<p>The accepted answer is correct, it is basically a matter of degree, plus some other things.</p>

<p>Adding more details, refer to the following definition of <a href="https://socialanxietyinstitute.org/dsm-definition-social-anxiety-disorder" rel="nofollow">Social Anxiety Disorder</a> (previously known as Social Phobia) taken from The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>A.  A persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations
  in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible
  scrutiny by others. The individual fears that he or she will act in a
  way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will be embarrassing and
  humiliating.</p>
  
  <p>B.  Exposure to the feared situation almost invariably provokes
  anxiety, which may take the form of a situationally bound or
  situationally pre-disposed Panic Attack.  </p>
  
  <p>C.  The person recognizes that this fear is unreasonable or excessive.</p>
  
  <p>D.  The feared situations are avoided or else are endured with intense
  anxiety and distress.</p>
  
  <p>E.  The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared
  social or performance situation(s) interferes significantly with the
  person's normal routine, occupational (academic) functioning, or
  social activities or relationships, or there is marked distress about
  having the phobia.</p>
  
  <p>F.  The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is persistent, typically lasting 6
  or more months.</p>
  
  <p>G. The fear or avoidance is not due to direct physiological effects of
  a substance (e.g., drugs, medications) or a general medical condition
  not better accounted for by another mental disorder</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Perhaps more specifically, it is written in this <a href="http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Social%20Anxiety%20Disorder%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf" rel="nofollow">DSM-5 Social Anxiety Disorder Fact Sheet</a>, that (emphasizes are from me):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Social anxiety disorder is about more than just shyness and can be
  considerably  disabling</strong>. A diagnosis requires that a person’s fear or
  anxiety be out of proportion—in  frequency and/or duration—to the
  actual situation. The symptoms must be persistent,  lasting six months
  or longer ... <strong>To be diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, the person
  must suffer significant distress or impairment that interferes with
  his or her ordinary routine in social settings, at work or school, or
  during other everyday activities</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>It's also important to note that there's been a great deal of effort in defining abnormality (disorder). I don't own any version of DSM (I do have a physical copy of Clinical Psychology by Andrew M. Pomerantz and Abnormal Psychology by Nolen-Hoeksema, but they are currently borrowed by friends), but the criteria for abnormality usually involves (as seen <a href="http://www.csun.edu/~hcpsy002/Nevid_ch03.pdf" rel="nofollow">here</a> and <a href="http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/58622_Chapter_7_Pomerantz_(Clinical)_I_Proof_(Low_Res)_4.pdf" rel="nofollow">here</a>):</p>

<ul>
<li>Emotional distress</li>
<li>Impaired functioning in day-to-day life</li>
<li>Deviance from cultural norm</li>
<li>Statistical infrequency</li>
<li>Behavior that places people at risk for personal suffering, pain,
disability, or death</li>
</ul>

<p>And it usually has to last for a certain period of time before it can be diagnosed as a disorder.</p>

<p><strong>DO NOTE</strong>, however, that no matter how much you feel that you or anyone you know seems to fit with one or more of the above criteria, you <strong>CAN'T</strong> simply conclude that he/she/they have a mental disorder. Diagnosis of mental disorder should only be done by someone who is certified by law to do so, such as psychologist or psychiatrist. And even then, it should be done only after complete, thorough, and proven analysis.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-12T09:39:43.290Z
2014-09-12T09:54:33.827Z
2014-09-12T09:54:33.827Z
Nono
<p>It seems that there are similar symptoms shown by people who suffer social anxiety and shyness, but what is actually the main difference between them? Thank you.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-22T09:36:02.953Z
Not much in my opinion. Sure, you can cite various diagnostic criteria and point out the differences between them but ultimately scientists (psychiatrists and psychologists in this case) are just in the very beginning of understanding human mind. They don't really understand human mind very much, much less mental disorders. How'd you define something you don't really understand? With your personal point of view. *So the difference is just different scientists' point of view of classifying mental disorders,* unfortunately none of which are backed by strong physical (biological) proof, so they t
GrumpyKidder
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-27T15:45:07.063Z
Knowing first hand, shyness is like a feeling of a disappointment when you make an excuse instead of doing something you should be. Social Anxiety is like having a broken foot and trying to run a marathon.
KyraSomms
<social-psychology><abnormal-psychology><personality><psychiatry><clinical-psychology>
What is the difference between social anxiety disorder and shyness?
Teguh Kurniawan
# What is the difference between social anxiety disorder and shyness?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-08-22)

It seems that there are similar symptoms shown by people who suffer social anxiety and shyness, but what is actually the main difference between them? Thank you.

