Self-Consciousness In addition to the divisions of…

““ Self-Consciousness In addition to the divisions of specific and generalized social anxiety, experts also identify two types of self-consciousness: public self-consciousness and private self-consciousness. Although self-awareness and self-insight are positive traits in healthy personalities, in people with social anxiety this awareness becomes extreme and obsessive. Publicly self-conscious people are extremely aware of what others think of them. They worry about how they appear and the impression they are making. Many publicly shy people describe feeling distanced from an event in which they are participating. For instance, while they are speaking with someone, they are constantly evaluating and editing how they act and what they say. As a result, they feel they do not fully take part in any activities. Imagine you are going to a party with a popular group of people. If you are publicly shy, you would worry all afternoon about what you were going to wear and what others will think of you. When you finally walk into the party, you notice that two of the people you admire are wearing khakis and button-down shirts, and you immediately feel out of place in your jeans and T-shirt. You think everyone is watching you and wondering why you are there when it is obvious you don’t belong. When someone attempts to speak with you, you are so overwhelmed that you can stutter only a brief reply before running to the rest room. By contrast, if you are a privately shy person, you can appear at ease in social situations. At the same party, you might be able to tell jokes and be the center of attention, while internally you are in turmoil. Privately self-conscious people are more concerned about protecting how they feel than about how others view them. Sometimes, they try to hide their fears by being loud and talkative. Many comedians, actors, and singers are privately shy people. They are able to mask their feelings of inadequacy, but they feel phony and lack true self-confidence. No matter whether you have specific or generalized social anxiety or are publicly or privately shy, social anxiety has a strong impact on your life.””

— Heather Moehn