Shyness Support Group

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.