 Hello, safe to goers, and welcome back. Alright, so how do you know it's a disorder and not a trait? Who wouldn't be a bit awkward when walking into a room full of strangers? Shiness is a trait. It's the initial awkwardness that precedes forced small talk. The mere dislike of the spotlight, but it's not distressing. Social anxiety, on the other hand, is the pervasive, intense fear of being judged, humiliated, rejected, or embarrassed in a social setting that leads to anxiety or avoidance. Although shyness and social anxiety share similar physical symptomatology, there are traits that differentiate them. Please remember this video is meant to be informative and should not be used as a rubric for self-diagnosis. If you have any personal questions or concerns regarding this topic, please consult a licensed professional. With that said, here are 7 signs that you're not just shy. Number one, avoiding or escaping very public settings. When you find yourself in new surroundings, do you open up after a while or stick to a familiar group of people? Or maybe a bathroom nearby, or leaving early seems like a better sanctuary. Although a shy person may feel uncomfortable at the party, more they don't know anyone. Someone with social anxiety will avoid public settings altogether. This symptom can devolve into agoraphobia. Public situations such as dining out at a restaurant, dating, or returning an item to a store can be harrowing for someone with an anxiety disorder, or if there are opportunities for rejection or embarrassment. If avoidance is not possible, those who have social anxiety may try to escape the whole situation by using extreme avoidance and escapist tactics or safety behaviors. The problem with safety behaviors is that they provide the illusion of surviving the event. Number two, feeling very self-conscious in front of others. Do public settings make you feel uncomfortable? Does it feel as though people are watching and judging you? You might not even have everyone's attention, yet you still have an inexplicable fear that at some point, something will happen and everyone will start judging you. To someone who doesn't suffer from social anxiety, this might sound illogical. But that's the thing. Social anxieties sometimes don't have logic. They can arise at the most random moment and make you suddenly feel as though the spotlight has fallen on you. Some physical symptoms involve sweating, heart palpitations, and panic attacks. Number three, fear of physical symptoms that may cause you embarrassment. Can you feel a certain set of physical symptoms kicking in as soon as you step out? Do you constantly cool your burning cheeks with the back of your hands? One way social anxiety can pass as dryness is through physical cues. Both have physiological similarities, such as blushing, sweating, rigid posture, and trembling. However, for someone with social anxiety, their bodily response can make them anxious. These physical symptoms add to the workload of stepping out into society. You constantly worry about how others might judge you for displaying these outward symptoms. Even having your mind go blank for a few seconds can make you feel like you left a poor impression. Number four, fear that others will notice that you look anxious. Are you quick to avert your eyes after a quick greeting? Are you more comfortable looking around while interacting with others? While shyness can be the initial driving force, it wears off with time, to the point that you become comfortable holding steady eye contact. On the contrary, social anxiety does not wear away after the first few moments of interacting. As you feel its presence all the while, you are reluctant to engage in open interaction. Because your social anxiety is a tangible experience for you, you fear that it's also noticeable for those around you, thus producing more anxiety. Number five, having anxiety in anticipation of a feared activity or event. Is the mirror your trusty audience months before a public event? Before a big event, like a presentation, it's normal to feel a bit anxious. If its shyness holding you back, it can diminish over a while. However, if you experience social anxiety, you might think for months about all the things that could go wrong. In some cases, these thoughts can accumulate in your mind and lead you to avoid the event or situation. This behavior can be particularly damaging if it's school or work related. Having an honest support system can help alleviate the worst of the jitters. Number six, a past negative social experience. Is there a rigid memory of things going awry in a social setting? When you first experience a setback at a social event, it tends to take root in you in the form of dread. However, if it was just shyness, the next time you encounter such a setting and come out unscathed, some of that dread chips away. But when you're socially anxious, no amount of chipping away is sufficient. You are always expecting the worst possible consequences. You lose interest in even working on basic social skills. Although the definitive cause for social anxiety is unknown, researchers believe that underdeveloped social skills can lead to social anxiety. Being teased or bullied for being socially awkward can lead you to fear further social interactions and exacerbate social anxiety. And number seven, spending time after a social situation analyzing your performance and identifying flaws in your interactions. Do you mull over conversations way into the night? Are you constantly thinking up how you should have responded long after the topic is over? Sometimes we revisit past moments to learn from them and become better. But obsessing over a past detail usually ends with insecurities creeping out from the corners of your mind to make you feel inferior. However, for someone with social anxiety, obsessing over a small detail does not feel like a choice. Social anxiety is about seeing yourself through the lens of someone else, hence you might be prone to dwelling and analyzing past interactions, especially conversations. The trigger is in the part of the conversation that you keep replaying. Only when you figure out a better response can you let it go. Letting go is a difficult step and it might take some time to learn. Everyone experiences anxiety to varying degrees, hence professional advice tailored to meet individual needs is essential to ensure positive results. Your apprehensions are by no means a reason for you to swear off from society. By seeking appropriate support and help, you can soon view the outside world as your conquered battlefield. Have you ever had the two mixed? What has helped you cope with social anxiety? Feel free to leave a comment down below with your thoughts, experiences or suggestions. If you found this video helpful, be sure to hit the like button and share it with those out there, pondering the two. Don't forget to subscribe to Psych2Go and hit the notification bell for more new videos. Thanks for watching.