The other end of shynessThe other end of shyness
All In The Mind
Do you privately shake with nerves or shyly blush when the attention is on you? Most people experience some form of shyness but others are so immobilised by the fear of being judged negatively that they can barely function. Social phobia is the third most common mental illness after depression and substance abuse. We hear about one woman's 20 year struggle with social anxiety and some recent scientific findings about the brain activity associated with this disorder.
29:27•24 Jun 2012
The Other End of Shyness: Social Anxiety, the Brain and Letting Go of Alcohol as a Crutch
Episode Overview
- Social anxiety sits on a spectrum from everyday shyness to severe avoidance that can limit relationships, work and independence.
- People with social anxiety may turn to alcohol or other substances to cope with intense fear, which often adds further problems.
- Cognitive behaviour therapy helps by challenging negative assumptions about others’ judgments and gradually facing feared situations.
- Antidepressant medication can reduce anxiety enough to support engagement in therapy, especially when depression is also present.
- Brain imaging studies suggest an exaggerated amygdala response to perceived social threat, reinforcing that social anxiety has a biological basis.
“"You can get help for it, you can learn some strategies to help you feel more comfortable socially and be able to live that type of life that you really want to."”
Gain insights from experts and survivors on how crippling shyness can slide into social anxiety disorder and shape an entire life. This episode of *All In The Mind* focuses on social anxiety as a serious mental health condition, not just a quirky personality trait. You’ll hear Sue Cleland recount how a simple moment at 13 – pulling money out in a shop – triggered her first panic attack and set off 20 years of intense fear of being judged.
She talks about blushing, shaking, moving house 18 times to avoid being known, and using alcohol and marijuana as a crutch: socialising felt impossible without them, yet isolation was just as painful. Psychiatrist Dr Lisa Lampe explains how shyness sits on a spectrum, from mild discomfort to avoidant personality disorder, and points out that social anxiety is the third most common mental illness after depression and substance abuse.
She stresses that only a small fraction of people get help, often because they think they should just "handle it" or feel too ashamed to ask. For anyone wondering how treatment might look, Lampe outlines cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and antidepressant medication. CBT focuses on changing harsh self-judgements, challenging automatic negative assumptions about other people’s reactions, and gently facing feared situations with new ways of thinking. Antidepressants can reduce anxiety enough to make that psychological work possible.
Neuroscientist Dr Pradeep Nathan adds a biological angle, describing research showing an exaggerated amygdala response to threatening facial expressions in people with generalised social anxiety disorder. This suggests the condition has a measurable brain basis and hints at future treatments, including potential use of oxytocin. The style is calm, compassionate and very practical, ideal for anyone who freezes in social situations, uses alcohol to "take the edge off", or supports someone who does.
You might come away asking yourself: is this just shyness, or is it something that deserves proper help and care?
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