Social Phobia – which is basically severe and acute shyness – is an incredibly common phenomena. But is there any real point in labelling severe shyness as a mental illness? Does it in fact make it more ingrained in the psyche?
Some people would argue that if you give someone a label and a stigmata that says "you have social phobia" it is a bit like telling them they have cancer, no matter how they were feeling before, they suddenly feel a lot worse. Why? Because conditions tend to feel permanent. Emotions are always transitory. Even if you think you always feel depressed, or stressed, actually there are times when you don’t and times when those emotions are present only to a slight extent. But conditions feel permanent so it may not be helpful to tell people they "have" something rather than "are feeling" something.
On the other hand, if there is no label and no recognisable condition, then people who suffer from acute shyness are repeatedly told to "just get over it". Labels like these, although not perfect, give people the chance to be taken seriously by the medical and psychological profession.
The crux of the matter is that we need to be sure that a problem is persistent before we use the label. Almost all psychological problems can come and then go quickly of their own accord. But when problems are persistent then a label allows people to feel recognised and for treatments to be considered.
It is also important however that people recognise what the specific symptoms of their problem are. Too many labels are catch-alls designed to simplify psychological thinking but doing no such thing. If definitions are kept specific then it will also be possible to see when effective treatment has made them an ex-sufferer.
We all feel shy sometimes but for those of us for which it is a way of life there must be proper support from the psychological establishment.
