What's the difference between social anxiety and being shy?

Social anxiety might be considered a fear of social situations more than a preference. Many individuals experience shyness in situations in which they are unfamiliar. Social anxiety might be described as a more intensified shyness when an individual has more complicated emotions attached to unfamiliar social situations. Some of those emotions might be so strong as to affect a persons daily functioning and interaction with others for long periods of time. Just an observation.

Being shy is when you will talk to others but you're not super out going or will not go out of your way to talk to someone. Social anxiety Is when the thought of being in a group or talking to someone makes you want to cry. In the situation you breathe heavily, heart races, you shake. There can be other symptoms that depend on the person.

One is a disorder and one is just a personality type. There’s also a big difference in severity. Being shy can mean discomfort in social settings, but with an anxiety disorder, they can be almost crippling.

The physical manifestation is one sign that what you sense is more than just being a bit shy. If you are not sure consult a professional.

For me, having social anxiety means living in a dark place full of people that you don't know and you can't even breathe right. It means waisting your day thinking about tomorrow. It means getting thru the day without one single panic attack. Being shy is none of this. Being shy is someone who just needs a little time to get used to it. Social anxiety takes your all life away.

Social anxiety is extreme nervousness and fidgeting during social interactions. Being shy is something minor and mere hesitance that can be dealt with once the person gets used to society, while social anxiety is full on, intense and happens frequently to the person

Sometimes negative thoughts come along with social anxiety and shyness is just not wanting to be social. Social anxiety generally has negative thoughts associated with it as opposed to shyness when people are generally just not willing to be social.

Based on my experience, I'd say it's based on the level to which it's affecting your life. If you feel it's getting in the way of you living the life you want to, then it may be social anxiety. Being shy can be a personality trait, but it's also something that can be worked with. At the end of the day, it's really for you to decide or for a therapist to diagnose. If you feel that in social situations you are getting physical symptoms such as a racing heartbeat and heavy breathing, then it may more likely be social anxiety. It's important to remember that neither of these are a reflection on you as a person.

Many people are a little bit shy. If you're shy, you might be somewhat uncomfortable in situations such as going to a party where you don't know anyone, but you do it. You give yourself a push, you go to the party, after a while you relax and talk to people, whereas somebody who has social anxiety at the prospect of the same party, would be overwhelmed by such anxiety that he or she would have a physical reaction perhaps nausea, sweating, heart racing, dizziness and would avoid it if at all possible.

Being shy generally shouldn't be described as a personality trait. It's a state of being in that current moment, a very human feeling that everyone gets to feel. Some less often, some more. Social anxiety however is a bubble around you and society. The brain gets rewired throughout the years to create that said bubble. Only the person struggling with it, can see the bubble. So there's always a battle between the rational and irrational mind in them. It's hard to stay grounded and present struggling with it every day. Being shy is situational, a normal feeling that occurs. Just the same as anger or sadness. There is a big difference, it has little correlation with social anxiety. To live comfortably, to function and get things done in the outside world- we need treatment for it.