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Why do I Feel Like Someone Is Watching Me?
Why do I Feel Like I'm being watched right now?
Can you tell if a person is watching you?
- Overview
- Reasons You Feel Like You're Being Watched
- Stop Feeling Like You’re Being Watched
The feeling of being watched is an uneasy one and is sometimes truly frightening. Fortunately, this sensation is one that everyone experiences from time to time, and there are several psychological reasons why you may feel like you’re being watched when that’s not really the case. If you feel like you’re being watched right now, do what you need to do to calm yourself: breathe deeply, turn on the lights, put on your favorite TV show, and read through our comprehensive lists of why you may feel like you’re being watched (and what to do about it).
Humans are hardwired to believe others are staring at us. If our brains can't tell if we're safe, they'll make us feel fear rather than incorrectly assume safety.
In rarer cases, the feeling of being watched may stem from paranoia or a personality disorder.
Consult a psychologist if you often feel watched or if this fear is impacting your daily life.
Your brain may be overcompensating for limited visual cues.
Direct gaze can signal dominance, intimidation, or threat. It’s your brain’s job to pick up and inform you of nearby threats. But if your brain has limited visual cues—such as it would in the dark or if people around you are wearing sunglasses—it assumes people are watching you for safety’s sake.
Basically, humans are evolutionarily hardwired to feel like people are staring at us when they’re not.
Feeling like someone is watching you is a common phenomenon.
It doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you—it’s just part of your brain’s psychology!
feel watched or observed, however, it may be worth
Seek guidance from a mental health or medical professional.
Especially if you believe this sensation may be related to paranoia, social anxiety, or a phobia, it’s important to
who is experienced with these conditions and their treatments.
No matter the reason behind your feelings, a reputable counselor can help.
Remember that therapists and psychology experts are there to help and advocate for you. They will never do anything to make you feel uncomfortable, scared, or betray your trust.
Choose a mantra for when you feel like someone is watching you. When you feel like someone is watching you but you have no evidence that someone actually is, repeat your mantra in your head or chant it out loud. You could even use your mantra as a daily meditation practice to calm your anxiety. [10]
Aug 29, 2018 · Do you feel watched while facing challenges — giving recitals, taking tests — but also under ostensibly casual conditions: eating, reading, dressing, driving?
Feb 20, 2016 · Science. Ask Us Anything. Why Do I Feel Like Someone’s Watching Me? By Daniel Engber. Posted on Feb 19, 2016 7:56 PM EST. In 1898, a prominent Cornell psychologist named Edward Titchener...
- Daniel Engber
Nov 30, 2020 · Both of these explanations hint that feeling watched is a survival instinct — but it’s one subject to confirmation bias, a cognitive flaw that can lead us to believe we’re being watched just because it better fits a familiar narrative or experience.
May 15, 2017 · The amygdala is the part of the brain that prompts our sense of fear and other emotions, and handles facial recognition. Could it be that our brains are trained to subconsciously recognise someone staring at us, even if it's only in our peripheral vision?
Jul 18, 2017 · Most of us have experienced the feeling of being watched at some point, whether the gaze is unwanted (a creepy train stranger) or desired (an attractive new acquaintance at your friend’s house party).
