Feeling like I’m disliked/annoying everyone

It is extremely unlikely that you or the other posters here this morning are actually disliked. It takes a lot of effort for someone to dislike you.

Annoying - possibly, but if your are sinking into the background then this is unlikely too. Imagine something the other way around for example, someone that makes loud food eating noises which grates on you. You probably just find that aspect annoying. But it is the act, rather than the person.

The most likely scenario is indifference. You sink into the background (deliberately, or auto-maskingly - I've just made up a word!)

So, how do you make yourself heard in a large group where people people rapid-fire talk and move on to the next subject when you are still trying to say your point about the previous subject?

One thing that works for me is - put your hand up! Yes, like you are in school! Don't do it slowly. (Practice on your own putting you hand up so that people will see it in their peripheral vision, but not so fast that you risk punching your neighbour in the jaw)

This really does work a lot of the time. Try to do it with a smile (difficult, and masking but low effort masking)

The next question is what to do when all attention is on you...

(Incidentally - I am doing an autistics communication course starting in a few weeks, for 6 weeks. I'll report back here on any tips that I get)

I often feel like this, I think social phobia is part of it, but it may also be part of the reason I became socially phobic. It's not easy when you have very little in common with others, even when apparently you should, in that you like similar things, but totally different aspects of them. I've done various courses over the years, one of the things I've been told to do that will help me find friends and people with common interests, I've not made any friends and have often been totally on my own, many people join a course with a friend or group of friends and don't welcome anyone else.

I think feelings of not being liked can be more common among women than men, I've had more than one man ask me why being liked is so important to women, I think it's because women are more group and socially orrientated in general and a lone woman is seen as a threat.

I often feel like this, I think social phobia is part of it, but it may also be part of the reason I became socially phobic. It's not easy when you have very little in common with others, even when apparently you should, in that you like similar things, but totally different aspects of them. I've done various courses over the years, one of the things I've been told to do that will help me find friends and people with common interests, I've not made any friends and have often been totally on my own, many people join a course with a friend or group of friends and don't welcome anyone else.

I think feelings of not being liked can be more common among women than men, I've had more than one man ask me why being liked is so important to women, I think it's because women are more group and socially orrientated in general and a lone woman is seen as a threat.