Social anxiety and Introversion are terms that are commonly talked about together. Although they may manifest in similar ways, the motivations behind both are completely different.

It is important to note that social anxiety is arguably a universal human experience, and it exists on a wide spectrum ranging from mild to severe. On the lower end of a spectrum, social anxiety can even be adaptive and essential for us to navigate social situations. At the other extreme end, it can be debilitating and greatly affects one’s ability to interact with others and form quality relationships on a day-to-day basis. The social fears stemming from judgement is usually also out of proportion to the situation presented. 

When is social anxiety characterised as a mental illness?

When a person experiences persistent and irrational social fears that involve humiliation, or embarrassment in a way that affects day-to-day functioning for more than six months, a referral for clinical assessment is required due to the high possibility of meeting the diagnostic criteria for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) under DSM-5.

How to differentiate both?

To put things into perspective, the main differentiating factor between the two depends on these key factors:

• Feelings during social interaction- The feelings present for people with social anxiety during an unfamiliar social setting is usually extreme nervousness and feelings of fear. For introverts, on the other hand, they typically feel more drained out easily during social interactions without the element of fear or extreme nervousness.
• Feelings about spending alone time- Introverts enjoy spending alone time. On the other hand, people with social anxiety may not necessarily enjoy spending time alone but engaging in social isolation may bring temporary relief of social anxiety symptoms in the short-term.
• Motivations behind spending most time alone– As an introvert, one keeps to themselves to gain energy from within. With social anxiety, one may have the desire and energy to connect with others but chooses to spend time alone due to fear of negative judgement or potential rejection in a social situation.

That said, there could be a correlation between the two, and research suggests that social anxiety may be somewhat more common in introverted people. Rejecting an event for a higher need for alone time may inject thoughts like “how would people think of me?” “would my friends be alright with my decision?” These unhelpful thought patterns are part of social anxiety symptoms.

However, there are many other personality factors that accounts for one’s tendency to experience social anxiety. For instance, if one has a higher level of neuroticism, they may also be more prone to stress and worry about uncertainty and new situations.

It is also worth noticing that an extroverted person can also experience social anxiety (also known as “socially anxious extrovert”), and this is because “introversion” and social anxiety” are ultimately two distinct and unrelated contracts. 

Other than personality traits, there are several other factors that may increase the risk of developing social anxiety, and that includes: genetic factors, negative childhood experiences such as bullying, temperament, new work demands, or even having an appearance or condition that draws attention.  

Written By:
Jeannette Qhek
BSc in Psychology & Human Resources (Singapore Management University)
Founder of Chill By Nette