TEEN SHYNESS!

This problem is faced my many teenagers today. It is
a topic I thought would be handy and have provided
a link as well below:

What Is Shyness?
Shyness is a social emotion that affects a person's
feelings, thoughts, and behavior. Shyness is about
feeling uncomfortable, self-conscious, scared,
nervous, or insecure around others. When people
feel shy, they hold back on saying or doing things
because they're concerned about how others might
respond. Physical sensations can be part of shyness,
too - like feeling flushed, shaky, queasy, speechless,
or breathless.
Shyness tends to strike in certain kinds of social
situations - like the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL,
when you're meeting someone new, initiating a
conversation with someone you feel attracted to, or
giving a presentation in class. People are more likely
to feel shy in situations where they're not sure what
will happen, how others will react, or when all eyes
are on them. People are less likely to feel shy in
situations where they know what to expect and
what to do or say or where they are among familiar
people.
Shyness can vary from person to person. People
can be mildly shy, moderately shy, or extremely shy.
Some people with mild to moderate shyness feel
shy only in certain circumstances. For these people,
shyness may feel uncomfortable at first, but it often
melts away after a few minutes. They often learn to
push through their immediate shyness, knowing they'll
warm up to new people or situations if they can just
get through that initial reaction.
People who are extremely shy find it hard to push
through their initial shyness. They may avoid social
situations, have trouble making friends, or hold back
on trying new things. Eventually this can interfere with
their self-confidence and self-esteem.

What Causes Shyness?
Occasional mild to moderate
feelings of shyness are like any emotion - as with
happiness or sadness, feelings of shyness can be a
part of how we experience things and react. But
other factors can also influence shyness:
Temperament.
People can be shy by nature in the same way that
people can seem grumpy, upbeat, nervous, or easygoing.
Scientists believe that temperament is determined by the
genes children inherit from their parents. Someone
with a shy nature is more likely to be cautious, slower
to get used to changes, and prefer to stick to what's
familiar. He or she is more likely to hesitate when faced
with something new. People who are shy by nature are
also more likely to watch everyone else for a while before
joining in on a group activity. They might be more sensitive
to emotions - not only their own, but the feelings of
others as well. Because of their emotional sensitivity,
people with this temperament are often kind and
caring toward others.
Learned behaviors.
Someone's natural tendency to be shy can be influenced
by what they learn from others, especially family members.
If parents are overly cautious or shy and find socializing
uncomfortable, their actions might teach a child
(especially one with shy temperament) that socializing
is uncomfortable or distressing - even without meaning
to! Young children also learn to expect certain reactions
based on how people respond to their actions.
If children are constantly receiving critical or
disapproving reactions, they may grow into adults who
expect others to judge them negatively. These people
are more likely to be reserved, shy, scared, or
intimidated by certain situations.
Uncomfortable experiences.
What a person learns from experience can influence
shyness, too. Someone with a shy nature might become
even more shy if they get pushed too much into unfamiliar
or uncomfortable situations. Getting teased, bullied, treated
unkindly, or humiliated by peers, siblings, or adults will
probably make someone who's already shy retreat even
more. On the other hand, if someone who's shy is
allowed to approach new things little by little, this positive
experience can help them learn to feel less shy.

http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/emotions/shyness.html