Both introverts and extroverts can be socially anxious It may sound counterintuitive, but it is true! Introverted and extraverted individuals may both experience social anxiety. While extroverts may enjoy socializing with others and enjoy social interaction, they may still feel anxious around others at times.
While research suggests social anxiety may be somewhat more common in introverted people, there's still a lot of variability in individual personality traits. If you're more conscientious, you might feel anxious about missing important details or giving an impression of unreliability.
Although most with social anxiety experience symptoms of shyness, being shy does not mean you will have social anxiety. Less than 25% of shy individuals in the US have symptoms that meet the diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder.
While there are always exceptions to the rule, research consistently demonstrates that Introverts are, in general, more anxious than Extraverts. It appears that Introverts' nervous systems are in many respects tuned differently.
There's a common misconception that introverts aren't social. In fact, introverts can be just as social as extroverts. The difference between the two is that introverts lose energy when they're around people and recharge by spending time alone, while extroverts gain energy by spending time with other people.
People who are natural introverts often feel pressure to change. They worry that they are not outgoing enough, and so sometimes they push themselves to socialize in ways that cause them more stress than enjoyment.
While introverts make up an estimated 25% to 40% of the population, there are still many misconceptions about this personality type. It is also important to note that being an introvert does not mean that you are socially anxious or shy.
Big Crowds
Swarms of strangers can be a fear for many people for various reasons, but it is particularly common for anxious introverts. Introverts gather their energy from being alone, but that doesn't mean the “all alone in a crowd of people” thing always works.
This means that introverts may process more information per second than extroverts, which helps explain why introverts are prone to overthinking.
Individuals with an introverted personality type are also often known to be perfectionists and very self-critical. Such characteristics can leave individuals feeling unsatisfied with themselves and with their lives. It can also lead to stress, mental and physical exhaustion, as well as mental health issues.
Both introverts and extroverts can be socially anxious
It may sound counterintuitive, but it is true! Introverted and extraverted individuals may both experience social anxiety. While extroverts may enjoy socializing with others and enjoy social interaction, they may still feel anxious around others at times.
According to the research, it didn't matter whether the introverts were in a resting state or engaged in a task — they all showed more brain activity than the extroverts. This means introverts may process more information than extroverts per second, which helps explain why introverts may be prone to overthinking.
Social anxiety is more than just feeling shy. People with social anxiety have an intense fear of situations where they could be watched, judged, embarrassed, or rejected by others. The symptoms are so extreme that they interfere with the person's daily routine and prevent them from taking part in ordinary activities.
Introversion isn't totally genetic. It gets influenced by your environment at a young age, and our genes allow a certain amount of flexibility in response. This happens through “set points,” which are the upper and lower limits of how much extroversion your brain can handle.
For the introvert, it's often not the presence of people that's draining but rather the social interactions. Antisocial people, on the other hand, may have trouble thriving in urban environments or settings with other people. They need their space. The antisocial personality needs both emotional and physical space.
One common myth about introverts is that they're shy. Some introverts may be shy, but this is not the case for all introverts.
You sometimes suffer social anxiety.
If you get a little nervous when you're in the midst of a crowd, you might be an extreme introvert. Palm sweating, irregular heartbeat, panic episodes, abrupt muteness, stammering, shivering, disorientation, nausea, and intestinal difficulties are all signs of social anxiety.
The name sounds like a synonym for weakness. But the truth is, it's more of a superpower. And researchers have found 70% of introverts also are highly sensitive people.
If you're an introvert, you likely possess emotional intelligence skills that your more gregarious counterparts secretly admire, and rightly so. Introverts are often misread as people who wish they could change. But that's not so!
Yes, emotional trauma can cause a person to become a lot more introverted. Along with something as small as a loud noise more traumatic events can clearly change the way that someone acts.
Being an introvert is often considered weak. They aren't quite as good as the extroverts, who just seem to breeze through life. But that's not true, there is nothing wrong with being an introvert. The main problem is with society, which doesn't see it in the same way.
Introverts are easily distracted by external stimuli and while they might be too nice to say anything, get very frustrated with constant interruptions when they are trying to concentrate.
Introverts struggle with the fast pace of many organizations and offices without walls can be rough for introverts who prefer to go inward to do their best thinking. If you're an introvert, you struggle with finding quiet time to gather your thoughts, particularly at brainstorming meetings.
Friendships. It can be difficult for introverts to make new friends because getting to know someone takes so much energy. However, introverts don't need a wide circle of friends. They prefer one or two close friends, even though they may know many people and have many acquaintances.
Are introverts attractive? Yes, and their gentle personality is one of those reasons. Introverts appeal to people because they're easy to be around. Even though it's a common misconception that they're stuck up, their aura is indeed welcoming.