Do you feel embarrassed in social situations or tend to reduce interaction because you're worried about being judged? This doesn't necessarily make you an introvert. These are symptoms of anxiety. 'Fear' is a major defining factor that changes how you approach your social life and well-being. Let’s break down the difference between being an introvert (a personality trait) and experiencing social anxiety (a psychological symptom).
Shalmalee Gadgil
07th May 2024
What does it mean to be an introvert?
Suppose you have a small social circle, you take quite some time before opening up to people, and you don’t speak up in crowded environments unless you have to, you may be an introvert. Introversion is a personality trait characterized by a preference for solitary activities and smaller, more intimate social interactions. Introverts often feel drained after extensive socializing and recharge by spending time alone. Introversion and extraversion are measures of how people respond to external stimuli, including social interaction. Extroverts tend to focus on the external world, gaining energy from social interactions. Introverts are more focused on internal factors and may find social interactions draining.
Introversion is classified as a personality trait. It refers to the characteristics that help define an individual by their way of behaviour, thoughts, or feelings. A personality trait describes how a person thinks, feels, and behaves on an ongoing basis. Introversion is characterized by the impulse to stay reserved, passivity, and a need to keep thoughts and emotional states private. They feel more comfortable in groups with low stimulation, often just one on one company.
According to studies, western culture has always given preference to those people who are classified as extroverted. The tendencies of extroverts such as competition, speed, and action are highly valued over the introverted tendencies of solitude and reflection. Hence, introverts have always struggled to be perceived as equally capable and intelligent as extroverts. People with introverted personalities may receive pressure from society to conceal their natural tendencies and act extraverted. This may result in feelings of discontent and inadequacy, depression, low self-esteem, etc.
Being an introvert, it is important to note that temporarily imbibing qualities of an extrovert or partially undertaking such qualities, can help you better engage current and potential customers, and enhance career opportunities. It can also help you foster stronger relationships with employees and improve company communication.
Introverts...
Are energised by their inner world;
They may genuinely enjoy certain social settings, but slowly end up feeling drained
Will reflect on things before acting;
Prefer to work independently;
Are quiet by nature and won’t make small talk easily;
Like depth in thinking and discussions.
Extroverts...
Are energised by being with others; and feel drained when alone for a long time
Will talk their thoughts out loud to aid thinking;
Tend to be impulsive: act first, think later;
Like working in teams/groups; and
Like breadth in thinking and discussions.
Socially Anxious...
Worry before, during, and after a social situation
Avoiding social situations or trying to blend into the background if one must attend
Self-conscious, fear of doing something embarrassing and being judged
Concerns that others will notice you’re stressed or nervous
Feeling a need to consume alcohol to help face a social situation
Missing or delaying tasks because of anxiety
What is Social Anxiety?
The STATE and TRAIT phenomenon
Social anxiety is a psychological symptom involving fear/worry of social situations where one might be judged, embarrassed, or scrutinized. This fear can interfere with daily life.
A person with social anxiety can have a mild, moderate or extreme form of it. Some people with social anxiety only experience symptoms with one type of situation, like eating in front of others or performing in front of others, while other people with social anxiety experience symptoms in several or all forms of social interaction. In general, the different levels of social anxiety include:
Mild social anxiety: Can still participate in, or endure, social situations. They may also only experience symptoms in certain social situations.
Moderate social anxiety: Can participate in some social situations while avoiding other types of social situations.
Extreme social anxiety: Avoid social situations at all costs as they may experience more intense symptoms of social anxiety, such as a panic attack.
Even for a regular or comparatively healthy person, it’s very common to have anticipatory anxiety when facing these situations. It’s possible to fluctuate between different levels of social anxiety throughout your life. But if this State of anxiety starts to become a Trait, it becomes a reason to seek immediate intervention.
No matter which level of social anxiety you have, it’s important to seek treatment because this type of anxiety affects your quality of life as well as functionality.
Are you really an extrovert or are you just depressed?
Sometimes, what appears to be extroversion might actually be a sign of depression. Depressed individuals can be very sociable, even engaging in reckless or promiscuous behaviour. They often use interactions with others as a form of self-soothing or self-medication. Another key difference is that the rates of substance abuse among introverts are significantly lower compared to those suffering from depression or anxiety. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for recognizing the underlying issues and seeking appropriate help.
The Difference Between Introversion and Anxiety
Even though social anxiety and introversion seem pretty similar, they are different despite involving many mutual symptoms.
Firstly, introversion is a personality trait and anxiety is a psychological symptom. A personality trait is inferred from a person's behavioural pattern, feelings, attitudes, actions, habits, and so on. These behavioural patterns and feelings must be relatively stable in a person to determine the personality trait—a psychological symptom, on the other hand, may be an indicator of a certain psychological illness.
Introverts draw energy from within and don’t require large social groups to keep them happy and satisfied. In contrast, the only reason people with anxiety don’t join social groups is because they are nervous about their reception and potential rejection.
Introverts prefer their own company and may not require validation from others. They won’t necessarily feel lonely when they aren’t with people. However, people with anxiety feel frustrated or lonely because they struggle to connect with others when they want to.
Introverts are most interested in finding solitude for themselves. In contrast, people with anxiety are more concerned with not embarrassing themselves in a public setting and hence, avoid contact with people at all.
We can rightfully conclude that introversion and anxiety are two very different terms and do not fall under the same umbrella. However, a question lingers;
Can you be a socially anxious introvert?
