The Shyness & Social Anxiety Workbook
30have developed according to the same laws of natural selection that are thought to have 
guided the more “positive” aspects of human evolution (Moalem and Prince 2007; Nesse 
and Williams 1994).
For example, in their book, Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medicine , Drs. 
Randolph Nesse and George Williams discuss how a number of uncomfortable condi -
tions such as sneezing from allergies, suffering from colds or fevers, and experiencing 
pain from injuries all serve to protect us from potential dangers. The same processes that 
lead to allergies, colds, and fever also help the body to rid itself of potentially danger -
ous toxins and parasitic viruses. Likewise, pain following an injury is a warning sign that 
prevents us from moving our bodies in ways that could worsen the injury.
Might anxiety also improve our chances of survival? As we mentioned in chapter 
1, the ﬁght-or-ﬂight response associated with fear and panic protects us from potential 
danger. When we are afraid, our bodies quickly become mobilized either to meet the 
danger head on or to escape from the danger as quickly as possible. All of the sensations 
that we experience when we are frightened (for instance, increased pulse, faster breath -
ing, sweating, hyperventilation, and so on) are designed to help us meet the physical 
demands of confronting the threat (ﬁghting) or escaping to safety (ﬂight).
From an evolutionary perspective, it makes sense that we humans would develop 
a propensity for experiencing social anxiety. We are social beings, and as such, we are 
very much dependent on those around us. None of us could survive without the help of