Disadvantages Of Introverts

Social anxiety, also known as social phobia, is a feeling of fear and discomfort of being judged badly by other people. Anyone can experience this at work, school, special events, and even at doing everyday things. Many people have experienced a feeling like this and that is normal. But having a social anxiety disorder can have a huge affect in someone’s life style. The effects of having disorder can lead to bad results in life.

Social anxiety is something I have always had although I did not always know what it was. I thought it was only something that those living under a rock and had never seen people had. I now know that anyone can have it. When I was a little kid, people would tell me what beautiful features I have and I would be so shy and self-conscious that I would hide behind my parents. My parents thought I was just shy but that was only part of it. I have failed many times and wasted many opportunities to expose myself to my anxiety and maybe even overcome it. Although I have always had social anxiety it only escalates the older I get. There was a time where I did not want to face my fears. I was told by not only my mom but many others that I would become agoraphobic. I never tried to get better. Ignoring “the monster” as I call

There are people who on the outside are not sociable, because these people are shy. However, there is a difference between shyness and introversion. Shy people often avoid many things because they are nervous or they criticize themselves for speaking up. Introverts, however, will not be nervous or criticize themselves. Both shyness and being introverted are acceptable traits. It only becomes a problem when a person has a social anxiety disorder that significantly interferes with a person’s life. We want and need people to be the quiet thinkers who can go off by themselves come up with an idea and bring it back to a

Social anxiety latches on to its victims and sucks all hope and motivation for self improvement and success to the point where it seems that any and all attempts to overcome it are out of reach. What once was a crippling disadvantage, is now what I have to thank for becoming my true self. It took four years to be able manage the sense of trepidation and overwhelming panic when going about day-to-day activities such as asking questions in class or even having a conversation with any acquaintances; however, I would not change anything that I have experienced.

I love the quote by Ezra Taft Benson, “Some of the greatest battles will be fought within the silent chambers of your own soul.” That quote rings true to me, and has throughout all my life. When I was young, I suffered from such severe social anxiety that even talking to close relatives was terrifying. The anxiety was so severe that my mother nearly brought me into therapy. But one day, she drew a diagram for me. This diagram had a circle in the center labeled “comfort zone"; it explained that when we push out of our comfort zone, we expand our previously little comfort zone into a greater one. I took this principle to heart at a young age, and started pushing myself socially to expand my comfort zone. Even saying hello was a monumental success

Having a fear of people and their personal judgments against oneself is the worry of social scenarios in which the communication with other individuals could immediately bring on feelings of intense self-scrutiny where person feel that others are watching their every move. It is also where a person may feel like they are constantly being evaluated as well as examined adversely others which can bring about feelings of inadequacy, shame, and embarrassment. One should note that if a person only feels like they are sitting on pins and needles in social circumstances, and not when no one else is around, social anxiety should be taken into consideration.

People with this disorder have trouble talking to people, meeting new people, and attending social activities. They fear being judged by others. They may understand that their fears are irrational or unreasonable, but feel powerless to overcome them. This is symptom has nothing to do with shyness. Shyness is usually a short-term thing and people deal with it better. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) approximately 15 million American adults have social anxiety

Growing up an introvert was hard; I would always be the kid who sat in the back and kept her head down waiting for class to end trying to skip out on having to share. Everything about speaking to groups of people was slightly terrifying for me. Whether it was reading my answers out loud in class or even presenting a project to a crowded room it would cause me to have anxiety. I was always like this until my senior year of high school. Senior year truly helped me break out of my shell.

No one wants to feel invisible or have a constant fear they will embarrass themselves just simply by speaking. In the United States today, even with our say-anything society, many people struggle with these exact worries on a day-today basis. Social anxiety is a disorder that many, even doctors, write off as having shy or introverted qualities. Despite the lack of knowledge and awareness for the disorder, social anxiety is a growing problem in our country and around the world.

Social anxiety disorder, which is also called social phobia involves overwhelming worry and self-consciousness about everyday social situations. The worry often centers on a fear of being judged by others, or behaving in a way that might cause embarrassment or lead to ridicule. The fear may be made worse by a lack of social skills or experience in social situations. The anxiety can build into a panic attack. As a result of the fear, the person endures certain social situations in extreme distress or may avoid them altogether. In addition, people with social anxiety disorder often suffer anticipatory anxiety, the fear of a situation before it even happens, for days or weeks before the event. In many cases, the person is aware that the fear is unreasonable, yet is unable to overcome it. (Goldberg)

I’ve always been a shy person but for the most part I was able to be “successfully shy”, as the PsyBlog defines it, until beginning of high school. It was a mix of things that got me there, but some of the behaviors I exhibited reminded me of the “safety behaviors” described in the Social Anxiety Disorder section. I remember, for example, if I went out to a restaurant I would ask my mom or sister if they would like to split dinner with me so I wouldn’t have to talk to the waiter/waitress or at the very least the only thing I would have to order would be a drink. I also remember purposely standing somewhat angled behind my sister when we went to a store so if a sales person would ask my sister and not me if we needed help. (all of the other safety behaviors sounded very familiar, eye contact, rehearsing the conversation, etc.) I don’t do these behaviors anymore and what helped me a lot was talking to myself (No one is going to remember you tripped five minutes from now) (Not to say I had social anxiety disorder but it reminded me of my own experience).

This type of Anxiety Disorder has a direct correlation relating to social situations. A person experiencing this disorder has a chronic fear of other people’s perceptions of them. They are especially likely to avoid any situation where they are being observed by others such as giving presentations or activities that must be performed in front of an audience, large or small. In extreme circumstances where social anxiety disorder exists, a person will avoid social situations all together and will become a “hermit” in their own individual abode. This disorder is impairing to one’s normal life functioning because it often affects a person’s ability to perform the essential duties in a work environment. It also deters them from engaging in typical conversations because the fear of being embarrassed or judged is so extreme (Fleming, 2012).

As you use meditation and online support, try to cultivate a small circle of people or even one person to help you conquer your fears. Social anxiety is felt in isolation, but working with others can offer a solution. People with social fears and phobias may have few friends to rely on, but an ally can be an online supporter. Also, therapists and other mental health professionals can help by listening, setting goals, and giving practical advice. Reaching out to a trusted person is a good step into becoming more social.

“Social anxiety is the bear of interaction with other people that brings on self-consciousness, feeling of being negatively judged and evaluated, and, as a result, leads to avoidance” said Jonathan Berent, author of “The Untold Story”. It is known as a phobia that is most commonly known with adolescents. In this day and age people are so worried about their look or “image”. This makes social

The Social anxiety Association classifies social anxiety as the fear of interacting with other and social situations. Social anxiety causes fear and anxiety in most if not all aspects of ones lives. Social anxiety is the fear of being negatively judge or evaluated by others. It is a chronic disease that it does not go away on its own, only direct cognitive-behavioral therapy can help people overcome their social anxiety. There are a few situations that can trigger social anxiety such as being introduced to