boyd, 2014. Web. 04 Dec. 2014
Tackett, Sarah, L., Larry, J. Nelson, and Dean, M. Busby. "Shyness And
Relationship
Satisfaction: Evaluating The Associations Between Shyness, SelfEsteem, And
Relationship Satisfaction In Couples." American Journal Of Family
Therapy 41.1 (2013):
34-45. CINAHL Complete. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.