Is it normal that i'm scared to make eyecontact when talking to people?

I always have trouble making eyecontact with people when I talk to them. I look uninterested or distracted when I don't make eyecontact, so I try it all the time but doing that makes me feel distracted again and not listening to what that person is actually saying. I am shy mostly, so that could be the reason. But it's also with my family and friends, not just with strangers. It's really annoying and I just wanna have a conversation without having to think about that. Is this normal and are there more people who have this problem? And does anyone have some advice for me?

Voting Results
63% Normal
Based on 52 votes (33 yes)
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Comments ( 5 )
  • iwantanswers

    I have the same problem. I always try to keep eyecontact during a conversation, if I realise I'm not making eyecontact anymore, I look at the person's nose instead while having the conversation. People don't notice whether you look at their nose, or between their eyes while having a conversation, but that also has to do with the distance between you and that person. I know it sounds weird, but it helps me.

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  • GuessWho

    Most people don't bother as long as you look at them and not somewhere else during a conversation. You don't need to focus on their eyes.
    Just avoid staring at shoes (looking down obviously) and staring at boobs (more important if you're a guy).

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  • I never look people in the eyes during conversation, unless im angry with the person. So im kind of similar in a way.

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  • Caryopteris

    It is not uncommon, or at least not to me because I have this tendency. But as you know, it will hold you back in life! It makes other people uncomfortable. The good news is that you can be retrained. You are already aware of the problem. I think it starts with anxiety. Looking into eyes feels intimate and you need to feel nice, relaxed, and sort of worthy if that makes sense. So why are you anxious? This was very important for me. It turned out I was uncomfortable from a chronic medical condition I did not recognize. For me I had food allergies and other digestive issues that were making me quite ill. If you are healthy, you probably just need to exercise and get fit. This will get rid of the bad energy (and cortisol) and relax you as well as make you feel confident. Self defense or martial arts are good, but so are lots of kinds of workouts. So at the same time you are getting rid of the bad energy and getting more confident, practice better eye contact when it doesn't matter. Explain it to a sympathetic friend and practice with them. You know, I think sometimes bad family interaction can be at the root. Family members can be too critical, and you get in a habit of shielding yourself by not looking at them. But at any rate, you can overcome this bad habit by approaching it like any solvable problem. It just takes a plan and work.

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  • Shackleford96

    I usually always try to make eye contact with someone when I'm talking with them, but maintaining eye contact constantly throughout the whole conversation is another story. I usually get distracted and look away for a bit before making contact again. I do listen attentively though.

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