I used to scare my Mother when I was younger
just by staring intensely at her.
I find I don't have much trouble making eye contact....
It's maintaining it that gives me problems, especially
with people I don't know.
My third grade teacher busted me once for continually
not doing my reading homework. She pulled my aside
out on the playground to talk to me. I guess I was not
making eye contact while she spoke to me because she
said, "Look me in the eyes, Victor." It was awful forcing
myself to do it while she kept pressing me for a reason
why I had not done my work (I told her I lost my book.).
Ever since then, I have forced myself to make eye contact
with everyone I talk to, no matter how uncomfortable it
makes me feel. It felt like one of those things you are told
you should always do...like shaking hands when you meet
someone. I felt like not doing it would get me in trouble.
The problem is I don't ever know what's appropriate in terms
of how long to maintain it, when to look away, and what to
do with my eyebrows/expression while doing it. I feel my
face responding to the things being said, and I worry that
others may be misinterpreting my expressions...I just don't
know. But I have concluded that I must be doing O.K. because
no one ever really calls me on it. But I'm constantly wondering
about it, nonetheless.
_________________
If I don't go crazy,
I'll surely lose my mind. -Son House