Hyper-vigilance

I'll keep this one short and to the point.

I've noticed that I know A LOT when it comes to body language. I can look at someone and instantly know how their feeling, how they are reacting to the environment, and what their current state is (aka, explosive angry, violent, passive, ect).

I realized this when I noticed that my husband really didn't have a CLUE when girls were flirting with him. I started to explain how small details can give people away; a twist of the shoulder, leaning forward, parting the lips, batting the eyes, ect. I explained all the games and all the possibilities of said games. He stopped me while I was demonstrating some of the smaller movements and 'tricks' and asked me where I learned all this. He thought I went to college for it or something! But no, it's simply what I've seen over the years.

So my question is...does anyone else pay extreme attention to the smallest details? I hate trying to talk to people face to face sometimes, because I can tell when they are lying or excluding information, but I can't just be like 'hey, cut the crap and give it to me straight'. That usually makes people defensive lol. I got punched in the face for saying that once.

Yes, I tend to pick up double messages, and it makes me very nervous. I'd rather not detect them. I admit that occasionally I expose the two-faced liars just because I hate it when people manipulate and misuse other people's trust, and generally LIE. I just discreetly let them understand I know they're lying.

I hate lies, pretentiousness and manipulation.

In one respect I'm like your husband Linaeve, I don't understand if someone's trying to flirt with me. If it happens between other people it's easy to see.

I'm also quite good at reading body signs. At work, they call me the Psychological Seller because by watching body language we (usually E or I) get the most sales.

I remember reading once that the ability to read body, or even just hyper-vigilance is very common among those with DID - it's sort of a survival technique of sorts.

Yes, Una had asked if I was hyper vigilant. When I looked it up and answered yes, I told my husband about it to get his opinion on if he noticed. He said yes, then reminded me of my little body language class I gave him. I figured that might be part of the hyper-vigilance and wanted to know if others experienced it too.

My husband had me watch a show where this guy could always tell the truth. I only watched one episode, but it was the one where the girl has to look at pictures of faces to 'prove her worth' or something, and he said 'yeah, those who are abused develop a mechanism to save them.' Apparently we can read body language easier because we've learned that it can save us...something like that. Anywho, he showed it to me after I gave him the run down, and I thought it was interesting and wondered if it was true. I just figured I paid attention more than he did, lmao.

I too, experience hyper-vigilance.
Yes it's a survival mechanism because words were either not spoken or not reliable.
Hyper-vigilance has helped me so much in the past. I am trying to cut it back now because it distracts me and can pull me in.

Accurate reading of body language isn't an intrinsic aspect of hyper-vigilance. Some people who are hyper-vigilant (combat veterans) are not experts at reading body language. They often get in trouble when they are triggered by a gesture that they misinterpret. Survivors of childhood abuse generally are not only hyper-vigilant but also extremely perceptive concerning body language. In my system, I would say I am only moderately perceptive, and this is a result of conscious learning (esp reading books); it is my Alter 1 who is the phenomenal reader of subtle signals in text, spoken words, and face to face.

Classic case here...with all the benefits, and disadvantages, that it brings.