Recognising people

teal · #1 12th November 2009, 20:50

Anyone else get this?

I have trouble recognising people I know. I'll see someone in the street or the supermarket and think that they look quite a lot like someone I know, but I am not sure if they actually are that person or not. This makes me panicy because I don't know what to do and don't want to inadvertently blank them or freak out a stranger. I even went through a phase of not being sure if my husband was my husband when I went to meet him in public places. That's really weird isn't it?

HiddenAway · #2 12th November 2009, 21:02

No no, I get this too!!!! Its horrifying sometimes! For me its esp if someone walks in your direction your thinking "Oh f*** do I know this person?" and you have to decide "to look at them or not to look" because they might look at you first and you'll be taken by suprise when they speak...argh. But if you do look at them, but don't know whether you recognize them, you don't know what to do! They always seem to look at me and think "she's seen me why hasn't she said hello yet?!"

teal · #3 12th November 2009, 21:05

OMG! Really!?!

I honestly thought I was going to be the only one with this!

I'm so relieved - Thank you Hiddenaway!

png · #4 12th November 2009, 21:07

Yes, I've had trouble identifying my parents in public before now. I don't know whether it's because I usually don't look at other people's faces in public and so some part of the brain has forgotten how, or if there's just some dodgy wiring somewhere

HiddenAway · #5 12th November 2009, 21:09

You're welcome! I thought I was alone with this too lol

teal · #6 12th November 2009, 21:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by riverside

Yes, I've had trouble identifying my parents in public before now. I don't know whether it's because I usually don't look at other people's faces in public and so some part of the brain has forgotten how, or if there's just some dodgy wiring somewhere

I'd love to know why. My husband can identify anyone - including obscure actors - the instant he sees them. I suppose one of us had to be good at it or we'd never have managed a second date!

Sphinx · #7 12th November 2009, 21:43

Haha this must be a common thing, I get it too. The feeling of panic when you think you've recognised someone is horrible.. then you realise it's just a stranger and its like ahhh!

HiddenAway · #8 12th November 2009, 21:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beck

Haha this must be a common thing, I get it too. The feeling of panic when you think you've recognised someone is horrible.. then you realise it's just a stranger and its like ahhh!

YES!!!!!

Tailgate · #9 12th November 2009, 21:48

I'm like this at times, it is part of the reason why I tend to look down at the ground so much and not make eye contact with people.

W!llow · #10 12th November 2009, 23:19

Yes I can have this problem, but I am a bit short sighted. Up until now (I'm due an appointment) the optician hasn't thought I need to wear glasses or contacts all the time but I do find sometimes it makes me more anxious as I don't see people's features clearly at a distant. I do get worried about people who I don't know very well not recognising them if I see them again too, like if I've met them through a friend or something and you've had a friendly chat, or one of my husband's work colleagues that sort of thing. Do you think some of you may be short sighted?

teal · #11 13th November 2009, 07:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by W!llow

Do you think some of you may be short sighted?

Unfortunately not, I'm actually long sighted!

It's more of a memory thing - I can see them clearly, I just don't know if it is them or not.

IRIS · #12 13th November 2009, 10:22

Yeah if someone is out of the usual zone that I see them in then I am unsure if it is them! Like a woman I have worked with for about 3 years, I saw her on the bus & because we weren't at work I couldn't be sure it was her.

W!llow · #13 13th November 2009, 10:48

^ I get that too Iris, Moose, if I see people out of the environment that I normally would see them in.

Quote:

It's more of a memory thing - I can see them clearly, I just don't know if it is them or not.

that must be really hard as it must cause more anxiety.
With people I haven't met many times I think it possibly could be due to not really 'looking' because I am anxious and maybe concentrating on the conversation and eyecontact that I'm not really taking in their whole appearance properly. I don't think that's always the case. I think with people closest to us the connection is so much deeper that maybe we are not really looking at them either? Just a thought as to why it may happen to people even with the people closest.