Extreme shyness can lead to a state of constant anxiety. This consistent feeling of fear creates a level of social disconnect that, if not addressed, can follow you from adolescence into adulthood.
Living in a world of varying social constructs requires individuals to be sociable. Communication is one of the first things you learn. However, healthily dealing with negative feelings about it is not always a topic spoken of or taught.
Understanding extreme shyness is essential in maintaining mental health. Many experience a level of shyness that has outgrown just being reserved. Knowing the symptoms of shyness that can lead to a social anxiety disorder can spare you from the domino effect of mental health issues.
Mental health, essentially, is the determining factor of self-maintenance. Our minds are required to be operable for us to be as well. Extreme shyness can take captivity of your mind. A mind overtaken by feelings of shyness must work extra hard each day to get by, but there are resources available to aid individuals in overcoming social anxiety.
What Is Extreme Shyness?
Have you ever interacted with someone and did not feel like your full self? Maybe you didn’t feel the way you do when you are alone or around people you can be completely fluid around. If so, you have experienced being shy before.
Shyness is an emotion of discomfort you feel when in the presence of others. These feelings can range from insecurity, self-consciousness, nervousness, and many more. Most people experience feelings of shyness at different moments in life.
The consistency of this dreadful feeling is when concern begins to come into the picture. If you constantly feel tense, on edge, or anxious, you have much experience being shy and living in that non-stop discomfort.
Adolescents With Extreme Shyness
When children experience shyness on levels beyond a slight bashfulness here and there, it may not seem out of the normal. However, if a child seems to take more pleasure in being alone and almost becomes triggered or uneasy at the mention of an outside interaction, they are probably extremely shy.
Many kids may get excited at the thought of family coming over or going out to eat for dinner. Kids who struggle with extreme shyness do not share that sentiment of joy. However, children who do not interact with other children can grow into adults who may feel that they cannot interact with others. It can even make it hard to make and keep friends.
When extreme shyness is not addressed at an early age, which is usually the origin, it can bloom and blossom into complete social anxiety. Yes, sometimes kids are just shy, and that is all there is to it. However, there are signs of extreme shyness, growing into a social anxiety disorder. If those signs are missed, they can fester and follow you through life, causing you to miss out on important social aspects of life.
Social Anxiety Disorder Symptoms
A social anxiety disorder is a compelling and constant illusion of the need to fear. This constant fear is directly connected to feeling like there is always a microscope on you. You may feel like you are being watched or judged in public and social settings such as school or work.
There are signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorders. They can help you determine whether or not you are experiencing this mental health issue and whether or not you need treatment. Some of these signs can be the constant presence of unprovoked perspiration, rapid breathing, or heart rate. There are a plethora of symptoms that can be noticed by you and even others witnessing it occur.
While many signs can be physically noticed, there are also plenty of signs you can notice internally. For example, a day-to-day feeling of worry and constantly feeling anxious are signs that you can notice within yourself. One that is often the greatest is someone altogether avoiding situations beyond their control because that is the only way they feel at ease.
Humans are social creatures by nature, and a relationship of any kind requires communication. Also, having control and comfort in that feeling is not bad. However, if you feel the desire to be alone, where you can control your environment, more than you desire anything else, it is likely that this could be a sign of a social anxiety disorder.
How SoCal Mental Health Can Help
Social anxiety disorder is treatable, and you are not alone; you do not have to struggle in silence. Many people experience social anxiety daily and do not even realize it. That’s why at SoCal Mental Health, we are committed to filling the gap between you and a better life. We offer a range of services to treat mental health disorders.
Some treatment options we provide include:
- Residential mental health stabilization
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Aftercare
- Family program
- Therapy
With this offering of treatment and resources, we can help you design a personalized care plan specific to you.
Struggling with extreme shyness and social anxiety disorders can be draining. It may require a lot of time and energy to get out of bed and take on each day. The mere thought of meeting someone new or even interacting with your boss may cause you anxiety. If this sounds like you, know that it is completely normal. You are not alone, and we want to be there for you and help you overcome this. SoCal Mental Health is equipped with readily available therapists to guide you on this journey. For more information on treatment options and where to start, do not hesitate to reach out to us today at (888) 312-0219.