Introversion means that hanging out with people drains your energy while engaging with yourself restores your energy. Feeling drained by social interaction isn't the same as feeling socially anxious and introversion doesn’t necessarily translate to anxiety. While studies show that anxiety may be common in a lot of introverted people, there is still a lot of variability in individual personality traits
Many people with social anxiety don’t try to get help or seek treatment because they think social anxiety is just part of their personality.
It’s important to reach out to your healthcare professional if you’re experiencing ongoing and intense symptoms when in social situations.
What is the difference between having social anxiety and being shy?
Anyone can experience shyness from time to time. Having social anxiety disorder consistently interferes with or prevents you from doing everyday activities such as going to the grocery store or talking to other people. Because of this, social anxiety disorder can negatively affect your education, career and personal relationships. Being shy from time to time doesn’t affect these things.
In general, the three main factors that distinguish social anxiety from shyness are:
How much it interferes with your day-to-day life.
How intense your fear and anxiety are.
How much you avoid certain situations.
Personality is a Spectrum
Before diving into specifics, it’s essential to understand that personality isn’t a "black or white" system. It's not about being either shy or confident, an introvert or a complete extrovert. Our personality is a blend of multiple traits with varying degrees of each. A great tool to delve deeper into your personality is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This inventory helps you understand your personality in-depth, leveraging your positive traits while identifying and transforming less constructive ones.
Solution for managing social anxiety:
If you find that your discomfort in social situations stems from anxiety rather than introversion, here are some solutions that might help:
Seek Professional Help: A therapist can help you develop strategies to manage anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is particularly effective for social anxiety.
Gradual Exposure: Slowly exposing yourself to social situations can help reduce fear over time. Start with less intimidating settings and gradually move to more challenging ones.
Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Mindfulness meditation and breathing exercises can help calm your mind and reduce anxiety in social situations.
Stay Physically Active: Regular exercise can boost your mood and reduce anxiety by increasing endorphin levels.
Join Support Groups: Connecting with others who understand what you’re going through can provide comfort and practical advice.
Develop Healthy Coping Mechanisms: Engage in hobbies and activities that make you feel good and help distract you from anxiety.
Embracing Your True Self
Understanding whether you’re an introvert or dealing with social anxiety is the first step in embracing your true self. Remember, it’s perfectly okay to prefer quiet, intimate gatherings over big parties—that’s the beauty of introversion. However, if fear and anxiety are holding you back from enjoying life, reaching out for help can make a world of difference.
Your journey towards better understanding yourself is powerful.
Whether you identify more with introversion or recognize the signs of social anxiety, know that there are ways to thrive and find joy in your unique personality. Take care and embrace your journey to self-discovery!
REFERENCES:
Social Anxiety Disorder: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/social-phobia#diagnosis
Jung, C. G. (1921) Psychologische Typen, Rascher Verlag, Zurich – translation H.G. Baynes, 1923.
Thompson, Edmund R. (2008). "Development and Validation of an International English Big-Five Mini-Markers". Personality and Individual Differences. 45 (6): 542–8. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2008.06.013.
Eysenck, H. J. & Eysenck, S. B. G. (1976). Psychoticism as a dimension of personality. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
"Extraversion or Introversion". The Myers & Briggs Foundation. Archived from the original on April 5, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
Professional, C. C. medical. (n.d.). Social Anxiety Disorder: Symptoms, Tests, Causes & Treatments. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22709-social-anxiety
The OCEAN of Personality Archived July 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Personality Synopsis, Chapter 4: Trait Theory. AllPsych Online. Last updated March 23, 2004
Introvert Definition & Meaning. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/introvert
Tuovinen, S., Tang, X., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2020). Introversion and Social Engagement: Scale Validation, Their Interaction, and Positive Association With Self-Esteem. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7734327/
Raypole, C. (2021). Introvert vs. Social Anxiety: How to Tell the Difference. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/introvert-vs-social-anxiety
Amirazodi F., Amirazodi M. (2011). Personality traits and self-esteem. Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci. 29, 713–716. 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.296
Amirkhan J. H., Risinger R. T., Swickert R. J. (1995). Extraversion: a “hidden” personality factor in coping? J. Pers. 63, 189–212. 10.1111/j.1467-6494.1995.tb00807.
Appleton J. J., Christenson S. L., Kim D., Reschly A. L. (2006). Measuring cognitive and psychological engagement: validation of the student engagement instrument. J. Sch. Psychol. 44, 427–445. 10.1016/j.jsp.2006.04.002
Bäckström M., Björklund F., Larsson M. R. (2009). Five-factor inventories have a major general factor related to social desirability which can be reduced by framing items neutrally. J. Res. Pers. 43, 335–344. 10.1016/j.jrp.2008.12.013
Baumeister R. F., Campbell J. D., Krueger J. I., Vohs K. D. (2003). Does high self-esteem cause better performance, interpersonal success, happiness, or healthier lifestyles? Psychol. Sci. Public Interest 4, 1–44. 10.1111/1529-1006.01431
Bown O. H., Richek H. G. (1969). Teachers-to-be: extraversion/introversion and self-perceptions. Elem. Sch. J. 70, 164–170. 10.1086/460560
Burger J. M. (1995). Individual differences in preference for solitude. J. Res. Pers. 29, 85–108. 10.1006/jrpe.1995.1005
Cain S. (2013). Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. New York, NY: Broadway Books.
Comments