Perhaps I made the mistake of referring to an "introvert problem" in it, but it has been interesting to receive friends' responses to a newspaper article about my struggles with general and social anxiety disorder. Some responded to me "you don’t strike me as introvert, you are friendly and sociable". An employee in another department even responded by describing me as “outgoing”, but he saw me in small groups during the college's Service Day or “Hoo-rah Day". I responded to him that for me it is very contextual, if I’m in a comfortable setting with a friendly audience, I'm more likely to feel at-ease and engage.
I like to help others feel comfortable, and if that involves me being social, that’s what I attempt to do. However, I prefer not to compete with others for attention, and if there are too many individuals competing for attention or for their voice to be heard, I’d rather be somewhere else.
It’s very interesting and sometimes troubling that many individuals tend to lump introversion, shyness, and social anxiety into one category. From what I have experienced and observed, there can be a wide spectrum, especially between introversion (personality) and social anxiety (condition). As for myself, lack of social success became a self-fulling prophecy: if a social interaction didn't go as I envisioned it would, or worse, if I didn't engage in the interaction I intended to, I would alternate between mentally punishing myself for it or attempt to convince myself - "that's OK, I'm an introvert, and I didn't want to do it in the first place." This process of avoidance or withdrawal most likely contributed to a major depression I experienced ca. 6 years ago.
I wonder why some individuals, including myself, share related personality "quizzes" and/or "you are this book or movie character", etc. with others via social media; many are so adamant about being on a discreet point on the spectrum, e.g., I'm an extroverted introvert. In some odd fashion it sometimes seems akin to bragging or perhaps it is a form of self-diagnosis and self-treatment? How at odds this phenomenon is with previous generations to mine (Generation X) in which emotional illness or anything that could be perceived as emotional weakness was frequently pushed under a rug (don't talk about it, don't think about it and all will be fine, etc.)
I like to help others feel comfortable, and if that involves me being social, that’s what I attempt to do. However, I prefer not to compete with others for attention, and if there are too many individuals competing for attention or for their voice to be heard, I’d rather be somewhere else.
It’s very interesting and sometimes troubling that many individuals tend to lump introversion, shyness, and social anxiety into one category. From what I have experienced and observed, there can be a wide spectrum, especially between introversion (personality) and social anxiety (condition). As for myself, lack of social success became a self-fulling prophecy: if a social interaction didn't go as I envisioned it would, or worse, if I didn't engage in the interaction I intended to, I would alternate between mentally punishing myself for it or attempt to convince myself - "that's OK, I'm an introvert, and I didn't want to do it in the first place." This process of avoidance or withdrawal most likely contributed to a major depression I experienced ca. 6 years ago.
I wonder why some individuals, including myself, share related personality "quizzes" and/or "you are this book or movie character", etc. with others via social media; many are so adamant about being on a discreet point on the spectrum, e.g., I'm an extroverted introvert. In some odd fashion it sometimes seems akin to bragging or perhaps it is a form of self-diagnosis and self-treatment? How at odds this phenomenon is with previous generations to mine (Generation X) in which emotional illness or anything that could be perceived as emotional weakness was frequently pushed under a rug (don't talk about it, don't think about it and all will be fine, etc.)
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