Do You Ever Feel Like People Are Laughing At You?

[theoutsider]

Whenever I'm in a group and somebody laughs about a joke or something that I didn't hear, I always have the feeling that they are laughing at or about me. I don't know. I guess this is something that started when I was younger.

Having OCD/SA, I have never really fit in but when I was younger I always tried. I was always sort of the oddball (outsider) of the group. It wouldn't take long before other people in the group would notice and they would secretly make fun of my mannerisms, ideas or something else. Most of the time I would find out later that the joke everyone was laughing at was on me. I hated that! I was always fair and cordial but like clockwork, there would always be some inside joke that I wasn't privy to because I was secretly being made fun of. Even though I've long since given up on trying to fit in with the group and am actually content to do my own thing, I still get anxiety when people near me start laughing. This is especially so if it's a group of people that I know or my co-workers. It makes me mad sometimes like, "What the hell are they laughing at? Me?"

It's even gotten to the point at times where I will try my best to figure out what the joke was or what the laughter was otherwise about. Sometimes I find out it had nothing to do with me and, of course, I feel silly for getting so worked up about it. But it is something that always happens and I would like it to stop.

Anybody else have this experience? How did/do you handle it?

 

[Esperance]

Totally. Even if nobody can see me but I hear people laughing, I just want to hide or anything like that and that happens everytime I hear some laugh.
And I'm sorry for you. Seems like you didn't had good friends and hope that the future will be better for you

 

[ForeverTheWeirdKid]

All the time just because of mean highschool mates. Screwd me for life.

 

[ShadowCookie]

Yeah, I feel like people are laughing at me or staring at me all the time in public, probably for the same reason as above. I felt like a constant outcast in High School and I feel like people are always looking at me, judging me, laughing at me, staring at me etc.

 

[theoutsider]

Totally. Even if nobody can see me but I hear people laughing, I just want to hide or anything like that and that happens everytime I hear some laugh.
And I'm sorry for you. Seems like you didn't had good friends and hope that the future will be better for you

Thanks. It wasn't all bad. Some of my "friends" weren't the best but once I realized being a part of a group wasn't for me, it got much better. I simply distanced myself from those people. I had a lot fewer people to hang out with but the friends I did have were okay. Also, I began to notice it happening to a lot of people in a group setting. It seems like somebody is always being laughed at or talked about behind their back. It's definitely a part of human nature that I can do without.

 

[Kiwong]

Yes, they do, they laugh at me as if I am unintelligent or not even present.

 

[lilmutegirl]

Yes, all the time. I often wonder about people whispering around me also--thinking they may be talking about me.

 

[hap3nes]

wow, that is exactly how I feel, I too have experienced these inside jokes on myself. Unfortunately I don't have much advice, I've turned to isolating myself because of my past. But, on my good days, I try to combat my thoughts of "everyone laughing at me" to is there any evidence? what else could they be laughing at? I really try to get in touch with what I am feeling, which is hard for me, so I can identify with it, maybe figure out where its coming from and learn from it. In the end people will laugh at you from time to time, but you have to be confident in yourself, have your support from family and close friends, even professional support. until you can say it doesn't matter. or they are not laughing at me. I've had so much of these inside jokes, paranoia and the like that apparently I have turned into a cold hearted b***H. So I've now just started coming to these forums (I'm 37) where I can try out the different personalities that I want to have in a safer environment which I can then use what I have learned in the real world. I know who I am inside, but it is in the process of putting myself into a formal communicational voice which I share with everybody else that I get lost.

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves."
~The Buddha

 

[theoutsider]

wow, that is exactly how I feel, I too have experienced these inside jokes on myself. Unfortunately I don't have much advice, I've turned to isolating myself because of my past. But, on my good days, I try to combat my thoughts of "everyone laughing at me" to is there any evidence? what else could they be laughing at? I really try to get in touch with what I am feeling, which is hard for me, so I can identify with it, maybe figure out where its coming from and learn from it. In the end people will laugh at you from time to time, but you have to be confident in yourself, have your support from family and close friends, even professional support. until you can say it doesn't matter. or they are not laughing at me. I've had so much of these inside jokes, paranoia and the like that apparently I have turned into a cold hearted b***H. So I've now just started coming to these forums (I'm 37) where I can try out the different personalities that I want to have in a safer environment which I can then use what I have learned in the real world. I know who I am inside, but it is in the process of putting myself into a formal communicational voice which I share with everybody else that I get lost.

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves."
~The Buddha

I just started coming here too. These are great and supportive people. It has benefited me already.

 

[akala]

Yes; and sometimes they are. Even strangers like girls who don't know me. I have found the solution: Get my phone out and start talking loudly like I'm a person having a nice chit chat with someone. I don't know why but it always works. But most of the time, if i'm not sure I just let it go and don't dwell on it.

 

[theoutsider]

Yes; and sometimes they are. Even strangers like girls who don't know me. I have found the solution: Get my phone out and start talking loudly like I'm a person having a nice chit chat with someone. I don't know why but it always works. But most of the time, if i'm not sure I just let it go and don't dwell on it.

The phone thing is funny. That's what I do when I'm on the street and some solicitor tries to sell me something (I work downtown so there are plenty of hawkers on every other street corner). It also works when a salesperson comes to my door. I grab the old phone, pretend to be in deep, intense conversation with someone and shoo the salesperson away because they have obviously caught me at a bad moment. LOL. I never considered using it when I think people are laughing at me.

 

[HHDisturbed]

Yes, all the time. It is a big part of why I feel uncomfortable in public and crowds.

 

[righteous]

yes always; sometimes it's also true.

 

[Graeme1988]

Aye, most o' the time.

Though, being laughed at in ma face is worst. Being laughed at, unintentionally, when am tryin' tae be serious. Yeah, kinda makes me want to just keep quiet.