People saying Social anxiety disorder is just shyness

[Clown]

Some people say that social anxiety disorder is just extreme shyness,
but for me it doens't feel that way, before sa disorder i was actually very confident and not shy at all, but afhter some bad experience I went paranoid that everyone is looking at me in the train and are watching my every move and my walk gets strange because of all the irritational attention I don't think that shy people have this burden.

I hate it when people say that, because shyness doens't sound as a problem just personality trait, while I don't call my self shy I can be very loud and anxious at the same time. Like I don't have a problem.... its ruining my life...

The persons to blame for this, the pyschiatry with there DSM calling everyone crazy and because of this people take socialphobia generalized not very seriously

 

[Mickery]

The best trick you will ever learn is to completely ignore people who don't know what they're talking about.

 

[redmatter]

I believe it all to be keen perception and intelligence, natural defense mechanisms.

 

[Sial Axetder]

People without SA or anything similar to it can relate to shyness but not SA, so when they see someone with SA they'll define them in terms they understand. Extreme Shyness is actually what I googled before I knew what Social Anxiety Disorder was when looking for answers about myself. The way it manifests itself does resemble what "Extreme shyness" would be, so even though it's more than simply being shy it can look like that, especially to people unfamiliar with what SA exactly is, or to those who have a difficult time understanding others.

Could not have worded any better.

 

[Clown]

The problem is that social anxiety disorder and shyness is a line with no beginning and no end, so im asking my self how many people here have just shyness and no social anxiety disorder and thinking they have social anxiety disorder. even some experts are saying that social anxiety disorder is just a label for extreme shyness.

But how can some guy like me turn from very confident not anxious at all , to someone who is extreme paranoid about being watched all the time and can hardly buy some food at the supermarket and it feels like presentation for someone with normal anxious levels.
Is that even possible to become extreme shy in a few weeks ?

 

[nicole1]

I tell folks that so they can understand in their basic minds that it's a severe shyness... They still say "get over it." They'll never be able to understand how scary this can get for an individual.

 

[Mickery]

The problem is that social anxiety disorder and shyness is a line with no beginning and no end, so im asking my self how many people here have just shyness and no social anxiety disorder and thinking they have social anxiety disorder. even some experts are saying that social anxiety disorder is just a label for extreme shyness.

"Disorder" is just a word to describe something that interferes with aspects of your life to the extent that you cannot function properly. Even if social anxiety were just extreme shyness, it would still be a disorder.

Shyness may not be easily distinguishable externally, but internally I feel it's quite different. Anxiety makes me want to escape, shyness doesn't. Anxiety produces physical symptoms, shyness doesn't. Wikipedia identifies anxiety as being a sort of "prediction of fear", whereas actual fear and shyness exist in the present.

But how can some guy like me turn from very confident not anxious at all , to someone who is extreme paranoid about being watched all the time and can hardly buy some food at the supermarket and it feels like presentation for someone with normal anxious levels.

Some kind of traumatic event? Minor things can affect different people in different ways, some hugely, some not at all. Phobias are irrational by definition, so don't feel that your feelings are invalidated because it doesn't make sense.

 

[Clown]

yes but I have never heard of someone become shy afhter an tramatic event, shyness is normaly as I see it your something born with or grows gradually during childhood 1-5 years. not something in the middle of nowhere at age 13. For me thats a difference between sa and shyness... I have always be prone to phobia's in since my childhood which all I have overcome except my generalized social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder,

 

[Mickery]

So... it's not shyness?

 

[Kiwong]

For me it is a protection mechanism from being hurt or embarrased.

 

[Invisibleman]

That always pissed me off to the brink, when people think that SA is just shyness and they tell me to get over it like they know what I go through.They think its that f%$&in easy.

 

[MaliceInWickedland]

What the hell do they know?! Are they afraid to step out of their own home? Do they always feel inferior to everyone else? Do they feel like people are always watching their every move and judging them? Do their throats get constricted to a point where their breathing is limited when they get nervous? Do they start sweating waterfalls when they do something as simple as taking a walk in the park or shopping for groceries and whatnot? Are they afraid of looking at themselves in the mirror in fear that another flaw among millions will be discovered? I don't think so.

This isn't shyness. It's pure self-destruction to the mind.