Paying attention to other people's reactions?

Argamemnon

Argamemnon

Well-known member
I not only pay close attention to my own reactions during social situations, but I always pay close attention to other people's reactions towards myself as well. Can anyone relate to this?

Yesterday, I was reading some articles about avoidant personality disorder and social anxiety disorder, and it was said that only people who have avoidant personality disorder pay attention to other people's reactions, but not social phobics. Social phobics are only self-conscious, but they don't pay attention to other people's reactions.

I'm extremely self-conscious, but I always pay attention to other people's facial expressions etc. to see how they react. Even if I try not to pay attention, I always notice other people's "negative" reactions and consequently feel horrible.
 
Last edited:
Psychedelicious

Psychedelicious

1
Tracks of React

Err, that's not true. Lots of people pay attention to other people's reaction, no matter social phobic, or avoidant, or even if you have no problems or whatever. How does an article know which individuals pay attention to reactions or not? It really doesn't. I don't know who wrote that, but it doesn't sound right.
 
CastlesInTheSky

CastlesInTheSky

Member
I think what you mean is the constant, excessive monitoring of peoples' reactions. You're quite right, normal people don't watch and draw negative outputs from peoples' reactions in the exaggerated way that social phobics do: we manage to magnify everything a thousand times in our mind. A flick of the hair, an eyebrow raised a fraction, a quick sigh. These things could be interpreted as meaning nothing, but we always draw negativity from them.
 
Argamemnon

Argamemnon

Well-known member
CastlesInTheSky said:
I think what you mean is the constant, excessive monitoring of peoples' reactions.
Click to expand...
Yes, I'm sorry English is not my first language.

You're quite right, normal people don't watch and draw negative outputs from peoples' reactions in the exaggerated way that social phobics do: we manage to magnify everything a thousand times in our mind. A flick of the hair, an eyebrow raised a fraction, a quick sigh. These things could be interpreted as meaning nothing, but we always draw negativity from them.
Click to expand...

Exactly, and interestingly this might have a biological cause.

"A 2006 study found that the area of the brain called the amygdala, part of the limbic system, is hyperactive when patients are shown threatening faces or confronted with frightening situations. They found that patients with more severe social phobia showed a correlation with the increased response in the amygdala."

Social anxiety disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
Nicholas

Nicholas

Well-known member
I am afraid I pay attention to everything. Gestures, words, details, anything. I am so self-conscious that I even think about what I think and the way I think. I think I sometimes might even have like 20 deep meaningful separate thoughts per minute LOL ::p:
It's as if I could "feel" emotions around me. This makes me enjoy some things more, but it also gives me problems of course (anxiety, SA, always too worried)
 
Last edited:
C

ChelleBelle89

New member
Yes, Argamemnon I can relate to your situation. I feel like someone is watching my every move whenever I am in social situations. I just freeze up everytime someone comes to talk to me when I begin talkin because I notice their facial expressions. Can you post the link where you read that article at?
 
Nicholas

Nicholas

Well-known member
ChelleBelle89 said:
Hi Nicholas, I feel that same way alot of times. How to deal?
Click to expand...

Hi, I don't know, but I know I am a highly sensitive person:
Highly sensitive person - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I got the most important book on this too, but when will I feel like finishing it? LOL ::p:
This author studied HSPs: The Highly Sensitive Person

So, I guess I will just have to accept that's the way I am, and take it as a gift. It is a gift, I know it is, but in modern society it just causes too many problems. I will probably need to find a job where I can work from home or alone most of the time to reduce stress, I'm afraid, but at the same time trying to cure SA and avoid developing agoraphobia.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top