What is the difference between shyness and social anxiety disorder?

Difference of Degree: Shyness refers to a personality trait that is relatively common. Social anxieity disorder is a much more disabling condition in which a person's functioning is significantly impaired by anxiety related to social settings and situations.

Somewhat alike: Shyness is a general term more descriptive of personality while social anxiety disorder is a clinical term.Shyness may predispose someone to development of sad but not necessarily and someone with sad may not be shy at all.

Anxiety: Shyness can be a component of social anxiety disorder but in and of itself it is not considered a disorder. In any event if you are troubled seek help as social anxiety and shyness can be helped with psychotherapy. Best.

Level of Debilitatio: Shyness is not a clinical term so can be hard to define outside of Meriam Webster. Social Anxiety Disorder includes experiencing intense anxiety when confronted with certain social situations, to the point that this anxiety significantly interferes with your activities (such as not being able to attend work) and causes significant distress. CBT can help to alleviate Socal Anxiety (and shyness).