We're not shy or anxious...we're EVOLVED?!
- Thread starter Social_Monstrosity
- Start date
I think who ever wrote this has an agenda against drug companies, and obviously has neither experienced, nor knows, how hard it is to go through social anxiety disorder
Social_Monstrosity
Well-known member
Yeah..I can see the benefits to being a little bit shy/introverted but full-blown social anxiety is soulcrushing.
Interesting article.
I actually heard similar arguments about 'HSP' (='highly sensitive person')
That it's evolutionary necessary and important that different kinds of people/specimens of a species exist (for HSP it was like 'canaries in mines' to show any signs of trouble... Many HSP people can be 'shy' or 'introvert' too..)
I'd agree it's important that at least some members of the species are 'cautious', so after the brave ones are gobbled up, the species continues
I disagree about introvert/extrovert being the only dynamics - some people - including me! can be both introverted and extroverted, and quite some others on this forum too! (it seems) People can be shy/sa and extroverted too, as far as I know.. Aha, it's addressed in the original article...
Psychology says everyone is a sum of genetics+environment+self activity, so I don't know why sa/shyness wouldn't be partially genetic too, and if it is, there's probably a reason for it?
Yup, shyness is supposed to be 'easier' than full-blown sa... (by definition, the articles say so too..)
I think the articles are supposed to be 'self empowerment' for shy people... By many 'shyness' is seen as negative trait, and it's good to look at the positives too, no?
In my country, meds are overprescribed and there's not enough therapy offered, or prevention programs... I don't know how it is elsewhere.. It seems that in USA meds are often overprescribed too, at least some people on other forums said so.. but I think more people get therapy like CBT over there too..
Did you guys even read the original NYTimes article?
I actually heard similar arguments about 'HSP' (='highly sensitive person')
That it's evolutionary necessary and important that different kinds of people/specimens of a species exist (for HSP it was like 'canaries in mines' to show any signs of trouble... Many HSP people can be 'shy' or 'introvert' too..)
I'd agree it's important that at least some members of the species are 'cautious', so after the brave ones are gobbled up, the species continues
I disagree about introvert/extrovert being the only dynamics - some people - including me! can be both introverted and extroverted, and quite some others on this forum too! (it seems) People can be shy/sa and extroverted too, as far as I know.. Aha, it's addressed in the original article...
Psychology says everyone is a sum of genetics+environment+self activity, so I don't know why sa/shyness wouldn't be partially genetic too, and if it is, there's probably a reason for it?
Yup, shyness is supposed to be 'easier' than full-blown sa... (by definition, the articles say so too..)
I think the articles are supposed to be 'self empowerment' for shy people... By many 'shyness' is seen as negative trait, and it's good to look at the positives too, no?
In my country, meds are overprescribed and there's not enough therapy offered, or prevention programs... I don't know how it is elsewhere.. It seems that in USA meds are often overprescribed too, at least some people on other forums said so.. but I think more people get therapy like CBT over there too..
Did you guys even read the original NYTimes article?
IGotSeoul
Well-known member
Interesting article.
I actually heard similar arguments about 'HSP' (='highly sensitive person')
That it's evolutionary necessary and important that different kinds of people/specimens of a species exist (for HSP it was like 'canaries in mines' to show any signs of trouble... Many HSP people can be 'shy' or 'introvert' too..)
I'd agree it's important that at least some members of the species are 'cautious', so after the brave ones are gobbled up, the species continues
I disagree about introvert/extrovert being the only dynamics - some people - including me! can be both introverted and extroverted, and quite some others on this forum too! (it seems) People can be shy/sa and extroverted too, as far as I know.. Aha, it's addressed in the original article...
Psychology says everyone is a sum of genetics+environment+self activity, so I don't know why sa/shyness wouldn't be partially genetic too, and if it is, there's probably a reason for it?
Yup, shyness is supposed to be 'easier' than full-blown sa... (by definition, the articles say so too..)
I think the articles are supposed to be 'self empowerment' for shy people... By many 'shyness' is seen as negative trait, and it's good to look at the positives too, no?
