Do you worry too much about what other people thin

[NewOrleansLady]

Hi guys. I have a problem with careing about what other people think of me. I've gotten a lot better but, it still resurfaces every so often. It's usually with people my own age. I could be sitting somewhere and if two people near me are laughing over something I might think that they are laughing at me (complete strangers!). Or at work I will assume that co-workers just don't like me for whatever reason I can come up with. I think that they don't like the way that I do things or that I am doing something wrong and nobody has told me but rather talk about it behind my back.
Does anybody else here go through something like this?

[unionjackattack86]

Yeah, i'm pretty concious of what others think of me, I think thats the root of all shyness, being too afraid to do something in case other people look down at us for it or because were scared of making mistakes.
If people critiscise or put me down, it tends to stay with me for a while even though I know their opinions shouldn't matter and I always wonder what people are thinking about me.

[DAVE]

;)yep,i know exactly were your coming from with the people laughing thing&thinking it's directed in your direction,it's the annoying little voice in your head that tries to convince you your in some way inferior to everyone else when in fact i think us shy people tend to be alot more aware the bigger picture in life cos we tend to be deeper thinkers.I also agree with the feeling of trying to be everyones friend and not upsetting anyone,but recent events were i got walked all over in a relationship have changed me for the better,the sad fact is you cant be nice to everyone as you just get used big time!(sorry for goin on).....just be yourself as much as possible.

[NewOrleansLady]

I am so glad that I came to this web site. Just being able to talk about things like this and reading that other people are going through the exact same thing will help me tremendously. I will no longer go through life thinking that I am the only one (I always knew that I am not the only shy person in this world but, I feels like it to me). Thanks guys

[Michael1973]

Hi, I'm brand new to this board, and this topic was the first thing that caught my eye. I have always worried way too much about what other people think of me and therefore how they will react to the things I do. I'd even say I've held myself back from doing certain things in order to avoid having to deal with these reactions. I get incredibly nervous when I have to tell people things they won't expect me to say, good or bad. I'm trying to work on improving that aspect of myself, but it's a slow process. Anybody else have this problem?

[DAVE]

yep i know what you mean mike,there's been plenty of occasions when i disagree with someone but just clam up :-Xand go with what there sayin just to keep the peace >:(drives me bloody mad cos it's so frustrating!!.it feels sometimes like i'm frozen in time&i just cant express my personel feelings.Then when i'm alone reflecting on the situation i end up sayin stuff like ,you should of said this or done that!(annoying to say the least)

[urbanspaceman]

I definitely agree with you NewOrleansLady, I can have days (more often than not), where I think people could be staring at me, or if someone laughs nearby, they're laughing at me. Deep down I know this isn't the case, yet I still feel at times like I'm an outsider and everyone else is normal. I can get very, very self-conscious and, not so much now but when I was younger, find reasons not to leave the house at all. I don't think school helped really, being pointed out as 'the quiet one' and being made fun of because people knew I wouldn't say anything back. I'm just glad I had the friends I had, because I couldn't imagine going through stuff like that on my own.

[glenn miller]

i am that way to.

[Tiff]

Hi,

I care alot about how people see me, what they think of me..etc. I'm working on it, but it's hard to just say "who cares what they think!" LOL. You want respect and acceptance..but at the same time you don't want to sacrifice the person that you are for that.

[g3netix]

It makes me feel better know im not the only one who feels like this, i always think people talk about me and laugh at me, when proberly they really aint