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Worry about people reading my mind

81K views 73 replies 66 participants last post by  Scrub-Zero 
#1 ·
I often worry about people being able to read my mind or just knowing about something I did or didn't do or say, or even how I feel about something, such as opinions etc. I don't even know if this is SA related or like some kind of obsessional thought...anyone else feel this way? Lots of time, I often end up acting weirdly or acting in a way that would prevent them for thinking a certain thing or being able to read me...if that makes sense.
 
#2 ·
Yeah, the same thing happens to me. I do the whole acting weirdly thing as well. Even with strangers, I'll get this feeling that they somehow "know something about me" even though I know that's impossible, the thought is still there, and bothers me. It's like, even posting here while somebody else is in the room. I feel as if they somehow know what I'm typing/thinking, even if there not even paying attention to what I'm doing. I have a big problem with that. I sometimes won't even use the computer when other people are in the room just for that reason. I think it's a "what if they knew?" type of thing. I don't really express my opinions to anyone at all, so the idea of them reading my mind, is almost as bad as if they actually knew what I was thinking.
 
#5 ·
I often feel like that it's like people know me without really knowing me,they can pick up my "something is wrong with me vibe" I can just tell,the way they look at me and when they talking to me on the phone or in person...I feel what u sayin it's annoying....it's like they try to size you up.
 
#6 ·
I used to think people could hear my thoughts, but that was because people would very often say something in response to what I had just thought. It used to scare me a lot. I got so paranoid that I thought maybe I only thought I was thinking things, but in actual fact I was saying them out loud. I would even stop myself from thinking things just incase the people I was with could hear what I was thinking. Sometimes I would think "If you can hear me, please let me know". I realise now it was almost certainly paranoia. Either that, or telepathy's actually possible...

I think it's supposed to be a precursor to schizophrenia. Oh dear.
 
#26 ·
I feel the exact same way!!!

i used to think people could hear my thoughts, but that was because people would very often say something in response to what i had just thought. It used to scare me a lot. I got so paranoid that i thought maybe i only thought i was thinking things, but in actual fact i was saying them out loud. I would even stop myself from thinking things just incase the people i was with could hear what i was thinking. Sometimes i would think "if you can hear me, please let me know". I realise now it was almost certainly paranoia. Either that, or telepathy's actually possible...

I think it's supposed to be a precursor to schizophrenia. Oh dear.
oh my god i feel the exact same way i do the exact same thing!! How did you cope with this and im constantly paranoid because it is very scary when everyone says stuff that is relevant to what your thinking as if they were trying to pick on you or i dnt know but if you can tell me anything that can help and what you do it would be greatly appreciated!! Thnk you
 
#9 ·
Yup I have this fear too sometimes and it's mostly an obsessional thought/fear. For me it mostly comes from my last girlfriend. She was always dead convinced that I could read her mind because I could always figure out what she was dropping hints about. The fact that the girl was anything but subtle made it kinda easy to figure out what she was thinking. I never did tell her that though.
 
#10 ·
OMG! I thought I was the only one. I've been feeling this way for like 5 years now! Constantly thinking that people could read my mind, know my intentions, feel my mood, what I'm going to do, etc. Particularly the thoughts part. I would walk around on the streets, and think that complete strangers could read right through me. It used to be much worse, but it goes up and down with me. It's a huge problem, because like people have said, I act not according to how I think sometimes to "throw people off". It's ridiculous and I feel like I'm not being sincere, but can't help it. It confuses the **** out of me. Anyone have solutions on how to overcome this? I have no friends except for my roommate and this makes getting friends much more difficult.
 
#11 ·
I'm pretty much free of thinking like that now. I came to the conclusion that it was SO unlikely that anyone could actually hear my thoughts, and that if anyone could then I'm sure they'd have said something by now, that I stopped being scared.

Just think from time to time when you're around poeple "can you hear me?". If they say "yes", then you can start worrying; if they say nothing, you can safely assume they can't hear you.
 
#12 ·
Not to make your guy's situations worse. But many people are empaths and they can feel everything that you feel and judge everything going on in your head in relation to the current situation just by your facial expressions and body language. Voice tone too. And often very very very accurately.

Actually, as a social anxiety board, I would believe many of you here are empaths and I believe a lot of that social anxiety can be caused by the very nature of having that gift. Because you know you can get in people's heads and follow all their thought patterns, feelings, and roadways. Having this ability scares you because at the same time you think people can do it to you. And that's what can cause a great fear.

The plus side, if it annoys you when people do it, then just do it to them right back.

