This content has been updated from previous article.
Are you an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert? If you struggle in your interactions with most people, you likely answer “introvert,” rather quickly. After all, extroverts and ambiverts are at least somewhat comfortable in social situations, right? Not exactly.
To clarify, introversion is not a mental disorder or social anxiety disorder. It is simply a personality trait where introversion is on one end of the personality spectrum and extroversion being its opposite. It is how people recharge their social battery, and it is not as black as white as many may believe.
In fact, people can also exhibit both introverted and extroverted traits. These people are known colloquially as ambiverts. Ambiverts are in the middle of extroversion and introversion and can act like both in different situations. These characteristics can vary in intensity from person to person.
On the other hand, social anxiety is a mental health condition that can cause anguish and undue stress. Introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts can all have social anxiety.