Whatever the secrecy, it is very important that there is a difference between shyness and the disabling 'social phobia'. If he has read books, by two severely social phobics 'The Hell of Social Phobia' and 'Where fear is no longer a Reality' he would realise that there is a large difference between normal shyness and extreme shyness. One guy has to drink copious amounts of alcohol to blot out the thoughts in his head and now gives speeches. People who are very shy cannot always achieve much in their career or they choose certain ones like acting to coverup their personality. One of the best things that has happened to social phobics is that there is a medical term for it and if people need drugs or cognitive therapy is up to them to think of the risks etc because who wants to be stuck in a house, not able to see your friends because of the irrational 'fear'. Of course drug companies want to make money and some of the social phobics do find them helpful, some don't, so they try other methods such as hypnotherpy. I have used them from time to time and not all are addictive. I feel very sorry for kids if they do not get the help they need with their acute social phobia, something I had.
