Shyness is usually defined as the feeling of apprehension, awkwardness, or social anxiety. It can be an overwhelming experience. There are many causes for shyness, but fortunately, there are many ways to begin working through it.
Anxiety on the other hand is a natural human response to perceived threats. When you have social anxiety, you think that everyone around you thinks negatively about you and your actions. This means that your body will produce extra adrenaline in situations where there is no threat or at the wrong time- leading you into an anxious state of mind where it’s difficult or impossible for you to do anything other than try to escape the situation at hand
Everyone is shy at some point in their life. It is natural to feel nervous when you are meeting people for the first time. But it can be exhausting and even embarrassing to live with extreme shyness or social anxiety.
If you want to overcome your shyness, here are some tips that can help:
- Make an effort to talk to new people. When you practice talking on a regular basis, it will become easier and more natural for you, and eventually this will allow you to be more sociable in general.
- Use small talk as your starting point; it’s an easy way to start conversations with strangers. If the conversation moves past the initial greeting, try asking them about their day or what they do for work.
It can be hard to pinpoint how much shyness is too much. If you feel that you are always experiencing high levels of anxiety, it may be time to seek professional help.
There are a few things that may cause people to feel shy: genetics and temperament; physical appearance; behavior and intelligence; and more.
With these in mind, we can start identifying patterns and try to understand what triggers them in order to work on overcoming them.
Assertiveness is a key skill that needs to be developed for one to have a successful social life. This article will explore three different ways to practice assertiveness in a social setting.
- Mirroring: Mirroring helps people with the way they behave and helps them manage their emotions from being overwhelmed. It also helps people get better at understanding the other person’s perspective.
- Training Your Brain: Training your brain can help you learn more about yourself and how you react in different situations, so that you can control your impulses better and become more assertive.
- Turning Apathy into Empathy: Apathy is often the cause of people not being able to voice their opinions while empathy can help turn apathy into action, giving people an incentive to speak up when they feel like they don’t.
The Disadvantages of Being Shy
Being shy is a disadvantage in many aspects of life. Shy people are less likely to make a good first impression and they also have a harder time socializing, because it takes them longer to build up the courage to speak with unfamiliar people. This can make it hard for shy people to get jobs, maintain relationships, and just live their lives in general.
The disadvantages of being shy are mainly due to the fact that shyness makes it hard for someone to go out into society and take part in what others can do easily. Shy people typically lack self-confidence and need encouragement from others before they will feel comfortable enough to do these things.
How Else to Deal with Shyness & Social Anxiety
Shyness and social anxiety are two different things. Shyness is a state of mind where one feels self-conscious to the point of feeling embarrassed about oneself. Social anxiety, on the other hand, is an anxiety disorder that causes people to feel nervous in social situations.
Knowing that shyness and social anxiety are two different things can help you deal with them better. If you’re feeling shy, it might be because of your own self-consciousness, which is not as severe as someone who deals with social anxiety.
If you know that the person, you’re talking to suffers from social anxiety, make sure to not take their reaction personally. They may also need more time than what’s required for everyone else to calm down before they can resume conversation again. The following are some of the things you can do to overcome shyness and social anxiety:
- Find a hobby that you enjoy and do it on a regular basis
- Write in a journal or blog about your feelings
- Join an organization where you can meet new people on a regular basis
- Seek professional help from a psychologist or psychiatrist
Conclusion
We are all social creatures. From an early age, we are ingrained with the need to socialize with other people – to meet their eyes, understand what they are saying, and respond appropriately. Social anxiety is the fear of being judged by other people in social situations. It is important for us to learn how to deal with it so that we can live a happy and fulfilling life.
Author information: This article was written by Shadrach, a freelance article writer, and a journalist by profession. He is also a contributor for Seasoning Ideas, and other websites.