**Tags:** social-psychology, abnormal-psychology, personality, psychiatry, clinical-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Not much in my opinion. Sure, you can cite various diagnostic criteria and point out the differences between them but ultimately scientists (psychiatrists and psychologists in this case) are just in the very beginning of understanding human mind. They don't really understand human mind very much, much less mental disorders. How'd you define something you don't really understand? With your personal point of view. *So the difference is just different scientists' point of view of classifying mental disorders,* unfortunately none of which are backed by strong physical (biological) proof, so they t  
> **username_2**: Knowing first hand, shyness is like a feeling of a disappointment when you make an excuse instead of doing something you should be. Social Anxiety is like having a broken foot and trying to run a marathon.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-09-12. Score: 2

The accepted answer is correct, it is basically a matter of degree, plus some other things.

Adding more details, refer to the following definition of [Social Anxiety Disorder](https://socialanxietyinstitute.org/dsm-definition-social-anxiety-disorder) (previously known as Social Phobia) taken from The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition:

> A. A persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations
> in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible
> scrutiny by others. The individual fears that he or she will act in a
> way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will be embarrassing and
> humiliating.
>
> B. Exposure to the feared situation almost invariably provokes
> anxiety, which may take the form of a situationally bound or
> situationally pre-disposed Panic Attack.
>
> C. The person recognizes that this fear is unreasonable or excessive.
>
> D. The feared situations are avoided or else are endured with intense
> anxiety and distress.
>
> E. The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared
> social or performance situation(s) interferes significantly with the
> person's normal routine, occupational (academic) functioning, or
> social activities or relationships, or there is marked distress about
> having the phobia.
>
> F. The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is persistent, typically lasting 6
> or more months.
>
> G. The fear or avoidance is not due to direct physiological effects of
> a substance (e.g., drugs, medications) or a general medical condition
> not better accounted for by another mental disorder

Perhaps more specifically, it is written in this [DSM-5 Social Anxiety Disorder Fact Sheet](http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Social%20Anxiety%20Disorder%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf), that (emphasizes are from me):

> **Social anxiety disorder is about more than just shyness and can be
> considerably disabling**. A diagnosis requires that a person’s fear or
> anxiety be out of proportion—in frequency and/or duration—to the
> actual situation. The symptoms must be persistent, lasting six months
> or longer ... **To be diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, the person
> must suffer significant distress or impairment that interferes with
> his or her ordinary routine in social settings, at work or school, or
> during other everyday activities**

It's also important to note that there's been a great deal of effort in defining abnormality (disorder). I don't own any version of DSM (I do have a physical copy of Clinical Psychology by Andrew M. Pomerantz and Abnormal Psychology by Nolen-Hoeksema, but they are currently borrowed by friends), but the criteria for abnormality usually involves (as seen [here](http://www.csun.edu/~hcpsy002/Nevid_ch03.pdf) and [here](http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/58622_Chapter_7_Pomerantz_(Clinical)_I_Proof_(Low_Res)_4.pdf)):

* Emotional distress
* Impaired functioning in day-to-day life
* Deviance from cultural norm
* Statistical infrequency
* Behavior that places people at risk for personal suffering, pain,
  disability, or death

And it usually has to last for a certain period of time before it can be diagnosed as a disorder.

**DO NOTE**, however, that no matter how much you feel that you or anyone you know seems to fit with one or more of the above criteria, you **CAN'T** simply conclude that he/she/they have a mental disorder. Diagnosis of mental disorder should only be done by someone who is certified by law to do so, such as psychologist or psychiatrist. And even then, it should be done only after complete, thorough, and proven analysis.


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