Social anxiety disorder is when an individual experiences
fear and stress when placed in social gatherings. While it’s common for people
to feel nervous when they have to have an important conversation or speak in
public social anxiety is more than that. People with social anxiety disorder are
so distressed by their symptoms that it impacts their daily lives Introvert on
the other hand is a personality trait, not a mental health condition. Introverts
get their energy from within, meaning they need a lot of alone time to recharge.
Many introverts prefer minimally stimulating environments – they often like
doing solo activities or spending time in familiar spaces or with people they
know well.
Social anxiety is not just an extreme form of introversion. Introversion is
related to social energy, while social anxiety is a mental health condition
related to fear of social interactions. Introversion is a part of your inherent
personality, however social anxiety works its way into our brain, we somehow
grow to believe at a young age that people will judge us and find us lacking. In
social anxiety, we think there’s something wrong with us. By contrast, the
introvert thinks what you see is what you get. There’s nothing to be revealed
because there’s nothing to hide. The non-socially anxious introvert thinks what
you see is what you get. There’s nothing to be revealed because there’s nothing
to hide. on the other hand, there’s no medication for introversion.
Ultimately, we can’t get rid of our anxiety completely. Anxiety is a natural
emotion, and it serves a very important function in our lives. People thrive
with varying levels of social interaction. When solitude helps you recharge, and
spending time alone doesn’t cause any frustration or distress, you most likely
have nothing to worry about. So, while at first blush, social anxiety may seem
like a souped-up version of introversion, they’re as different as day and night.