Health Tip: Extreme Shyness
- Many people are shy, but extreme shyness or fear in social situations may signal a condition called social anxiety disorder.
Social anxiety disorder can be controlled with therapy, medication or a combination of both. Here are some characteristics that help to identify the disorder, courtesy of the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health:
- Feeling excessively self-conscious while around others.
- An intense, debilitating fear of being embarrassed, watched or judged by others.
- Physical symptoms of extreme anxiety, including sweating, nausea, shaking and sweating.
- Significant difficulty speaking around others, or forgetting what to say.
Posted: January 2008
