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SHYNESS....40 % HUMANITY HAS IT & SUFFERS OPPORTUNITIES LOST.....HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT AND OVERCOME........ Posted by Vishva News Reporter on April 16, 2007 |
SHYNESS
THE THIRD BIGGEST
MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROBLEM
ARE YOU BORN WITH IT?
THEN YOU ARE LOOSING SO MUCH IN LIFE
WHAT IS SHYNESS?:
In humans, shyness is a feeling of insecurity and
awkwardness that certain people experience while being among others, talking
with others, asking favors of others, etc.
In zoology, shy generally means "tends to avoid human
beings";
Shyness is most likely to occur during unfamiliar
situations. Since many shy people thus avoid these situations in order to
avoid feeling uncomfortable and inept, the situation remains unfamiliar and
the shyness perpetuates itself. Shyness may also fade with time if the
parents and teachers nurture the child to recognize and deal with shyness.
CAUSE OF SHYNESS
The initial cause of shyness can vary. Scientists have
located some genetic data that supports the hypothesis that shyness is at
least partially genetic. However, there is also evidence that the
environment in which a person is raised can affect their shyness. Shyness
can originate after a person has experienced a physical anxiety reaction; at
other times, shyness seems to develop first and then later causes physical
symptoms of anxiety.
The genetics of shyness is a relatively small area of
research that has been receiving an even smaller amount of attention,
although papers on the biological bases of shyness date back at least to
1988.Several genetic links to shyness are current areas of research.
Shyness is not directly related to introversion.
Introverts choose to avoid social situations because they derive no reward
from them [citation needed], and may find the extra sensory input
overwhelming. Shy people fear such situations and feel that they must avoid
them
DEGREE OF SHYNESS
People experience shyness to different degrees. For
example, an actor may be loud and bold on stage, but shy in an interview. In
addition, people may feel shy around certain people and not others. For
instance, one may be outgoing with friends, but shy toward someone of their
preferred sex.
- EFFECTS OF SHYNESS
Shy people tend to perceive their own shyness as a negative trait and many
people are uneasy with shyness, especially in cultures that value
individuality and taking charge.
- On the other hand, many shy people are perceived to be
good listeners and are more likely to think before they speak.
- Furthermore, boldness, the opposite of shyness, may
cause its own problems, such as impertinence or inappropriate behavior.
- Often, shyness may be mistaken with aggressively,
arrogance or introversion due to the shy person's attempts to avoid the
uneasy situation.
(From Wikipedia-the free online encyclopedia. To read the
entire article please click on the
here or read the
entire article on this knowledge-sharing PVAF web site on the next page....
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PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF SHYNESS
- palpitations
- tremors
- sweating
- diarrhea
- confusion
- blushing
- Are you uncomfortable or embarrassed at being the
centre of attention?
- Do you find it hard to interact with people?
- "I just hate being put on the spot"
- "I would avoid courses and seminars because the thought
of having to stand up and introduce myself filled me with dread"
- "I go to pieces at interviews, I know I can do the job
but I panic and the words just don't come out right"
- "My friend wanted to take me to a party to meet lots of
new people, my idea of hell!"
LOOSING OPPORTUNITIES IN LIFE DUE TO
SHYNESS
Whenever opportunity knocked, Montreal graphic artist Ana
Garza-Robillard found herself too shy to answer.
"Even when I was a child, I was always afraid when I had
to meet people. I realized that I was wasting big opportunities by being so
shy. I was afraid to make new contacts and just talked with people I already
knew," Ms. Garza-Robillard says. "Unless I did something, I was not going to
get anywhere."
Ms. Garza-Robillard is not alone.
Up to 40 per cent of people experience feelings of shyness
to the extent that it can get in the way of their career success, says
Ilise Benun, president of Hoboken, N.J.-based consultancy Marketing
Mentor and the author of a new book, "Stop Pushing Me Around", about
conquering shyness.
HOW TO DEAL WITH SHYNESS IN REAL LIFE
The following are some of the ideas for your
to break out from the shell of shyness and live a full life with the
potentials you have:
- Know your demons
- Commit to making a change
- One small change at a time
- Set targets
- Create lots of options
- Don't bow to the competition
- Spend time preparing
- Visualize support
- Ask for honest feedback
- Review progress
Please click on the line outside this box to
enlighten more about how to remove deal use the above ideas with shyness in
your life and not let the opportunities slip away
TO MAKE YOUR TOMORROW
HAPPIER THAN TODAY by living your life to full potential that the
Creator has blessed you with.... |
|
EMERGE FROM SHELL OF SHYNESS
By learning to identify
situations
when it is holding you back,
you can minimize its paralyzing effects
Canadian
Globe and Mail:
August 4, 2006: WALLACE IMMEN
Whenever opportunity knocked, Montreal graphic artist Ana
Garza-Robillard found herself too shy to answer.
"Even when I was a child, I was always afraid when I had to meet people,"
she says.
That's one big reason why, when it came time to plot a career, Ms. Garza-Robillard
decided to work independently by setting up her own graphic design business
in Montreal, now known as Mobius2 Creative Studio.
