Wearing sunglasses to avoid eye contact

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I also feel like people are always staring at me but I know in fact they aren't interested in me most of the time. But to combat that constant horrible feeling I started always wearing sunglasses. It worked because when people couldn't stare into my eyes I felt a lot better. Even though they could still "see" me it was much less intense than if our gazes connected. If anyone asked I told them I got migraines from bright lights and they bought my story and accepted my sunglasses.

Instead of sunglasses, why don't you wear eyeglasses with clear, non-magnifying glass? That way, people won't ask questions and the glass should still act as a filter and protect you when you look at people.

I tried sunglasses as a way of hiding avoidance of eye contact when I was in middle school. I had been trained to look people in the eye and was self-conscious about it.

But people would accuse me of staring at them, probably because the rest of my body language was weird and drew attention.

In the end, it was better without the glasses and keeping on with the eye contact strategies the counselor taught me.

I've done that from time to time. Of course wearing sunglasses all the time can make your eyes a bit light sensitive.

Yes, love to wear glasses because I feel it puts a 'wall' between me and other people. Even my regular glasses are tinted...so I have both the 'wall' and it makes it more difficult for people to see my eyes. I feel really vulnerable without my glasses.

And also the block out horrible light.

Yes, I like that aspect of sunglasses because I hate to feel constrained about looking around because I'm worried about people randomly making eye contact with me and/or thinking that I'm looking at them, but I actually do get migraines from light so I wouldn't have to lie if someone asked me.

What do you mean? Just regular, non-prescription eyeglasses?

I do it all the time in social situations. It' not only helps with being able to avoid eye contact. but also helps with reducing sensory overload from too much visual stimulation.

I like bright light and wearing sunglasses makes me rather uncomfortable. Fortunately (or unfortunately) my eyesight is very bad and just taking off my glasses makes the whole world blurry. I sometimes use that to avoid being able to look people in the eye. But people might find my unfocused eyes creepy when I do that.

Sometimes I do like them for that purpose...though I mostly wear them to keep excessive light out, and I have worn them at night when I am walking on roads that don't have much sidewalk so I don't get blinded by headlights and stumble into traffic or something.

What do you mean? Just regular, non-prescription eyeglasses?[/quote]

Yeah, if you don't need prescription glasses can't you just buy zero magnification glasses from the local drug store. Better still if you can get them slightly tinted to wear. You can't wear sunglasses indoors without people just looking at you and where eye contact is most of a problem is indoors in party situations. Glasses give you a little bit of security when people are staring at you. Lowering your glance just below the point of contact with their eyes to avoid direct contact is a good tip, but people move around in social situations and eyes are looking at you from all directions. I think glasses help.

I wear sunglasses in public to help with my social anxiety. I feel that when I wear sunglasses it hides my anxious facial expression, which is with the muscles around my eyes, so I look more confident.

For years in a sunnier location I was very thankful for an excuse to always be wearing sunglasses, for this reason as well as cutting the brightness, yes. It's that "wall" between me and the eye contact of other people that feels very reassuring, and makes it more comfortable to be among strangers.

In recent years now that I'm living in a place that is more of the time so not-bright that wearing sunglasses impairs my ability to just see clearly (for me it's too dark on an already very dull, dark day) I've taken to wearing billed caps and hat instead of sunglasses. Even though my eyes are now exposed, the brim, peak or bill of a hat helps in both cutting the bright light on a bright day, but also shielding my eyes from eye contact if I just move my head slightly down. It helps to be shorter than everyone else while under that bill too, lol.

I often wear a pair of gradient tinted sunglasses. They help hide my eyes but don't dim my vision too much, especially when looking down to watch my step. This isn't just to hide my eyes, but also my eyes are light sensitive. Pretty much the same as wearing earphones to mask sound.

Shades rock! I have some that are like what Riddick wears in Pitch Black and the Chronicles of Riddick. Nobody knows which direction you're looking and you get the added benefit of UV protection.

I wear sunglasses a lot, I take them off indoors but it helps when I'm outside or in a casual enough situation where I don't take them off. I do, however, live on the surface of the sun.