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The psychological reasons behind averting your gaze
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Eye contact. You probably don’t think twice about it until someone doesn’t give it to you. Why are they avoiding your gaze? Did you do something wrong? More often than not, someone’s distracted gaze isn’t because of something you’ve done. Anxiety, introversion, and crushes can all make people look the other way. Take a look at the list below to learn the physiological reasons why people avoid eye contact.
Things You Should Know
- If someone’s avoiding your gaze, it may be because they’re shy or have social anxiety. Eye contact makes them nervous, so they try looking elsewhere.
- Another possible reason is that they might have a neurodevelopmental disorder like autism or ADHD. In this case, eye contact can be overstimulating.
- Sometimes, someone averts their gaze if they like you as more than a friend. They may think that looking you in the eyes will reveal their feelings.
Steps
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Tips
- Practice making good eye contact with people you know. Start by focusing on a focal point near their eyes, like the space between their eyes. Then, talk to them with a smile to show interest.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/shyness.html
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/shy-tips.html
- ↑ https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/social-anxiety-disorder-more-than-just-shyness
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5705114/
- ↑ https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10271899/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201404/5-secret-powers-eye-contact
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201911/8-nonverbal-cues-someone-s-not-you
- ↑ https://www.thecut.com/article/heres-why-eye-contact-is-so-awkward-for-some-people.html
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3596353/
- ↑ https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/anger/how-anger-can-feel/
- ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/eye-contact-can-be-overwhelming/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/spycatcher/200912/the-body-language-the-eyes
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4340785/
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