Do you struggle with eye contact?

[TheSmolFoxWeeb]

I'm running a simmilar poll on Twitter, so I figured I'd also run it here

 

 

Edit: I screwed up the poll answers but it's fixed now

[alto]

I have autism and mostly don't struggle with eye contact.

[Philip027]

I don't "struggle" with it; I just tend not to do it.  I was taught that staring is rude and I guess I subconsciously agreed with that sentiment.  I've not regarded this as something I need to work on or anything; someone else feeling like I can't be paying attention to them just because I'm not looking directly at their face is their problem to get over, not mine.

 

I do have diagnosed autism (basically Asperger's)

[TormentDubz]

Not anymore

 

1 minute ago, Philip027 said:

I do have diagnosed autism (basically Asperger's)

Me too

[Ceebs]

ADHD and social anxiety, and was also assessed for autism spectrum disorder nearly five years ago but I don't know the results because Reasons lol. I'm... somewhere in the middle? I guess? Honestly I have trouble answering whether I have difficulty with eye contact cos I feel like somehow I don't know if I do or not. It's not my favourite thing for sure and I'll avoid it at times cos it just... feels weird, like too vulnerable/awkward... but other times there's not a problem. If I'm babbling away to someone I'm close to and totally comfortable with, some eye contact isn't a problem and I do it naturally without thinking. Outside of that type of scenario I do it occasionally and very briefly because I'm aware it'll seem weird if I don't. What I really hate more than making eye contact myself is when the other person is trying to do it very intently and keeps fucking looking at me constantly. I've actually got so uncomfortable with that at certain times that when it's been possible and not too weird to do so, I've left the room or gone round the corner or changed position to somewhere they couldn't see me (like if they're sitting on a sofa facing a certain direction, I'll get up and go stand behind them lol). I'm definitely not always that uncomfortable, but it does happen.

[Blue eyes white dragon]

It depends on how emotionally tired I am and how comfortable with the person and how necessary it is I guess? Idk.. I suspect I have ADHD but never no for sure since I'm not a professional 

[Covalent Fox]

The eyes are the window to the soul, so I avoid eye contact unless it's somebody I don't mind showing my soul to..

[nutterwithasolderingiron]

person on the autism spectrum. yes. i find eye contact to be really unnerving. like it kinda makes me feel uncomfortable to the point of getting irritated and paranoid. 

[Guest]

Yes I do. And I really get anxious when someone demands eyecontact. Like, please just stop staring because I'm getting very anxious here. I can't handle the stimuli well either. 

[Gloomy]

Yes. I have diagnosed social anxiety, and haven’t been diagnosed with autism but I highly suspect I have that too.

[Dagomir]

Public speaking classes were hell for that reason. "Keep eye contact with your audience! Don't just stare at one person! Don't just look ahead like you're ignoring everyone!" (OK, I just made up the last two, but I'm sure I was guilty of all three of those at one point or another.

I have no idea what I do or don't suffer from, so I couldn't vote because the second question lacks the "No idea" option.

[Guest]

I don't like looking strangers in the eyes and seeing all the overwhelming emotions in their soul. Vice versa ditto.

[Purple Red Panda]

Diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum.

I'm better at it with friends and family but can find it uncomfortable with strangers. Seeing as I work as a store assistant I pretty much have to force myself to do it though. It's not a massive issue for me compared to some things but sometimes I simply forget to do it and end up serving a customer without ever once making direct eye contact.

[Samaro]

I hate making eye contact to the point where I don’t even look directly at the person I’m talking with. I’ll look next to them or at something in the room instead. That isn’t to say I never glance at people when they are talking, but it is very infrequently, and the eyes are not my top choice for areas to look at.
I think I might be autistic (I did a lot of research before attempting to get a diagnosis, but the lady who ran the assessment dismissed the possibility before we had even started, which seems rude), but I definitely have social anxiety! Probably general anxiety, too? Who’s to say?

[Lord Revan]

I look at eyes, but I find it very hard to when they also are looking at me, but not when they're not

[Milque Toast]

Yeah, and I'm diagnosed autistic. I found out when I was like ten that it apparently wasn't normal to blur your vision whenever you have to make eye contact. I think for that reason I tended to be the one making people uncomfortable, because I would just blur my vision and stare into people's eyes for longer than was appropriate ig. tbh I still do it a lot now, but I also look at the person's nose, or their hands if they're making gestures, a lot when they're speaking too.  

