I am just wondering what the difference is between shyness and anxiety. I have suffered from anxiety for a long time (social) and some of the symptoms are very similar to shyness: shakiness, quietness, chocking sensations, avoiding situations etc...

Is it just that shyness leads to anxiety?

I think shyness can be hereditary, so that could be the source of anxiety. On the other hand, anxiety could cause shyness (withdrawal due to insecurities). In both cases, I would say that it is a repeating cycle until you conquer your shyness and/or anxiety.


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"Is it just that shyness leads to anxiety?"

I've always wondered this as well. I've always referred to myself as shy, not that I have anxiety, or social anxiety, whichever. Mainly because I'm just terribly shy, I don't have attacks.

I agree anxiety could create shyness...I am one such person. It is not that easy to conquer your anxiety. I use to try it by challenging my fears like not being able to cycle n swim by learning them...only to have people calling me stupid and retarded for not being able to master them. Then gradually, i avoided gatherings with my friends and withdrew from people. But i guess, thats the price u pay for being a slow learner. Till today, I have mastered none and have no one to actually call my friends.

hmm.. scientifically, I guess there's some kind of difference.. though I have problems with both..

Shyness is a temperment. Some people are just shy. Anxiety is when it interferes with your life...When youre so scared to talk you start to stutter or just say the wrongs things is anxiety. When you heart palputates, palms sweat, get nervous and scared around people-anxiety. If you feel like you have to leave a crowded room cause there's too much stimuli for you, then you have anxiety. If you feel like when you're around people, theyre looking at you or like closing down on you in some way and you PANIC, you have anxiety....

Exactly, and I feel that way a lot too! Whenever I'm with a crowd of ppl I don't know, I always have this fear (but maybe it's true) that every1 is looking at me in a bad way or talking about me behind my back....it's awful....and I always get nervous & say something stupid a lot of the time when meeting new ppl.

Yes, Anxiety disorders are awful to carry around, and there's no instant cure for it (besides the ever temporary, yet effective alcoholic binge). Rewiring your brain's thought patterns isn't easy, but it's possible.

This isn't going to be a long-ass post. Merely a piece of advice.. something you could try when you begin to feel those uncomfortable anxious thoughts and sensations again. And that is by doing exactly what I just did:
See these horrid symptoms for what they really are - Thoughts and sensations related to anxiety, nothing more.

Mind you, this is hard (not impossible) to put in to practice, especially if you've never learned how to relax properly before. Relaxation is anxiety's antidote. The more you practice relaxation and shooting down your anxious behavior/thoughts in their tracks, the easier it gets.

As with everything, there are exceptions, but this is generally the most effective approach on how to deal with gud-dern anxiety disorders. For further information on how to relax and disempower the unwanted thoughts, see a registered psychologist.

...One that you are comfortable with. There are a lot of quacks and hacks out there in the mental health profession that are not competent enough to tinker with people's minds, and it's a shame a shiny piece of paper in a wooden-frame saying "Qualified" gives them the power to legally do so.

I forgot to add that you will find that most people you feel self-conscious around, are actually self-conscious themselves, therefore likely too busy focusing on their own actions, words and errors rather than yours.

You're right. This is one thing we should all look into first before seeing one. And not all psychologists can make us feel comfortable enough to talk openly.