NTs looking at me when I'm talking to them

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It makes me so nervous. I wish they'd be more like me and stare at something else. One of the reasons I don't try hard enough to make eye contact is because I don't want them to feel like I'm looking at them, because I know it makes ME nervous when I'm looked at.

One of the reasons I'm uncomfortable around NT friends, especially the ones who actually pay attention to me when I'm trying to make small talk and such. Discussing hobbies on the other hand is a different matter, because I'm usually very confident about what I'm saying, and there aren't many awkward pauses.

I've worked really hard to maintain eye contact while talking with someone. The thing about conversing with NT's that always concerns me is coming to a point in the conversation where they might give me THE look. It's where they get this look on there face that tells me "Something is strange about this person." And, I have to go through my mind: "did I get off subject, repeat myself, say something absurd? etc. " That "look" always freaks me out, because I feel like I've been found out. And, now they know how really strange I am.

Yeh. But it's even worse when they know You're an aspie... They'll keep starring at You even more than and perceive Your each movement or gesture like something strange...

Funny, that's how I look at NT's

Yeah, but NT's ARE strange.

Yes! Me too! The "look", for me, often has a tiny hint of bemusement to it, like, "what a funny little person." I've gotten that my whole life, and sometimes it really confuses me. Sometimes people are really obvious about it, too, and will even seem amused (in a kind way), or seem like they really do think I'm nuts. It doesn't make me wonder what I've done "wrong", but it does sometimes make me feel like that is a person that I cannot really communicate with.

Just yesterday someone else opened the same topic in the same section. Why not post there, why not read what other's have to say???
It is kina depressing that people on this web site do not really read the posts of others. It is like a hole where everybody outbursts their emotions which nobody really cares about...
I liked to read various threads and I found so many aspie traits in me but this one - never reading and listening to others is really annoying.. Is that what Aspies are all about? Self centered and not interested in others?I guess that in this case I am not an aspie at all.

I used to get nervous too, when people looked straight at my eyes while talking. I think on some subconscious, instinctive level, I saw it as a threat. I always wished they would make eye contact only briefly, just to show they were paying attention, and then look away instead of fixing me with a steady stare.

I've got used to eye contact now and it doesn't bother me so much anymore, but once in a while I will still feel threatened. I have one friend who has the most alarming, piercing blue eyes and I do tend to get timid when he talks to me.

NTs look at me even when I'm not talking to them and that makes me nervous. While speaking to me maintaining eye contact even more so.

Why are you guys so bothered by it? It's merely an affirmation that they're actually listening to what you say. 99% of the time, it's not an act of belittlement; it's simply a social gesture. I think there's a certain level of paranoia floating around in this topic.

It's notable that in the majority of species, staring directly into the eyes of another individual is a threat. If you look most animals in the eye, they'll look away quite quickly. Irregular eye contact is friendly. It's not saying, 'I don't like you and therefore don't want to look at you', but, 'I like and trust you enough not to have to watch you all the time.' It's almost solely in humans that eye contact seems to have become reversed. Maybe those of us who are uncomfortable with it are really acting more naturally.

My eye contact is particularly poor, but the amount that I find the friendliest to observe is what you describe: a glance and smile every so often to indicate interest, but not constant.