But, my mum is the only person I can make the most intense, deep eye contact with, and it will never be awkward. Sometimes we just do it randomly because it's funny. I think it's a similar thing for her (I swear to god after getting my autism diagnosis I feel like she has a ton of autistic traits too, I let her know but it's also up to her whether she wants to pursue that)

[Slajmy]

51 minutes ago, Lord Revan said:

I look at eyes, but I find it very hard to when they also are looking at me, but not when they're not

This.

[Picklethewickle]

Everyone in this thread is deeper and more emotionally intuitive than I am, what with talking about seeing people's souls and emotions. I look people in the eye. I see their eyeball. It looks like an eyeball.

[hewhomainsness]

just ADHD as far as i know (packaged with RSD and emotional dysregulation, weeee...)

i don't entirely like eye contact, but i couldn't tell you why exactly

 

1 hour ago, Milque Toast said:

blur your vision

oh my god other people can do that, i knew it wasn't just me

[alto]

1 hour ago, Picklethewickle said:

Everyone in this thread is deeper and more emotionally intuitive than I am, what with talking about seeing people's souls and emotions. I look people in the eye. I see their eyeball. It looks like an eyeball.

Me too

[BigBassFox]

See hears the thing, when I went to the doctor cause my mom suspected I had ADHD, the doctor was like "hmm okay I'll send you to a specialist, cause somethings going on here but I can't say for sure what"  So it's a *shrugs*

 

A lot of people have said things and told that most people think I am neurodivergent. The thing is, I don't really see the need to be diagnosed, I don't this it is going to do anything for me, just add another label to a person who doesn't want many. 

[bare_trees]

Unofficially diagnosed as autistic, and I find eye contact unnerving if I'm trying to talk. I find that I can either explain something clearly and without stumbling over my words or I can look someone in the eye, but not both. Both is kinda emotionally taxing.

[Epitaph]

I used to. Not anymore though. For whatever particular reason, now I hold eye contact. Mainly to see who can bear seeing what's in and beyond my eyes. I think it's a trait I adopted in my time in the cities and dealing with grouchy ass looking dudes. If you want to stare at me and look menacing, you'll have to stare into what I've seen and see if you fold first.

[rebis]

1 hour ago, bare_trees said:

Unofficially diagnosed as autistic, and I find eye contact unnerving if I'm trying to talk. I find that I can either explain something clearly and without stumbling over my words or I can look someone in the eye, but not both. Both is kinda emotionally taxing.

Holey Cannoli -- that is (almost) exactly what I was about to say! I don't know if I'm on the spectrum or not, but I can either pay clear visual attention to the people/person I'm talking to, or I can talk about something that requires use of my brain. But I easily forget even just my train of thought unfortunately often, if I'm focused on looking at the other person. I am great at active listening; I have an expressive face, and tend to communicate a lot nonverbally. But I will literally close my eyes in the middle of explaining something complicated, if keeping eye contact might distract me, and generally people will need to be comfortable with me looking down or away from them when I need to concentrate.

 

I guess, I don't really care if it seems rude or socially strange; it probably does, but I am certain there are stranger quirks out there. Plus, clearly, I am not the only one!

[Blueberry Pie]

I'm not diagnosed as anything, and I think I'm neurotypical, but sometimes I do struggle with eye contact. It definitely depends on who I'm looking at. I get a little shy.

[Jelle]

I'm on autism spectrum and for me, it depends. If I don't know someone we'll and don't trust them (yet), I won't look into their eyes. If I do, I might be staring right into their eyes.

It was much worse when I was in high school.

[iff]

Yes I do. It is something I am poor at.

I have not been diagnosed with adhd, autism, social anxiety,  etc

[Eroell]

It depends. For example my new friend looks into my eyes all the time, every time we talk which makes me feel awkward and hard to make eye contact with him (he might like my face, IDK). On the other hand, when I'm with the people I know well I have no problem. BTW I wasn't diagnosed with anything

[Guest]

I very much struggle with eye contact, it makes me extremely uncomfortable with anyone.

 

I am autistic (diagnosed).
I also am suspected to have ADHD (assessment has just been forgotten seemingly after 6 years, but it is noted on my medical records).
And I do struggle with social anxiety.
Plus I am schizophrenic.

[verily-forsooth-egads]

What if you have no idea if you're neurotypical or not