I don't greet my neighbours

[mndigi]

I usually don't greet my neighbours out of social anxiety, and later feel terribly guilty about it. I probably come across as very rude. Just a few minutes back, one of my neighbours was in the same elevator as me, and I kept on looking at the wall, not speaking a word. Another day, I rang my doorbell and waited while our next door neighbours were going out and locking their house (we live in an apartment). I kept on looking at my door with my neighbours just inches away from me, and didn't say a word. They all MUST think me to be very rude, or retarded.

I know that I don't like doing any of this. But greeting others is as difficult for me, as running 100 kms (50 miles).

 

[Emily_G]

I do the same thing...and I feel really guilty after wards and they probably think I am really rude too I hate it. I'd probably be okay with "hi"...but then "hi" leads to more conversation...

 

[Avarak]

I usually just say "how's it going" when I pass by someone I know.

 

[planemo]

If I lived in an apartment complex I would be exactly the same. For me I'm fortunate that I don't really get to see my neighbours. These days I do greet people, but when I was younger I never even looked in the same general direction of anyone. You see not to greet someone older than you is a big sign of disrespect in my world, so I'm sure everyone thought I was really rude.

 

[Hellhound]

I don't greet mines, not only because I don't know what to say, but because they don't deserve it either... They are idiots.

 

[BrokenSailor]

Maybe ur neighbors have SA too and prefer it this way

 

[Luke1993]

lol i don't greet my neighbours I didn't realise you were supposed to lol

 

[NewHorizons]

I live in a tiny studio at the end of the hall, and I can hear EVERYONE in the hallway and they can hear me... I swear the guy next door called me "unbalanced" when he thought I was asleep.

 

[hoddesdon]

I do the same as well. This is a classic symptom of social phobia. Yes, people do think it is rude. Perhaps explaining the situation may help. Some people respond in a positive way to that.

I do think that having a doormat saying "#@%$ off" is unacceptable. I feel the same myself sometimes (but without the bad language), but other people are not responsible for one's having social phobia.

 

[Awkward Annie]

Me too. I might say hi if they look at me but straight after that I will turn my back or pretend to be on the phone or anything to discourage further conversation.

 

[spect01]

i dont greet mine either but they greet me haha

 

[Noca]

I never make eye contact with them so I don't have to talk to them.

 

[206Raider]

My neighbors are all really talkative to eachother and I've only said hi to a few of them but it seems like everyone in this neighborhood is family or something. I waved a some people who were talking on the corner once becuase there was like 5 of them and I was by myself and they were looking at me but when I did that they looked away so I don't like those people lol

 

[PhillyFlyersGrl]

It seems as you get older you tend to feel obligated to be and act a certain way, be polite, say hello, invite your neighbor over for coffee, send them a gift, a card...some people do this, they get chummy with the neighbors. There's no rule saying you have too. I know your just talking about saying hello..and I know what you mean. In my case when I was in my early twenties and younger I didnt feel certain social pressures..and now that Im getting older I do all of a sudden..don't know where it came from or why. Maybe its witnessing others doing these things and you realize why dont I? am I weird? rude? No.
Sometimes we have to cut ourselves some slack..especially because we have this problem.

 

[groovy]

I don't talk to my neighbours either.. except once I waved at one of my neighbour's dogs and made funny faces, not realising that the woman was sitting just behind the dog! Afterwards she was staring at me like i'm a loony or something. lol o_o