how do you make eye contact?

[jessr421]

hi
sounds like a silly question. but since i started to fear eye contact i kind of forgot what etiquette wouild be - right now if i'm walking down the hall at work and i see some one, i'll say hi, look them in the eye and then a second later look away, i feel like its so awkward if i keep staring at them....

is it normal to look away right away?????
i know i feel awkard and thats why i look away but maybe its normal ?
thanks!

[Kitten]

i think its normal to look away after a sec or 2... or at least thats what i do... i see the person get eye contact, smile , say hi and look away.

:)

[JEH2004]

I have this problem too. I used to just look away now I try my hardest to look at them BUT sometimes because Im focusing so hard and it gives me such anxiety it appears that Im staring at them :oops:

I guess the 2 second rule sounds good. :unsure:

[Lawo]

Normally I don't focus the eyes but the nose bone. People don't recognize the difference - and for me it is easier.

[ardrum]

For some reason I only have this eye contact problem in certain situations.

I can make eye contact while giving speeches (switching faces every second or two), but I have a hard time maintaining eye contact with a server at a restaurant. Go figure.

I think it has something to do with maintaining LONG eye contact.

I have no problem with this with my friends though.

[calidan535]

wow, I've visited many SAD forums before but have never seen someone describe what I've been struggling with my whole life---the eye contact, focusing too hard when forcing myself to have eye contact.

[blur]

i think one sec is acceptable.. accompanied with a smile. its better than making no eye contact at all. of course , i myself dont do it

[duddits]

I used to never make eye contact, but I've gotten a little more confident. I try to make with everyone and greet them. If that person has a friendly personality that is usually accompanied by a smile and looks pretty, then I'll smile back and hold eye contact for a max of 2 seconds.''

Lol. im treating this like a science.

[Wren]

Sometimes I have to pretty much force myself to keep eye contact while talking to a person, because I feel like I'm being rude by not, even though I really can't help it. Even then I can feel myself more so just kind of fidgeting awkwardly, looking away, or looking down. It's really frustrating! If you're just passing by someone, I think it's pretty normal to just break eye contact after a couple seconds, though. In fact it might even be more weird if you continued looking for longer.