And wear sunglasses :)
 
#13 ·
yeah I used to be really paranoid about my thoughts, I even thought people could steal them from me and vice versa (yea I guess I was crazy) .. but if others can read me then the only reason that I would get disturbed by it is if I wasn't confident and comfortable with the thoughts/feelings I had. I thought having a poker face would save me.. but it didn't work.. so I just came to that conclusion and I don't really care whether other people can read me like that(as much) anymore
 
#14 ·
I used to have this back in HS 10 th grade to be exact. It got so bad that I went to the school shrink to see if people could hear my thoughts and tell what was going on in my head. I think back on this now and I somewhat feel like a fool. But back then I did not know who else to go to, and I thought I was the only one with this issue. It kept going on til 12th grade , I slowly became aware that I was being completely paranoid, and I must stop thinking this way. I am in college now and I sometimes have those thoughts but I tell myself that its just paranoia.
 
#16 ·
I don't think that people can literally "hear my thoughts" but I do feel I have a hard time hiding my true feelings. My sa has gotten so bad that I can't hide it anymore and people of course can pick up that something is wrong. It makes me feel weak and vulnerable.
 
#17 ·
I don't think people can read my thoughts but I have such low self esteem it always surprises me that people try to talk to me like i'm just a normal guy. I usually can't think of anything to say and then they think i'm stand offish. I feel like such a sad, defeated thing most times it's like a self fufilling prophecy. I can't imagine anyone treating me other than how I feel about myself.

If I thought people where literally reading my thoughts though that would disturb me and I would seek psychiatric help.
 
#19 ·
Nobody can read your mind. They can however read your reactions and make their own judgements. That doesn't make their judgements correct though.

Remember, if you look at someone and think they are reading your mind, you are doing the same exact thing that you are complaining about in your post - people can read my mind.
 
#22 ·
It's only a thought you have. People cannot know what you are thinking... Try yourself to read other peoples' minds. It's not simple..

It will change.. Over the years my social anxiety got considerably reduced.. Don't think much about it and it suddenly becomes less of a problem :D
 
#23 ·
Absolutely! That's probably why it's so hard to deal with strangers. I think they already know my deepest, darkest secrets. (Let's face it, even the "normals" have deep, dark secrets.) The funny, or not so funny, thing is that when I experimented with marijuana many years ago, it would get to the point that I actually had a very hard time convincing myself that it wasn't so. I would sit there stoned out of my mind thinking of things just to test whether someone else could read my mind. Then something coincedental would happen and I'd be like "Aha!" There was a whole host of messed up stuff that marijuana began to do to my already chemically imbalanced brain, which is why I gave it up.

Disclaimer: I do not endorse the use of marijuana, especially for those who suffer from SAD.
 
#24 ·
I thought I was the only one! I'm convinced when I look someone in the eye they will know exactly what I'm thinking. I feel embarrassed when I do look people in the eye because I think they will know what I really think of them and realise I'm a loser.

I think far too much.
 
#25 ·
Yeah, I go through this very often. I get this feeling that people know something about me and it feels so freakin weird. So I try to not think certain thoughts so that people wont pick up any body language and assume things.
 
#27 ·
Telepathy is real, I'm fully convinced of it. It's on a higher plane of conciousness from our usual sober state but in some chemically induced states in the past (LSD/Psiocybin) I have been fully able to communicate telepathically.

I believe we can communicate with just our energy fields and it makes me paranoid too, it's what that call "vibes". I'm very aware of it and I sense them very quickly whether they are positive or negative.

I don't think it's easy to read what someone else is thinking though, I think that's a bit different.

But personally I am paranoid about energy fields and you can make them change and see peoples reaction to it almost immediately. It's lead me to nearly have quite a few panic attacks in the past.

I promise you I'm not batshit crazy. :)
 
#28 ·
I don't think people can literally read my mind, but I think that they can tell how I'm feeling by my body language. Mainly I worry that they can see how uncomfortable and out of place I am feeling. This has lead me to be more self aware around people as I don't want to look so freaked out in front of them I try and monitor my every move. That doesn't help either though because then I look all stiff with a blank expression on my face and robotic looking when I move LMAO. Or worse, look angry.

I read a book called "the feel good hand book" and one of the thought distortions they cover in CBT is "mind reading" and it covers this topic.
 
#29 ·
I use to think this, i also use to think secretly everyone hated me an was testing everything i did. even strangers, literally everyone. then i thought, why am i so special? why would everyone want to read my mind or hate me....
still could be true but i dont really care if it is who would waste there time listening to my scatter brain. it makes no sense in here anyway:roll hm i can barely read my own thoughts sometimes :sus
 
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