But she soon found that, even when you work for yourself, doing business
requires meeting a lot of people.
Just following up with clients put her out of her comfort zone, so she
preferred to deal with them by phone, she says. And she regularly avoided
making pitches to new clients or making presentations at trade events that
could have raised her profile.
"I realized that I was wasting big opportunities by being so shy. I was
afraid to make new contacts and just talked with people I already knew," Ms.
Garza-Robillard says. "Unless I did something, I was not going to get
anywhere."
Ms. Garza-Robillard is not alone. Up to 40 per cent of people experience
feelings of shyness to the extent that it can get in the way of their career
success, says Ilise Benun, president of Hoboken, N.J.-based consultancy
Marketing Mentor and the author of a new book, Stop Pushing Me Around, about
conquering shyness.
Shyness comes from an underlying fear and uncertainty that makes those
suffering from it avoid situations involving unfamiliar people or
situations, Ms. Benun says.
And it can have all sorts of repercussions at work: Shyness may make people
beg off making a speech or presentation, avoid asking for a raise even if
they believe they deserve it and be too unsure of themselves to aspire to
leadership roles.
Almost everyone is shy to some extent in certain situations. Ms. Benun says.
It's extremely common for people who are dynamic in their everyday job to
turn very uncertain in an unknown situation out of fear they will make a
mistake or look incompetent.
This can actually make people stay at a job they dislike, rather than face
the prospect of interviewing for a much better position somewhere else.
The good news is that shyness is not genetic but, rather, behaviour you
develop based on experiences in your life, says Ms. Benun, who regularly
runs assertiveness workshops in Canada.
That means if you learn to identify situations in which underlying shyness
is holding you back, you can minimize its paralyzing effects.
|
Here's her formula for emerging from the shell of
shyness:
Know your demons
Learn to recognize situations that typically make you feel shy and how you
habitually react to them, for example, by avoiding them or not speaking up.
Commit to making a change
The next time a situation comes up that makes you feel shy, vow to try a
different approach, such as speaking up rather than staying silent. Making
such changes will, over time, increase your confidence.
One small change at a time
"The reason people remain shy is they have built it up into a huge,
immovable thing to overcome, and they decide it is too big a challenge to
even think about it," Ms. Benun says.
Making small changes expands your comfort zone and creates the momentum to
make big progress over time.
Set targets
Create a time frame for taking concrete actions on goals you want to
achieve. For instance, "meet a new person daily" or "attend two networking
events monthly."
Create lots of options
If you give yourself many opportunities to interact with people, each one
won't carry as much weight and will therefore be less stressful.
Don't bow to the competition
Don't assume that other people have more right to speak up because they
appear more confident than you. In fact, your input may be more valuable
than anything they have to offer.
Spend time preparing
The better you know your stuff, the more confident you will feel when the
time comes to present it.
Visualize support
Instead of imagining a meeting as a place where you might end up being
interrogated and judged, imagine it as a circle of colleagues all there to
help you. With practice, that will become your reality.
Ask for honest feedback
Shy people tend to dwell so much on their negatives that they fail to see
their positives, Ms. Benun says. Seeking input from others will draw out
positive things they see in you, and give you more confidence to overcome
your shyness.
Review progress
Keep a log of your goals and review daily, or at least weekly, marking down
progress you've made. Every success will make you more confident, Ms. Benun
says.
"Over time, with persistence, a step here and a step there you're a shy
person who starts conversations and is not afraid to move ahead in a
career," she says.
Such moves have worked for Ms. Garza-Robillard. By confronting her demons,
she says she has not only expanded her career horizons but now looks forward
to meeting people, rather than shying away from them.
It's taken two years, since she signed up for one of Ms. Benun's workshops
in Montreal, which led to her joining two networking groups where she has
pushed herself to meet new people regularly. She finds she no longer feels
self-conscious when mingling.
Her shyness still lurks in new situations, but she's learned to push it off
centre stage, Ms. Garza-Robillard says. "Having experiences that are good
experiences helps make me feel more confident about the next encounter."
And that has led to new opportunities.
She recently decided to form a partnership with another designer to expand
her business, and is having meetings regularly to line up larger clients.
"Before, if you has asked me to talk about my shyness, I never would have
said yes," she says. But now she believes her experience can help others in
the same situation.
"I decided I literally cannot afford to be shy any more."
ฉ The Globe and Mail. |
Shyness
From
Wikipedia, the
free encyclopedia
In
humans,
shyness is a
feeling of
insecurity and awkwardness that certain people experience while
being among others, talking with others, asking favors of others,
etc. In
zoology, shy generally means "tends to avoid human
beings"; see
cryptic.
Shyness is most likely to occur during unfamiliar
situations. Since many shy people thus avoid these situations in
order to avoid feeling uncomfortable and inept, the situation
remains unfamiliar and the shyness perpetuates itself. Shyness may
also fade with time. A child who is shy toward strangers, for
instance, may eventually come to lose this trait when older.