In my country, meds are overprescribed and there's not enough therapy offered, or prevention programs... I don't know how it is elsewhere.. It seems that in USA meds are often overprescribed too, at least some people on other forums said so.. but I think more people get therapy like CBT over there too..
Did you guys even read the original NYTimes article?
Although I'm shy, I dislike it when people confuse strong introversion with shyness because they are not a byproduct of one another.
I agree with what you've said and yes I read the NYT article, I meant the first link that cited it was not well presented. The HSP bit is interesting too.
MsBuzzkillington
Well-known member
Personally I don't feel like this article is completely off base. The author may by combining anxiety disorders and shyness too quickly, but the basis for her argument isn't totally crazy.
There is nothing wrong with being shy. It is not a flaw that a person has. This is what she is getting at. She is trying to say that just because you are shy and cautious doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you. Being "normal" is not being extroverted.
I think there is a fine line between shyness and social anxiety disorder. Sometimes I don't even know if "SA/SP" is a real thing on it's own, or if it's just a combination of other anxieties and the anxieties happen to include certain social situations. I have a hard time with certain things and a lot of people have said "I could NEVER do that! are you sure you have SA?!" I have seen it a lot on the forums and in chat rooms too. Just because someone is a little more comfortable in certain situations, people question their SA-ness. People here may have a lot of similarities in there fears, but I haven't been able to find one solid definition that fits everyone. So is it social anxiety disorder? or is it shyness + gad and it happens to include social situations?
I think the majority of people can beat their anxieties with some work and pushing. I think the amount of people who actually need medication is very little. So I would agree that sometimes the drug companies push drugs onto those who don't really need it.
I am kind of going off topic. But I think would agree more with the article than disagree with it. It makes sense that for a species and a society to survive, some have to be more cautious and quiet. I don't think we should all be so quick to jump to the drugs either.
There is nothing wrong with being shy. It is not a flaw that a person has. This is what she is getting at. She is trying to say that just because you are shy and cautious doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you. Being "normal" is not being extroverted.
I think there is a fine line between shyness and social anxiety disorder. Sometimes I don't even know if "SA/SP" is a real thing on it's own, or if it's just a combination of other anxieties and the anxieties happen to include certain social situations. I have a hard time with certain things and a lot of people have said "I could NEVER do that! are you sure you have SA?!" I have seen it a lot on the forums and in chat rooms too. Just because someone is a little more comfortable in certain situations, people question their SA-ness. People here may have a lot of similarities in there fears, but I haven't been able to find one solid definition that fits everyone. So is it social anxiety disorder? or is it shyness + gad and it happens to include social situations?
I think the majority of people can beat their anxieties with some work and pushing. I think the amount of people who actually need medication is very little. So I would agree that sometimes the drug companies push drugs onto those who don't really need it.
I am kind of going off topic. But I think would agree more with the article than disagree with it. It makes sense that for a species and a society to survive, some have to be more cautious and quiet. I don't think we should all be so quick to jump to the drugs either.
Thelema
Well-known member
I don't see any reason to believe SP is an evolutionary mechanism in the human species just because some animals go out for food and some sit around?? Some people are born with tails, but that doesn't mean that it's evolutionarily good because we see other animals with tails.
Shyness traits being beneficial for our species doesn't mean our phobia is.
Shyness traits being beneficial for our species doesn't mean our phobia is.
Thelema
Well-known member
I don't see any reason to believe SP is an evolutionary mechanism in the human species just because some animals go out for food and some sit around?? Some people are born with tails, but that doesn't mean that it's evolutionarily good because we see other animals with tails.
Shyness traits being beneficial for our species doesn't mean our phobia is. The author lumps together shyness with phobia and being socially awkward-3 seperate things.
Totally seperate, but some new research links humor ability with intelligence genes. So being funny may have been a signal to our ancestors for good brain genes. Looking in to our past for our current behavior is interesting stuff.
Shyness traits being beneficial for our species doesn't mean our phobia is. The author lumps together shyness with phobia and being socially awkward-3 seperate things.
Totally seperate, but some new research links humor ability with intelligence genes. So being funny may have been a signal to our ancestors for good brain genes. Looking in to our past for our current behavior is interesting stuff.
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