Introversion or Social Anxiety: What’s the Difference?

Introversion and social anxiety are two distinct psychological concepts that are often easily confused. Their overlapping characteristics can result in behaviors that look similar, but are actually driven by very different motors. Understanding the differences can help distinguish the two.

Introversion is a personality trait. Introverts typically feel content in solitude or in small, intimate settings. They may need time alone to recharge their batteries after spending time with others, and they often prefer deeper, one-on-one conversations over the surface-level small-talk typical of many social situations. Being introverted is by no means a negative quality; it simply means that our energy levels get replenished through alone-time and that we may feel drained by a day of meetings, or after delivering a speech, for example. Introverts may limit social engagements not because they fear social situations but because they find them less stimulating or less enjoyable than other types of activities.

Social Anxiety, on the other hand, is an anxiety disorder characterized by intense discomfort or fear in social situations. People are born as introverts or extroverts, but no one is born with social anxiety. Rather, it is caused by adverse childhood experiences, or potentially traumatic events that occurred early in life. People with social anxiety often fear judgment, embarrassment, or scrutiny in social or performance situations (such as a day of meetings, or when delivering a speech). This anxiety can be so severe that it interferes with our daily life. The distress we’ve come to associate with certain situations leads us to avoid those situations, which only makes the distress worse at times when we can’t avoid them. The distress can result in physical symptoms such as a rapid heart rate, sweating, trembling, an inability to think clearly, or full-blown panic attacks.

The key difference between the two is that while introverts may prefer solitude or smaller social gatherings, they do not usually experience the extreme discomfort or fear in social situations that comes with social anxiety.

It’s important to note that introversion and social anxiety can coexist, but one does not cause the other. One person might have either, neither, or both. Extroverts, too, can be affected by social anxiety. This can be extremely difficult to deal with for someone whose natural tendency is to want to engage with others.

As someone who has struggled with social anxiety myself, I’m eager to help others overcome it and live a fuller life. If social anxiety is a concern for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out.