What Is the Differences Between Being an Introvert and Suffering from Social Anxiety?
Being introverted is a characteristic of personality. If you are introverted, you may feel less out-going than some other people. You may prefer the company of one or two people over a crowd.
The person with social anxiety is different. If you have Social Anxiety you may have bouts of severe anxiety, even panic attacks, when you experience or even think about attending social situations. You may result in you repeatedly avoiding social situations. Over time, Social Anxiety can cause you major problems in living your life and result in feelings of depression. If you are suffering from Social Anxiety, you know what I am talking about. You are used to feelings of dread, convinced that people will judge you negatively, having trouble not thinking of the very worst possible outcomes, always paying the “what if..” game inside your head. You long for your brain to shut off and leave you some peace.
When you are feeling powerless against Social Anxiety, don’t fool yourself into thinking this is just being introverted. Introverts don’t end up feeling hopeless and helpless about feeling more and more unable to enjoy your life.
The bad news is acknowledging that you are suffering from Social Anxiety. The good news is that Social Anxiety is very treatable by therapists who specialize in Individual or Group Psychotherapy particularly for Anxiety. Your therapist should take the time to really understand how you feel, the extent of the pain you are suffering, and how your life is curtailed. Armed with this understanding and knowledge of the inner workings of Social Anxiety, your therapist will help you understand why you feel the way you do and what you have to do to change it.
Overcoming Social Anxiety isn’t just about changing the way you think, it is changing the way you feel about yourself and about other people. It is also about learning communication skills and being able to talk with other people about what you want and what you don’t want, what you like and what you don’t like. Learning how you came to think so negatively about yourself is key to learning to thinking about yourself differently. When you feel you deserve to be treated with respect and kindness, when you learn to act assertively rather than aggressively, passive aggressively, or just passively, you will find that Social Anxiety disappears in proportion to these other changes.
Like many other people I have known, you, too, can heal from Social Anxiety with the right help. Group Psychotherapy for Anxiety might be an interesting choice for you. economical and highly effective, meeting regularly with others who understand your feelings under the supervision of an experienced clinician helps many people to recover and heal from Social Anxiety. Whether you choose Individual or Group Therapy, don’t settle for continuing to suffer. It is a sign of strength to know when you need help. Get the help you need and go on to lead the fulfilling and satisfying life you want and deserve.