Experts regard selective mutismSelective mutism is a severe anxiety disorder where a person is unable to speak in certain social situations, such as with classmates at school or to relatives they do not see very often.https://www.nhs.uk › conditions › selective-mutism
A person who is quiet and does not often talk very much can be described as taciturn. Taciturn implies that a person does not talk because they are thought to be unfriendly. Her father was a shy, taciturn man. If someone uses too few words in a way that seems rude or unfriendly, you can call them abrupt.
But there's nothing wrong with being the quiet listener from time to time. And there's nothing wrong with refusing to participate in the conversation if we don't feel like it, as long as we're not purposefully rude to anyone.
People who are “socially anxious” or “hate talking to people” are usually fearful about certain social situations because of a fear of negative judgment, embarrassment, rejection, or about others thinking they're unintelligent.
One of the most basic reasons people remain silent is that they think you won't listen. Either from your attitude, your body language, or your history with them, they've learned not to waste their breath around you.
Quiet people are either anxious or rude:
Shyness/Social Anxiety (you want to join the conversation but you fear making yourself a social outcast by saying something stupid) Intimidation (you're intimidated by the people around you, and shrink back because you don't feel worthy)
Introverts are self-sufficient, and it's why they're so quiet. A quiet person's personality is inward, which means they naturally search themselves for comfort. Since they keep a small circle, they develop the habit of self-reliance by finding ways to cater to their needs.
reticent Add to list Share. Reticent means either quiet or restrained. If you're reticent about your feelings, you like to keep them to yourself, and you're probably quiet in rowdy groups where everyone is talking over each other. The original meaning of reticent describes someone who doesn't like to talk.
Selective mutism is a severe anxiety disorder where a person is unable to speak in certain social situations, such as with classmates at school or to relatives they do not see very often. It usually starts during childhood and, if left untreated, can persist into adulthood.
A person who is quiet and does not often talk very much can be described as taciturn.
Although it might not feel like it, your vocal cords are muscles. Like any muscle with more use they grow stronger, and with less they grow weaker. "So, if you stopped speaking, the laryngeal muscle would atrophy," Lalwani writes in an email. "The vocal cords would not be as taut."
In the context of psychoanalysis, the patient's feeling that they have nothing to say is often an indication of transference feelings. Sometimes the feeling that you have nothing to say is a defense against something you do not want to say. Feeling you have nothing to say is sometimes a sign of projection.
Some people (especially men) are socialized to internalize feelings, rather than give voice to them. Sometimes the very emotions you're dealing with — like guilt over something you did, or shame about how you think you're perceived — can feel so overwhelming that you can't get up the motivation to talk it out.
Children with traumatic mutism usually develop mutism suddenly in all situations. An example would be a child who witnesses the death of a grandparent or other traumatic event, is unable to process the event, and becomes mute in all settings.
Adults with selective mutism may have trouble interacting with others in group settings, social gatherings, and the workplace. They may also have chosen educational or career paths that have helped them avoid social interactions.
Colloquially, the terms 'asocial' and 'antisocial' get used interchangeably, to describe someone who isn't motivated by social interaction.
To most people, loneliness is not a word that meshes with introversion. Everyone knows that introverts value their alone time almost more than anything else. As Susan Cain wrote in Quiet, “Solitude matters, and for some people, it's the air they breathe.”
Silence Can Be Intimidating and Revealing Without Being Forceful. Perhaps the anticipation created through silence is so powerful, even our naval forces have tapped into the hidden potential of silence and have developed a weapon to stop people from talking.
Research has found that people who received the silent treatment experienced a threat to their needs of belonging, self-esteem, control, and meaningful existence. This type of behavior reinforces the feeling that someone we care about wants nothing to do with us. It can feel as though you don't exist.
This isn't necessarily true, and while not all quiet people are necessarily smart, highly intelligent people will often refrain from speaking if they are accessing a situation. They will take some time to think about what was said and prepare an adequate response, and they find silence better than pointless small talk.
Being an introvert doesn't necessarily mean you're socially awkward, but the two do sometimes overlap. Certainly, as in my case, the fear of feeling anxious and awkward in social settings can cause us to lean into our introversion.
Introversion and Happiness
While introverts are generally likely to report lower levels of happiness than extroverts, this does not mean that introverts are unhappy. Ultimately, it's important to note the happiness benefits of both introverted and extroverted behavior, no matter where you fall on the spectrum.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt. — ABRAHAM LINCOLN.