If you’ve been burned one too many times before, it’s no wonder you have trust issues these days. You’ve been lied to, betrayed, and screwed over in so many ways that the idea of putting your faith in people to treat you with honesty, respect, and care seems like a fool’s errand. As a result, you probably overthink and doubt these things in your everyday life to the point that they drive you crazy.
1. Text Messages
You meticulously dissect every text, searching for hidden meanings or signs of dishonesty. The choice of emoji, punctuation, and wording becomes a puzzle to decode, leaving you second-guessing the sender’s true message. Are they really LOLing when they say they are? Does their one-word answer mean they’re mad at you? It drives you crazy!
2. Body Language
As a human lie detector, you scrutinize every movement, glance, or gesture for any hint of deception or insincerity. However, you often end up reading too much into totally innocent actions. Your colleague was crossing their arms because the office AC is turned up too high, not because they secretly hate you!
3. Social Media Activity
You painstakingly analyze people’s social media presence, trying to unveil their true feelings and intentions behind every post, like, and comment. That’s because you assume there’s always a hidden agenda. Sometimes the memes in their Insta stories are literally just something that made them laugh, not veiled commentary on you or your life. (By the way, if you really struggle with trust issues in your romantic relationships, you need to visit our sister site, Sweetn. They’ll harness the power of your mind to change your love life in just a few weeks!)
4. Compliments
You struggle to accept a compliment at face value. Instead, you dissect it, wondering if there’s an ulterior motive or hidden agenda behind those kind words, leaving you unable to simply embrace the positivity. When someone congratulates you on a job well done or tells you they like your new haircut or outfit, they’re not pulling some kind of weird reverse psychology. Nine times out of 10, they’re genuinely showing appreciation and trying to brighten your day.
5. Silence
When someone goes quiet, your mind races with all the worst-case scenarios. “Did I say something wrong? Are they avoiding me?” You’re quick to assume the worst and struggle to accept that silence doesn’t always signify something sinister. Sometimes people just want to enjoy a bit of peace. Learn to find comfort in silence rather than making it awkward — it’ll serve you well in life.
6. A Change in Plans
A sudden change in plans sends your trust radar into overdrive. “Why did they cancel? Is there something else going on?” You find it challenging to accept that changes can occur without underlying deception. Sometimes things come up, whether it was an unforeseen emergency or maybe even just an energy dip that leaves them with not much bandwidth to hang out.
7. Gift-Giving
Receiving a gift triggers your over-analyzing mode. “What do they want in return? Is this a way to manipulate me?” You find it hard to appreciate these gestures without suspecting ulterior motives. After all, it’s not often you’ve received things just for the sake of it — the giver usually always wanted something in return.
8. Personal Space
You’re hyper-aware of personal boundaries and feel uneasy when someone gets too close or invades your space. You’re always on guard for potential hidden agendas, which makes it difficult to let your guard down. Sure, no one wants someone in their face all the time, but you take it to an extreme thanks to your trust issues.
9. Praise from Others
When others praise someone you’re wary of, you immediately question their sincerity and wonder what they might be hiding. You find it impossible to accept positive feedback without feeling suspicious that it’s all a ruse (even if you can’t even figure out for what). This points not only to trust issues but to low self-esteem.
10. Apologies
Instead of accepting a simple apology, you dissect it, questioning the sincerity and true motives behind it. Maybe it’s that part of you doesn’t really believe in remorse. You’ve seen how carelessly people will hurt you without thinking twice, so why should this be any different? The benefit of the doubt doesn’t exist in your book.
11. Phone Calls
You read into the tone, timing, and content of every phone call, trying to uncover any signs of deception or hidden agendas. Sometimes you’re sure you can hear annoyance or anger in the other person’s tone even when there would be no reason for it. As a result, you hang up feeling anxious and upset more often than not.
12. Questioning your Decisions
You constantly second-guess your own decisions, fearing that they might be exploited or used against you, making it hard to trust your own judgment without assuming the worst. Your lack of faith in your own abilities to make the right choices for your life inevitably holds you back and often leaves you feeling powerless.
13. Other People’s Mood Changes
When someone’s mood changes quickly, you immediately assume there’s a hidden reason or ulterior motive behind their behavior, and you usually manage to convince yourself that it has something to do with you. You don’t stop to consider the fact that humans are complex and that they have lives you know nothing about. It’s a bit self-centered to assume you’ve done something to contribute to their fluctuating emotions.
14. Public Displays of Affection
You’re skeptical of public displays of affection because you question the authenticity and sincerity behind them and you struggle to embrace affection without doubting its genuineness. This goes for when someone shows you a little love by offering a hug or kiss on the cheek or when you see other couples seemingly head over heels. You just don’t trust it — it seems fake to you, though you’re not sure why.
15. Sharing Personal Info
You’re cautious about sharing personal information because you’re always wary of how the person you share it with might use it against you. This makes it really difficult to open up because all you can think about is all the things that can go wrong. As a result, there aren’t many people who truly know you, and that’s a shame.
16. Accepting Help
When someone offers help without being asked, you immediately question their motives and wonder what they’re trying to gain. After all, why would they go overboard trying to make your life easier unless they stood to gain something from it? The truth is that a lot of people are truly just kind. You find that hard to accept or believe.
17. Professional Niceties
You’re suspicious of professional niceties, like formalities and politeness, because you often see them as a facade to hide people’s true intentions. Sure, there’s a certain level of decorum you need to practice in professional situations, but you can’t shake the feeling that it’s always hiding something more sinister beneath the surface.
18. Making Future Plans
iStock
When someone talks about future plans, you’re quick to question their commitment and sincerity because you wonder if they’re just stringing you along. Why would they do this? You’re not sure, but you truly do believe this happens more often than not. Wouldn’t your life be so much better (and more exciting) if you hoped for the best rather than expecting the worst?
Enjoyed this piece? Give us a like and follow Bolde on MSN for more!