The initial cause of shyness can vary. Scientists
have located some genetic data that supports the hypothesis that
shyness is at least partially genetic. However, there is also
evidence that the environment in which a person is raised can affect
their shyness. Shyness can originate after a person has experienced
a physical
anxiety reaction; at other times, shyness seems to develop first
and then later causes physical symptoms of anxiety.
People experience shyness to different degrees.
For example, an actor may be loud and bold on stage, but shy in an
interview. In addition, people may feel shy around certain people
and not others. For instance, one may be outgoing with friends, but
shy toward someone of their preferred sex.
Shy people tend to perceive their own shyness as a
negative trait and many people are uneasy with shyness, especially
in cultures that value
individuality and taking charge. On the other hand, many shy
people are perceived to be good listeners and are more likely to
think before they speak. Furthermore,
boldness, the opposite of shyness, may cause its own problems,
such as impertinence or inappropriate behavior.
Often, shyness may be mistaken with aggressivity,
arrogancy or introversion due to the shy person's attempts to avoid
the uneasy situation.
Shyness is not directly related to
introversion. Introverts choose to avoid social
situations because they derive no reward from them
[citation needed],
and may find the extra sensory input overwhelming. Shy people fear
such situations and feel that they must avoid them
[citation needed].
Genetics of shyness
The genetics of shyness is a relatively small area
of research that has been receiving an even smaller amount of
attention, although papers on the biological bases of shyness date
back at least to
1988.
Some research has indicated that shyness and
aggression are related through long and short forms of the
gene
DRD4, though considerably more research on this is needed. Further,
it has been suggested that shyness and
social phobia (the distinction between the two is becoming ever
more blurred) are related to
obsessive-compulsive disorder.
As with other studies of
behavioral genetics, the study of shyness is complicated by the
number of genes involved in, and the confusion in defining, the
phenotype. Naming the phenotype and translation of terms
between genetics and
psychology also causes problems. In some research, "behavioral
inhibition" is studied, in others anxiety or social inhibition is.
One solution to this problem is to study the genetics of underlying
traits, such as "anxious temperament."
Several genetic links to shyness are current areas
of research. One of the most promising is the serotonin transporter
promoter region polymorphism (5-HTTLPR), the long form of which has
been shown to be highly correlated with shyness in grade school
children. Previous studies had shown a connection between this form
of the gene and both obsessive-compulsive disorder and
autism.
Mouse models have also been used, to derive genes suitable for
further study in humans; one such gene, the
glutamic acid decarboxylase gene (which encodes an
enzyme
that functions in
GABA synthesis), has so far been shown to have some association
with behavioral inhibition. Another gene, the dopamine D4 receptor
gene (DRD4) exon III polymorphism, had been the subject of studies
in both shyness and aggression, and is currently the subject of
studies on the "novelty seeking" trait. A
1996
study of anxiety-related traits (shyness being one of these)
remarked that, "Although twin studies have indicated that individual
variation in measures of anxiety-related personality traits is
40-60% heritable, none of the relevant genes has yet been
identified," and that "10 to 15 genes might be predicted to be
involved" in the anxiety trait. Progress has been made since then,
especially in identifying other potential genes involved in
personality traits, but there has been little progress made towards
confirming these relationships. The long version of the 5-HTT
gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) is now postulated to be
correlated with shyness, but in the 1996 study, the short version
was shown to be related to anxiety-based traits. This confusion and
contradiction does not oppose the genetic basis of personality
traits, but does emphasize the amount of research there is still to
be done before the bases of even one or two of these characteristics
can be identified.
See also
References
Arbelle, Shoshana; Benjamin, Jonathan; Golin,
Moshe; Kremer, Ilana; Belmaker, Robert H.; Ebstein, Richard:
Relation of shyness in grade school children to the genotype for the
long form of the serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism.
The American Journal of Psychiatry 2003; 160(4): 671-676.
Kluger, A. N.; Siegfried, Z.; Epbstein, R. P.: A
meta-analysis of the association between DRD4 polymorphism and
novelty seeking. Molecular Psychiatry 2002; 7: 712-717.
Lesch, Klaus-Peter; Bengal, Dietmar; Heils, Armin;
Sabol, Sue Z.; Greenberg, Benjamin D.; Petri, Susanne; Benjamin,
Jonathan; Muller, Clemens R.; Hamer, Dean H.; Murphy, Dennis L.:
Association of anxiety-related traits with a polymorphism in the
serotonin transporter gene regulatory region. Science 1996;
274(5292): 1527-1531.
Smoller, Jordan W.; Rosenbaum, Jerold F.;
Biederman, Joseph; Susswein, Lisa S.; Kennedy, John; Kagan, Jerome;
Snidman, Nancy; Laird, Nan; Tsuang, Ming T.; Faraone, Stephen V.;
Schwarz, Alysandra; Slaugenhaupt, Susan A.: Genetic association
analysis of behavioral inhibition using candidate loci from mouse
models. American Journal of Medical Genetics 2001; 105: 226-235.
External links
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