Feel as if i'm being watched. All the time.

ShyDoll · #1 15th April 2007, 00:02

Anyone else feel like theyre um.. Sorta under a microscope all the time in social situations?

I got like this today and it got me thinking..why.. is this something to do with sa?

I was at a friends house..person i'd not met in real life before.. And i just felt like i was being watched the entire time. And got really embarassed when i was eating pizza and couldnt pick it up properly and it was sloppy and me shaking probably didnt help!

Anyone get what i mean?

Peasie · #2 15th April 2007, 00:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShyDoll

I got like this today and it got me thinking..why.. is this something to do with sa?

It has everything to do with SA.

Pal · #3 15th April 2007, 00:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShyDoll

Anyone else feel like theyre um.. Sorta under a microscope all the time in social situations?

I got like this today and it got me thinking..why.. is this something to do with sa?

I was at a friends house..person i'd not met in real life before.. And i just felt like i was being watched the entire time. And got really embarassed when i was eating pizza and couldnt pick it up properly and it was sloppy and me shaking probably didnt help!

Anyone get what i mean?

I used to feel like that, particually during and for a few years after i was bullied.

Occationally i still do but it doesn't seem such a problem nowadays.

W!llow · #4 15th April 2007, 00:15

Yes I do get that feeling. I call it the fishbowl feeling. Suddenly I can feel really heightened anxiety, overwhelmed and conspicuous.

ShyDoll · #5 15th April 2007, 00:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by W!llow

Yes I do get that feeling. I call it the fishbowl feeling. Suddenly I can feel really heightened anxiety, overwhelmed and conspicuous.

Yeah! Definately.

I thought i was ok with stuff like this. But i guess i'm not. When this guy asked me the other day what should he get to eat i kinda said 'pizza's good' in a really trying-to-be-laid-back way as i know pizza isnt the sloppiest of foods. Stupid really.

Next time i'm saying chips =p

But anyways yeah.. Just felt like he was looking at me going ''hmm slob'' and if i looked at him to see if he was looking at me, of course he'd look at me then wouldnt he.

Urgh lol

Noah · #6 15th April 2007, 01:38

Sorry you feel like this Shy Doll, know exactly what you mean and its horrible, like being in the spotlight all the time. Makes you so conscious of everything you do, used to find it difficult in shops taking items from the shelves and hoping i wouldn't let them drop on the ground!! I'd also think everyone was watching me be like this and would add to my clumsiness. I've used CBT to try to combat this by concentrating on what i'm actually doing rather than thinking about who or what is going on around me and i find it helps.Try and shift your focus outwards and away from yourself and in time it will make a difference.

fairyfingers · #7 15th April 2007, 01:43

Yes i feel like that a lot to though it is one of the things with time that has got better, when i was a teen i felt like there was a flashing light above my head. Like Noah i try and keep my mind occupied if i feel it creeping up.

Jules07 · #8 15th April 2007, 09:05

Yeah, i think that feeling like youre being watched is very typical of SA.

its actually an important human function - the ability to imagine how we are being perceived by others. it makes humans capable of much more complex social organization than other humans, by acting as a moral check on our behaviour, because we think 'but what would it look like to others, what would they say...'

But in SA this useful function sort of goes hay-wire, and gets out of control, gets out of touch with reality, whereby we are overwhelmed by the terrifying prospect of looking bad in others' eyes.

i think it is possible to change your mental behaviour though, so that you are less concerned with how you are looking, and are more accepting of yourself. i also think CBT is the best way to overcome the disorder. it uses stuff from alot of other sources, such as stoicism and buddhism, but it puts it together in a very focused way thats quite useful for people with specific disorders like SA.

#9 15th April 2007, 17:42

Yes, self-consciousness. I get this all the time - like if I'm sitting in the car at traffic-lights, I'll think people in other cars are staring at me. And when walking down the street, I'll imagine people are watching me, which I suppose some of them are, but it's a painful feeling.

Raining_At_Sunset · #10 15th April 2007, 18:43

Aw I hate eating with people I don't know that well. I had a party with my family last Sunday and I felt like such a pig eating away and not saying anything. And of course you know as soon as you put a big bite in your mouth someone will ask you something and you end up mumbling and flapping your arms about for half a minute trying to swallow lol.

#11 15th April 2007, 19:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raining_At_Sunset

Aw I hate eating with people I don't know that well. I had a party with my family last Sunday and I felt like such a pig eating away and not saying anything. And of course you know as soon as you put a big bite in your mouth someone will ask you something and you end up mumbling and flapping your arms about for half a minute trying to swallow lol.

Yes, eating in public is something I also have trouble with.

ShyDoll · #12 15th April 2007, 20:13

@ raining at sunset

Yeah i had the misfortune of that happening yesterday. I'd just stuffed the very last bit of pizza in me mouth and my friend said ''you like?'' and i'm like chewing as fast as possible and nodding with me thumb up

(like that smiley but with a closed mouth and poppy out eyes

)

silly-moo · #13 16th April 2007, 10:52

Yeah i get that feeling all the time too! Like if i go into i show i always worry that i'm looking suspicious or something and get to the point i feel guilty of something when i ain't doing anything

Come to the point where i just leave then i dread incase the alarm goes off! :embarass:

Can relate to the eating thing though R_A_S why does that always happen

I dread eating in front of people incase i either drop it down me or get it round me mush

Shydoll

ceno · #14 16th April 2007, 11:22

I always feel like I'm being watched too. Rationally, I know that people probably aren't staring at me but it doesn't help much to be honest. One of my recurring fears is when I'm walking up the road and traffic stops... if the cars start moving again but one of 'em hasn't noticed, I think "oh god, they haven't realised the traffic's moving again because they're too busy staring at ME, the weirdo walking up the road." :embarass:

If I'm not feeling totally exposed and observed, I'm feeling completely invisible. People walking into me in shopping centres, supermarkets, bar staff ignoring me when I'm trying to get served in pubs, etc. It's interesting how so many facets of my life are polar opposites. Black or white with little or no grey.

Innervision · #15 16th April 2007, 18:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShyDoll

Anyone else feel like theyre um.. Sorta under a microscope all the time in social situations?

I got like this today and it got me thinking..why.. is this something to do with sa?

Signs and Symptoms

Some of the signs and symptoms include: 1. An extreme fear of a situation in which you have to meet new people or you may be scrutinized by others.

2.The feared social situations are experienced with intense anxiety or avoided entirely. 3.The anxiety-provoking social situation causes physical symptoms like blushing, sweating, shaking, trembling, tense muscles, shaky voice, dry mouth or a pounding heart.
The basic symptom of social anxiety disorder is of being very anxious in the presence of others. If you suffer from social anxiety disorder, you may think that other people are very confident in public and you are not. Just blushing may feel horribly embarrassing to you, and you may feel like everyone's eyes are always on you. You may feel anxious about giving a speech, talking to a boss or dating.
Some people with social anxiety disorder are afraid of public speaking or parties. Others feel terrible anxiety about using a public restroom, eating out, talking on the phone or writing in front of others.
Almost everyone experiences some social anxiety now and then; it's normal. However, social anxiety disorder consistently limits the lifestyle of those with the illness, in some cases causing them to not participate in school, avoid making friends or miss important opportunities at work. Some people with social anxiety disorder avoid all socially related situations, severely limiting their life, work and social relationships.

As Peasie said, it has everything to do with SA.