Do You Think Most Shy People Are Aspies?

Post Reply New Topic

Growing up, I never thought of myself as someone with an illness. Everyone seemed satisfied with the explanation that I was, merely, shy. It wasn't until I became an adult and forced myself to "come out of my shell," that I realized that I still couldn't fit in with the "normal" people. Now, when I see shy children, I wonder how many of them are probably Aspies too.

yeah people (including my parents) thought I was just shy

I don't think most shy people have AS, but a lot do probably.

Shyness is very common at least 20%. Social anxiety disorder is likely much less than that. And if ASD is like 1 in 150 than means very few shy people have ASD. But the social rejection may mean a high percent of aspies have developed social anxiety disorder.

I don't think shyness is any sort of AS indicator. I'm thoroughly Aspie and not particularly shy at all. It happens from time to time that I try to help shy NT's speak up more for themselves.
I never talk with more than one person at the same time, though (unless I know them very well), because I can't do the math of trying to figure out multiple "theories of mind" simultaneously (just one is complicated enough already). I also don't talk unless I feel there's something to talk about. These things might come across as shyness, but they really don't have anything to with that.

I don't see a link between shyness and AS.

Tim

I think most of shy people aren't aspies. They're just shy.
I won't even say that most of aspies are shy... (well it could be, but it's not so obvious)

I'm not shy, but it might come across that way if I'm with a group of people I don't know because that stresses me out and I tend not to communicate. I don't think all shy people have AS by a long way.

No. I can see where you might make the link, but I don't think so. There are too many other things that can make a person shy.

I don't think shy => aspie, only aspie => shy

I'm not shy.

I'm shy, and I know a lot of shy people, but I'm really sure they don't have AS or other ASD. I need more evidences in order to say someone probably has AS.

I am shy in certain situations.

Roger Bannister reported being painfully shy as a young man, and I believe he had some strong indications of Asperger's. He was in the group of people known as "systematizers," which helped him in his career as a physician.

To base analysis on such a thing is unrealistic. While it is likely a good amount of shy people have AS and most people who seem shy do have AS this cannot be stated that they all do. A good amount of verbose and loud people have AS too.