Autistic boy beaten up at Wal-Mart
This is kind of tangentially related. I noticed in my teens I would be watched closely in stores. Over the years I think it caused me to also act suspiciously while shopping, like I'm too obvious at holding out products at a distance from my torso then placing them back in an exaggerated fashion if I choose not to buy them. My older brother didn't believe me until a big security guard was following me once so he said something to the guy then when we left the guy said it was okay, he didn't need to check our bags. I think that's come about initially from a look I have but then it became a feedback loop since because I didn't handle it properly or talk to anyone about it for a long time. To this day my girlfriend finds it almost impossible to get me into a shop if we're not going to buy anything. Not just because I find 'window shopping' pointless. I hate leaving without buying anything because I'm paranoid they'll think I stole something.
sonofghandi
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Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Age: 46
Gender: Male
Posts: 3,540
Location: Cleveland, OH (and not the nice part)

I think this same kind of loop is why I have so many problems with the police. I am more worried every time that I run into them, which makes them more suspicious, which makes me even more nervous.
_________________
"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently" -Nietzsche

I think this same kind of loop is why I have so many problems with the police. I am more worried every time that I run into them, which makes them more suspicious, which makes me even more nervous.
Yeah I could imagine a very similar thing happening with any type of authority figure. I've had more run ins with the police than I would have liked but it's always been very brief and not necessary to go through on a weekly if not daily basis like having to go shopping. I think things like our avoiding eye contact is a huge problem when trying to deal with people in authoritarian positions.
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