Psst, introverts!

Columns  |  Candice Jost-Ward

Picture this: it's your first semester at Champlain. Maybe your first time at a new school in 5 or more years. You are moving onto the next step in your life and that can be both amazing and terrifying. For most, graduating high school and beginning a new chapter is an exciting prospect. I mean, come on, making new friends? Social interaction? New classes? Talk about fun, right?

Wrong. So completely, unimaginably wrong.

If we are being completely honest, you would rather just stay home and hide under the covers, am I right? Maybe curl up with a book, binge watch your favorite TV show on Netflix or, you know, do absolutely nothing at all. The idea of facing a day full of new people and classes is horrifying. Maybe it took you the whole five years to finally get used to the walls of your high school and now you are being forced to take on this new challenge in an unfamiliar setting. You often find yourself thinking it is going to be impossible and, besides, who needs a college diploma anyway? You sure don't, and you know what? You're not going and no one can make you.

 Sounds familiar?

I understand, dear introvert. I understand.

 It's more than just that though. It is so much more than just a general shyness. It is the frustrating prison that your body and your mind become when anxiety becomes a quiet but persistent voice. A voice that nags you, constantly whispering that you can't do something even when it's something you want to do. The eternal struggle of rehearsing the word "Here" in your head over and over and one more time, just in case, before the teacher calls your name during attendance. It's the pounding of your heart and the unattractive sweating of your palms when someone you don't know starts a conversation with you, or you know, even looks in your general direction. This is not simply introversion; this is social anxiety.

What is Social Anxiety?

Social anxiety, as defined by MayoClinic, is an anxiety disorder in which a person has an excessive and unreasonable fear of social situations. Social anxiety causes a person to fear being judged, constantly worry about being embarrassed, and can result in the individual completely avoiding doing or saying things in order to avoid attention and, ultimately, humiliation.

 Symptoms of Social Anxiety include: blushing, trembling, difficulty speaking, difficulty making/maintaining eye contact, shaky voice, and nausea. Often, individuals with social anxiety will become even more anxious worrying that other people will take notice of these symptoms. It is a vicious circle of being anxious.

What causes Social Anxiety?

There are three likely causes for Social Anxiety. The first is heredity. Anxiety disorders are believed to run in the family. The problem with this theory, however, is that we cannot be sure how much of the anxiety comes from genetics, and how much of it is learned behavior as a result of our environment, which is the second likely cause for social anxiety. If you are taking a sociology course, you may already know that our environment plays a huge role in the development of our personality. If you have a parent who also has social anxiety, you may have witnessed them avoiding situations in order to evade an embarrassing moment, or perhaps you have noticed them staying home during social gatherings more than just a few times. These are behaviors that you could have been brought up with, and, therefore, learned and eventually took on as your own. The third cause for social anxiety is brain structure. The part of your brain that controls emotions is called the amygdala. According to MayoClinic, those who have an overactive amygdala may end up having a high fear response which, in turn, would cause a person to become overly anxious in social situations.

Is Social Anxiety Common?

Social anxiety, also known as social phobia, is actually quite common according to Statistics Canada. In fact, it is one of the most common types of anxiety. 147 students here at Champlain participated in an online informal poll regarding social anxiety*. Out of the 147 participants, 54% said they did not have social anxiety, 39% claimed that they have it, but have never been diagnosed, and the last 7% answered that they were diagnosed.

Unfortunately, part of having social anxiety is being unable to ask for help, or having great difficulty in doing so. As someone dealing with the disorder, I know how hard it can be. It took a couple of failed classes and a teacher telling me where to go at Champlain for me to finally realize just how much social anxiety was affecting my academic performance. Just because it is a social disorder does not mean that it will never creep into other aspects of your life. It can be insidious; it can infiltrate any and every part of your everyday life, almost making it impossible to function where social interaction is present. Champlain has an amazing staff of counselors who are more than happy to help. Keep that in mind when you feel as if it is all becoming too much to handle. Head on over to student services to make an appointment with a counsellor if you need someone to talk to in a safe and non-judgemental environment. Champlain can accommodate you when you are having difficulties, all you have to do is ask. Easier said than done, believe me when I say I understand. But hey, now you know!

* Please note that this poll was not conducted by the means of formal or verified methods.