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Reading 2 min.
in collaboration with
Amélie Boukhobza (Clinical psychologist)
Are you wondering about the affection your colleague or neighbor has for you? Amélie Boukhobza, clinical psychologist, reveals the signs of marked disinterest.
Often, we prefer to think that a person is indifferent or insensitive to our jokes or our charm. Except that in reality, she may simply not like us. How, in this case, can we be sure? What clues reveal a marked lack of interest? Amélie Boukhobza, clinical psychologist, gives us a list of signs not to ignore.
Why don’t we love a person?
Hypocrisy, difference in education or beliefs, opposing character traits, toxic behavior: the reasons that push us to not love a person are multiple and they vary depending on the situation.
Sometimes a simple lack of communication can create tension. Still other times, unconscious prejudices (the other person reminds us of a disastrous romantic relationship) or a competitive context (we feel threatened by the success or qualities of this other person) can be enough to fuel – and maintain – a feeling negative towards someone.
This is why learning to distinguish between a (slight) lack of interest and a declared dislike for someone is fundamental.
Good in his body, good in his head!
Hostility towards others: here are the 7 signs to identify
“Human relationships are always complex, and they can sometimes be ambivalent. But, some signs are unmistakable…!“, confides Amélie Boukhobza.
- Closed body language. “The body never lies. Crossed arms, physical distancing, little eye contact: this is often an indicator that the other person is not comfortable in your presence and is trying to protect themselves or keep their distance.
- Avoidance of direct interactions. “In a group or in a more intimate setting, if a person does everything not to speak to you directly, it’s a sign. She will bypass conversations, reach out to others, and make excuses not to include you.”
- Dry and short answers. “If you feel like your interactions are reduced to monosyllables, it may be because she doesn’t want to interact with you. These kinds of quick, unemotional responses often indicate disinterest or a certain form of hostility.
- A lack of interest in your successes. “When you share good news or success, if someone doesn’t seem enthusiastic, or even reacts in a cold or indifferent way, again that’s a bad sign!”
- An exclusion of projects. “You notice that you are never invited to outings, to private discussions, or to organized events? This could well be a sign that you are being avoided and that they do not want to integrate you into the circle”.
- A visible and displayed impatience. “Sighs, glances at the watch, nervous movements: these small gestures often reveal that the other is annoyed or seeks to shorten the interaction. A person who likes you usually doesn’t look forward to spending time with you.”
- Subtle criticisms. “Passive-aggressive remarks or compliments disguised as criticism are common tactics for expressing dislike without saying it directly. This kind of attitude can indicate underlying discomfort.”
“Even if you shouldn’t overinterpret every little sign, many of these repeated behaviors can still reveal that a person doesn’t like you as much as they might pretend…!”, says the psychologist in conclusion.
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