The 4 Differences Between Introversion and Social Anxiety

This article first appeared on QuietRev.com Two introverts walk into a bar. No, really. Liam and Alex are at the local wood-paneled pub having lunch—an incongruous combination of veggie burgers with bacon. “They cancel each other out,” says Liam. They are both handsome, soft-spoken 22-year-old college seniors, graduating this spring with honors.  They are housemates who have been known to finish each other’s sentences. Most importantly, they are self-proclaimed introverts. Ask Liam about this coming Saturday night, and he says, “Well, I’ll probably chill with my roommates. We jam—I’m on the keyboards. I’ll probably have dinner with some friends. We’ll end up eating out though we’re trying to cook more. I’m still lousy, but I’m learning—I make a mean pad thai. I’ve never been a raging party guy—it’s not my scene.” Ask Alex the same question, and you’ll get pretty much the same answer, except for “guitar” and “pulled pork sliders” replacing their counterparts. But there’s one other tweak: “I’ve never been a raging party guy—I always think I’m going to say something stupid.” It’s subtle, but it’s there: social anxiety, defined as the fear of being judged. It’s self-consciousness on steroids.   Now, you may be a non-anxious introvert like Liam. You may love solitude and intima...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news