I'll do my best to explain... I know, to some degree, I am a paranoid personality. I often assume the worst and I know it is self-defeating. However, I also find that when I go out in public, I overhear people talking about me, making fun of me in roundabout ways. For years, this has happened when I go out in public...especially in places like restaurants or at work or public transportation, when I am forced to sit uncomfortably for a prolonged period of time among strangers. When I am anxious in public, I either totally clam up or I become overly enthusiastic about everything. People seem to pick up on this and, as a result, they become hostile towards me. I've heard people make up outlandish stories about me, lambasting me with their words, as if they are peering into my own mind. They'll say all these terrible things about a some "fictitious" person, make all these vague jokes about this person, without a hint of remorse in their voices. It's very hostile. And it feels like it's aimed at me. I feel so uncomfortable that I can't even look in their direction. I just sit through it all, paralyzed, until it is time to go. A bigger problem is that, whenever I mention these occurrences to my girlfriend, she gets very upset. Not mad, but scared. I can't blame her for this, but she never believes me. She doesn't believe groups of people would talk about another stranger in public, in the way I describe. I disagree. At least from my vantage point, this kind of thing happens all the time. I'm tall and I know I don't blend in well with crowds, especially with my nervous energy. It's like I try so hard to not be noticed that I get noticed instantly. I think it has a lot to do with some kind of transference of energy. I'm just hoping someone might weigh in on this. Does anyone else experience this? Don't you think there are people out there who make fun of people in public settings or am I losing my mind? Could I be having hallucinations? Could these people be projections within my own mind? These experiences are very real, but some of the things I hear people saying within earshot sound so hurtful/vengeful. This is all very unsettling to me. I cannot enjoy myself. I copy and pasted this because i think it gives a good description without sounding paranoid. It happens once in a while sometimes its just a comment... yesterday was the last time i was standing in line at customer service trying to cash my check and these 2 guys were seriously like 10 feet away talking about me. They started talking about why would i have a reason to be at customer service. I have ADHD and my adderall wore off so i was a little figgity and they thought i was late for something talking about how i was mad ppl in front of me were taking to long to return their cd. stuff like that like talking about me like they could read my mind, but compleatly untrue things I glanced at them then heard wispering then "he looked at us?" I looked back and they left this is not a hallucionation its very real
Hahah no im a real person. I copy and pasted this because it describes my exact situation in a better way than i ever could
It happens once in a while sometimes its just a comment... yesterday was the last time i was standing in line at customer service trying to cash my check and these 2 guys were seriously like 10 feet away talking about me. They started talking about why would i have a reason to be at customer service. I have ADHD and my adderall wore off so i was a little figgity and they thought i was late for something talking about how ppl in front of me were taking to long to return their cd. stuff like that like talking about me like they could read my mind, but compleatly untrue things I glanced at them then heard wispering then heard "he looked at us?" I looked back and they were gone this is not a hallucionation its very real
Stop being paranoid. I mean, this seems to make it to the point of the typical behaviors of "voices" in people's heads. You need to check yourself. The problem seems to be that you'd let this kind of thing bother you in the first place. There are assholes, but.... not this predictably. I have not shaved or worn shoes in nearly a year, and I get the snatches of converstaion about being nuts or not wearing shoes or being high or whatever.... Get the giggly girls who can't take my order properly they're so distracted that I don't look like TV says I should, get allllll that shit. And still, it's nothing near as bad as you seem to think this is for you. Which is why I think it's in your head. And even so, people say nasty things. Sometimes I myself point things out about those nearby, to my companions, that's life. Deal with it. You're letting this screw up your life, and it may not even be real-And if it is, of course they make fun of you, you're acting like a nutjob over what some random strangers think. I'm pretty sure you have paranoid schizophrenia or a similar disorder. Those sorts of things are often misdiagnosed and treated with things like adderal.
It's been proven, you really aren't paranoid, if they are actually out to get you. Sorry, I just had to put that there...
Have You Overheard Enough Of Their Conversation To Know What They Are Commenting On...?? Do You Dress "Way Out There" Or Dye Your Hair Bright Colours....?? Being Middle Aged With Dreadlocks And Bare Feet, I Sometimes Get A Snigger From Young Teenaged Girls Wearing All The Same Latest Fashions As There Friends Are. But I Find This Only Happens When I Am Feeling Down, If I'm Full Of Confidence And Having A Good Day This Rarely Happens.... Sounds Crazy But I'm Sure People Can Sense When Another Person Is In A More Vunerable Position. I Wish You Well.... Cheers Glen.
Some people just don't know better than to talk about other people, I guess. They don't know, or care, what kind of life a person has lived. They expect us all to be the same, very, very shallow people.
Excellent advice, having been in both of those conditions at different times, I have noticed the same. And even those who are determined to be mean are not on their A-game if you're positive and it slides off of you. If you act paranoid or negative, people will see and reflect it back.
I actually do experience the same thing, being a hate magnet. It's really difficult to explain the justification for it. The tendency is, after all, to place the blame on everyone else. My reasoning is that our personalities tap into your typical fear of the unknown. Most people look out primarily for their own self-interests, so when they see a confident person who is simultaneously an altruistic person, they attempt to marginalize the individual. But it does go beyond that. I would describe it as being in an invisible prison; it almost seems as though there is a larger collective unconscious, a hive mind, at play. It's easy to dismiss this as paranoid schizophrenia, but I, also, believe that what is happening to me is absolutely real (just as someone suffering from delusions might.) Still, I can attest that it is actually happening. I have become a hate magnet. So if you're feeling lonely, Grateful, know there are more like you out there. Free feel to PM me if you want. Maybe we can be friends on Facebook or something.
Sometimes happens to me. When I walk near some people and they laugh, I always think that they laugh at me. Even though I've changed to 'I don't give a duck what you think about me' type of person it still bothers me. I know that feeling...
It is weird, though. Like, one time I was at a thrift store, standing at the counter...and the two people behind the counter acted like I wasn't even there. I turned around for a little while as a joke. Like I was just standing there stupidly, backwards at a counter, but eventually I turned around and rang the bell and finally they helped me. Maybe it is just paranoia...maybe...but sometimes it's hard to conceive of how it could be. I also think you can get caught in little eddies of paranoia, because on some discreet level you are in relation to your environment and effect it. When you're trying to hide from it is when you become most sensitive to it.
You’re a textbook case of paranoid delusions No one is talking about you behind your back (especially if they don’t know you) ……unless, you’re doing something to attract the attention of others....like breathing Hotwater
Well, I don't know what is actually going on here. You may be delusional I don't know but honestly people have a bully mentality these days and I have seen people talk about total stranger for very little reason at all. It's not far fetched. This is real life not the land of rainbows and unicorns and ya know what? There are a lot of assholes walking around. How can we just dismiss that this dude isn't actually hearing people make comments about him? Just because it doesn't happen to you doesn't mean it's not happening to him. You don't remember that guy in school that walked the halls minding his own business and yet was the target of many a bully? There were a few of those in my school and they caught hell even though they were actually nice guys. Something about them set people off. It does happen.
Yes, I’ve seen many examples of bullying from grade school, to summer camp, to high school (not so much in college) although I’ve never personally been the target of bullies since I was a jock and there’s an unwritten rule not to fuck with the star wide receiver :2thumbsup: Seriously though I think it's all in his head hotwater
It does seem that way yes and I'd hate to encourage self destructive behavior in anyone but I guess I just feel like the OP should be left at least some room for possibility. He sounds tormented either way, it's very sad.
