This Is How to Know If Your Shyness Is Something More Serious
8 years ago Lily Garner
You or someone you know may be shy, but it's on another level when that shyness causes you to avoid social situations. The American Psychiatric Association describes avoidant personality disorder as having significant impairments in how someone sees themselves — which leads to low self-esteem, extreme sensitivity to criticism, and reluctance to get involved with people unless they know that they will be liked. And while it's not a totally common condition, it does impact around one percent to two percent of the population.
This condition certainly doesn't make someone "weird" or any less amazing than anyone else! But there are some things to know about it so that you can feel more comfortable and live your best life. We talked to Maria Shifrin, PhD, a psychologist at SelfWorks Group in New York City, to give you the answers you need to do just that.
What Should We Know About Avoidant Personality Disorder?The most important thing to know about personality disorders in gen..