Resources for Shy people
Last updated October 8, 2001.
I used to be incredibly shy. In the last few years I have really
focused on attempting to overcome my shyness. I am still somewhat shy
today, but far less so than I used to be.
Articles
Advise
Newsgroups
IRC
These chat rooms are secret and will not appear in the channel list.
This is to prevent non-shy / non-shy friendly people joining them.
Please do not tell non-shy / non-shy friendly people about them.
Dating
Email lists
Books
Various books on shyness are available for order online (these links
take you to a commercial site):
- Books recommended by Shyness Mailing List and alt.support.shyness members:
- Other general books on shyness:
- Children's books:
- Professional books:
- Shy Children, Phobic Adults : Nature and Treatment of Social Phobia (1997) - Deborah Beidel, Samuel Turner
[This book provides a comprehensive survey of current psychological
knowledge regarding the nature, incidence, assessment, and treatment
of social phobia in both adults and children. This book is targetted
at psychologists, but is reasonably accessible to lay people such as
myself. I learnt an awful lot of important information regarding
social phobia and related disorders from reading this book. The
academic nature of this book means I wouldn't describe it as an
especially enjoyable book to read. I also feel the book could have
benefited from a little more proof reading, fewer acronyms, and
general polishing of the text. As an example they started using the
acronym SUDS beginning on page 181, but didn't actually define it
until page 235 (Subjective Units of Distress), and quizing a friend
who is also a professional psychologist, this isn't an acronym even
she is familiar with. Despite this, this book gets high marks for its
heavy informational content. -- gordoni]
- The Shyness Institute has a comprehensive
reading list
- Other books and music:
I'd be interested in people's reviews, feedback, and recommendations
on any of these, or other, books dealing with shyness.
Shyness clinics, classes, and counseling
- SF Bay area, Nancy Wesson,
Mountain View, +1 650 965 7332, ... Overcoming Shyness class
(recommended) and individual counseling
- SF Bay area, Palo Alto
Shyness Clinic, +1 650 328 6115, Lynne Henderson director,
... affiliated with Phil Zimbardo ... slightly expensive
- New York, Jonathan
Berent and Associates, individual and group therapy, ... author of
Beyond Shyness, ... also does sessions via the phone
- US. In the United States every county has a mental health /
pschiatric services / crisis unit. The phone number is normally
listed somewhere in the phone book. The quality of mental health
services varies tremendously thoughout the US. In many cases County
Mental Health is only provided with sufficient resources to deal with
extreme situations (suicidal/manic/schizophrenic patients). They are
still however useful as a first point of contact to find out what
resources may exist in your area. Many of the free and heavily
subsidized counceling services have long waiting lists.
- Seattle, Ann McLaughlin
Other web sites
- Shyness
- Social Phobia
- Avoidant Personality Disorder
- Selective Mutism
- Anxiety and Panic disorders
Statement of financial interest. I receive a commission on books or
CDs ordered through this site. I undertake to use such fees only to
maintain and improve this site.
Have any questions or comments? thanks!
To gordoni's page.