The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-02-13
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SHYNESS IS SERIOUS.

'N>sS Na'>S
demented.
This is'the result of extensive investi-
cation by insanity experts on both sides Of
the water Exceptional bashfulness as ii
| is called, is not really, shyness. 1t is a
morbid condition of the mind, certain
sort of dementa.
often is the expression heard that a per
son is painfully shy. Yet in such an in
stance no doubt has been raised as to the
| mental condition of the object of the re-
mark. Nevertheless, it is far more thar
| probable that the individual referred to
was suffering from insanity just as much if
| not more, than many persons who are liv-
ing out tortured existence within the walls
of a madhouse.
1t is well known fact that one of the
most notable symptoms of insanity is that
which causes the person afflicted to shan
the company of others. Loneliness is an in
centive to insanity. Confinement in a
solitary cell in prison often breeds mad
ness. 1t is altogether an unnatural mental
condition which imrels a person to avoid
the society of humanity No one whose
condition is normal ever consents to such
an existence.
just how the insanity expert looks at
shyneSs is shown by the following state
mcnt, made by DR.. G.. w. kunz, of New
York, whose wide experiences make his
opinion well worth considering:
"Shyne:s is as much disease as scarlet
fever 1t is recognized as a symptom Of
dementia or meancholia Just as an cx-
tremely strong wlled person, or one who
is what is termed unusually self-assertive, is
regarded by physicians as a possible sub
jet for acute parcsis.
This shyness takes various forms, such
as a sudden feeling of faintness and weak
ness on looking down from any extreme
height 1t is present when woman pre-
sists in looking under the bed before retir-
ing, although she knows full well that
there is no man there. know of one case
gas, invariably lights match to see if she
has turned it completely off, and nine
times out of ten she lights another match
to sec if she threw the first match into the
coal scuttle or fireplace. That is another
form of what may be termed OF shyness.
This shyness is due to variety OF
| If iS nffan tl,,& !,
system which is run down leads to this
condition of mind. The continual think
ing upon any subject, or what is termed
brooding over certain thing, leads to this.
If not checked in time, melancholia results
This shyness is as common to men as
to women. Some men seem embarrassed
and i'll at ease when in the presence Of
women, while, on the other hand, it is otter
noticed that the presence of gentlemen
makes some women very i'll at ease. only
in justice to the sex, it must be stated
that this very rarely happens.
"There are many reasons for these facts
but the most common one is ill health
| 'h'"i" Peisoh ~ uioupieu 10 10 pny'
sician he or she would be regarded al
possessing symptoms indicating lack o.
will power and approaching insanity il
some form. There are waves of morbid
shyness, just as there are waves of insanity
There are waves of certain kinds of suicide
resulting from insanity There are waves
of bridge jumping, killing with razors OF
knives shooting and death by poison.
Many suicides are due to temporary in.
sanity, brought on by variety Of causes
One of the first symptoms is shyness
Persons afflicted with this shyness never
take up any Of the sciences or professions
or become students. They lack the will
power necessary to do so. Where the
normal mind OF man overcomes difficulties
and troubles when they come, the shy,
retiring man seeks relief in suicide"
DIR. Henry Campbell, who is the ply
stefan in charge of the Northwest London
hospital, says that morbid shyness is, like
other mental disorders an exageration OF
| ub phD IL Is dillUuB
women, he declares, that this symptom of
mental disorder is most often SEEN Lack
ing the physical strength of man in most
instances they are unable to withstand the
depression that sometimes seizes them.
That depression gives birth to be I'M
observed. Here is the beginning of the
fit of shyness which results in unbalancng
the mind and creating the idea that the
very sight Of Others is an atiliction to be
avoided.
Several New York doctors who discussed
the question at length said that they had
noticed particularly among young women
whom they had been called upon to see
that those who had exhibited the greatest
embarrassment in the presence of young