I don't get days like this. I deal with ^it^ continuously. I haven't kept score but I am quite sure I spend more time worrying about what other people think than I spend thinking about whatever I am doing while I worry. I have missed many a turn because I was worried who is blaming me for what.

Where and why does come from? Is it the chicken or the egg? Nature or nurture? I try to let those mysteries be and *just* ply therapy tools here.

I used to think that every time I walked into a place everyone was either talking or laughing about me. I didn’t know it was anxiety. I never got rattled by it but it was always in the back of my mind that people where talking or pointing. I thought it was my ego. Not that I ever had high self esteem but Anxiety was the last thing I thought it was. Of course I self medicated and that led to other problems. I look back at my life and I realize I’ve always been anxious and depressed. I just never put it together until a few months ago when it got really bad and unmanageable.

I never feel like that, like ever. But I hear a lot of people have this symptom. It's a common thing and you'll get tons of support here.

I have days like that where I'm wondering what other people are thinking and getting paranoid they know stuff about me even though I know they don't. It's irrational but that doesn't seem to stop me feeling like that sometimes.

Thank you for your replies everyone. It’s good to know that I’m not the only one who gets this feeling!

I think it’s on days when I feel stressed or I’m worrying about an aspect of my life, that’s when I feel as though everyone around is judging me. I guess it stems from the belief that everyone else has got their lives together and mine seems to be one big problem after another!

I used to continuously.

Then a realized that a great many (all?) of those people don't give a hoot about what I think...

So...I still have days...but not always.

I struggle with that, i have pkd/ Polycystic Kidney Disease after living in much pain for years i am now on very strong pain meds. I spend si much time being sick and don’t work, and i have no friends i feel as if no body want to be my friend because i don’t do anything but be sick and lay down most of the time. My therapist thought it would be helpful for me to blog about my life, it s ok.

There are days that I suffer with this type of anxiety as well. But, I eventually overcome it. I have to make myself realize that my mind is telling me that people are judging me, but, they really aren't. Once I realize that, it all goes away :) Usually the people around us do not care what we are doing. I hope everything gets better for you!

I sometimes have this problem because I do attract a lot of stares and attention. I am much much taller than most people where I come from. So when I walk into a room everyone stares and sometimes I overhear comments. I've just learned to ignore it most of the time. It has really helped getting my bf because he is much taller than me so he gets the attention. People are rude and ignorant. Just remember if someone does think something bad about you, that's on them. It's not your fault they were raised with bad manners or your job to correct them or prove yourself. You don't have to prove anything to anybody. Just ignore that doubtful voice in your head. Be confident and make eye contact. Maybe you are guilty of hyperobserving people and making judgements? Therefore assuming they do the same? I think what you are going thru is totally fixable.

It all depends on the level of my anxiety and if I’m having a panic attack at the time. It’s a red flag if I’m reading into something too much that I’m suffering from anxiety and/or depression.

However, I’ve been in actual situations where I’ve overheard people talking about me (related to my mental illness for example). I’ve learned that I’m not in control of what others say/think about me. I can only be responsible for myself and it’s not healthy for me to take things so personally —especially when I have learned someone was intentionally trying to hurt me. In other scenarios like people have said above, people generally are too absorbed in their lives to care so much about yours.

Talking to my therapist usually helps ground me. I know you can work through this. You are not alone with this!

I do all the time. I have to force myself outside. I realized, through writing, I grew up in an anxiety producing environment. My mother being the center of it.
Loosing a 21 year career in teaching and trying to figure out who I am in this working world gives me anxiety. I have been suffering, probably, since I was 6 years old with it getting worse in the fourth grade.
Why? It was my mother. What I should wear, do, act, etc. instead of that. In fact, I told my mom I was struggling, more than usual with depression, and she said nothing!
I am working on making me happy. I naturally put everyone before me.
Lisa