Shyness is a trait associated with personality that is present in our current society and that affects many people in the world. Who has not had classmates at school who remained quieter, who did not participate in conversations or who turned red when asked questions in class?
Despite this, it is not usually given the attention that other difficulties or behavioral problems receive, reflected through more disruptive behaviors, or that in some way hinder the normal development of classes.
To better understand shyness, it is worth differentiating between two types. On the one hand, there is the occasional or temporary shyness that we have all experienced in some specific situation. On the other hand, there is a permanent – ??and sometimes disabling – shyness that generates frequent discomfort in everyday situations and can lead to difficulties in their overall development. That is when we say that a person is shy.
This shyness affects and conditions their emotional states, their social relationships, their personal growth and their professional future. And far from the widespread belief that it is a temporary behavior, it can have important repercussions on people’s lives.
In order to provide the appropriate tools and strategies to respond to their needs, contribute to their comprehensive development, as well as improve the quality of life of shy people, it is essential to understand what happens in the mind of a shy person.
An important question is its origin: is the shy person born shy or does he become shy? There is some controversy between different researchers. Some of them associate their origin with exclusively genetic factors, others refer to environmental factors, but the most defended idea among the research community is that both factors, genetic and environmental, influence their appearance and development.
But what can we do to help shy people face their difficulties? Logically, the two most relevant contexts are the family and the school. Therefore, teachers and families become the people responsible for providing them with the appropriate tools and strategies to confront this behavior.
Below are some options that can help prevent or address this behavior:
These are some of the strategies that can help shy people face different difficulties that they usually encounter in their daily lives. It is a first step in understanding this personality trait and its visibility in society.
Before, only shy people knew the extent of their suffering in certain situations and aspects. Today shyness is considered a predictor of social phobia, loneliness or depression among other disorders of psychological origin.
Therefore, it is necessary to make shyness visible in our society and its possible repercussions on people’s lives with the aim of raising awareness among families, teachers and society in general. Only in this way will we be able to respond to their needs from home and educational centers to improve the quality of life of shy people.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Verónica Sierra Sánchez is a professor in the area of ??General Didactics and Organization, University of Zaragoza.
