Shy personalities - Mental Health Message Board

Alie · 07-26-2005, 07:17 AM

I have wondered for a while if there was a trend in shy people having mental illnesses, due to the built up anger or just any emotion that has been bottled up for a long time.

I AM shy. I usually have problems expressing how I feel, and I have bouts of anger (even for no particular reason at all). As a result of being shy, I've also suffered from anxiety and some depression.

I'm not sure if personality disorders are considered mental illness. But I was just wondering if anyone else had any concerns about this?

GatsbyLuvr1920 · 07-26-2005, 07:25 AM

Yes, personality disorders are a form of mental illness, and they're also included in the diagnostic sections of the DSM-IV. Being shy and introverted does seem to be a characteristic for mental illness, especially anxiety disorders, but this isn't always the case. For example, I have a slew of anxiety disorders, but I'm actually outgoing and talkative, except when I just meet someone, that is. I was surprised to learn that people with OCD are shy and introverted because I'm not usually. Yes, I am a loner and I'm uncomfortable with people I don't know, but I'm not really all that shy. I think that a person's environment is more indicative of developing a mental illness than personality because I believe that the environment triggers the onset of a mental illness as well as helping to develop a person's personality. Obviously, mental illness and personality are fixed in genetics, but it's my belief that they are heavily influenced by environment...
-GatsbyLuvr1920-

Blue102 · 07-28-2005, 06:38 AM

That's an interesting topic to bring up. I was painfully shy growing up, and I've had my share of mental disturbances. LOL. I don't know if there's a real correlation or not...but it does seem so, doesn't it?

Maybe extraverts are just so focused on the outside world that they don't pay much attention to what's going on inside their heads. It does seem that introverts get caught up in their thoughts and feelings, and that can be a pretty dangerous thing sometimes...as we know, don't we, SWB???