Paranoid about perceptions of being attracted to people

[brightlight]

This comes up for me now and again. I worry if people think I fancy them when I don't or if there is a professional relationship and someone helps me with something then sometimes I do get a bit 'attracted' but worry they think I fancy them. Does this make sense to anyone else? Do other people feel like this too?

I have always felt attracted to the opposite sex even though I have had problems with men and was scared of them for a long while. But sometimes I feel a bit 'attracted' (I use quotation marks as this the only word expresses this best) to women too if they are nice to me or helpful. This doesn't happen with everyone of both sexes just some people. I worry people think I am coming on to them (There is no reason for them to think this other than me chatting to them) You know that unconscious 'attraction' which you can see and spot even with other people.

[Rainydaze]

Yes, I often worry about this! Because I'm so socially awkward around people or get visibly flustered in social situations ( I'm a massive blusher) I wonder if they think it's because I'm attracted to them, which just isn't the case. Even if I'm not flustered I'm often left wondering whether I might have come across as flirting with someone if I was being friendly, then feel like I want to distance myself in case they think that.

Could this be a social anxiety thing for you perhaps? I have social anxiety disorder and I know that it causes me to overthink things like this.