What is lack of eye contact in mental health?

For those without a diagnosed mental health condition, avoidance of eye contact could be related to shyness or a lack of confidence. Looking someone in the eye while speaking can feel uncomfortable for those without a lot of practice making conversation or who tend to prefer not being in the spotlight.

Is avoiding eye contact a defense mechanism?

To avoid looking into other’s eyes is a very primitive and powerful defense mechanism. For human infants, it is not only a natural way of attracting attention and maintaining it, but also an efficient way of grading the intensity of contact.

Why is eye contact important in therapy?

Part of the power of eye contact is that it allows us to be vulnerable with whatever emotions arise within us, however pleasant or unpleasant. Speaking of emotions, eye gazing can bring up a lot of them. As in all therapy, the practice is to feel them, give them space, and let them be, without judging right away.

Why is it so hard to look a therapist in the eyes?

Even with their therapist. Back to Fictional Reader’s question about why it may be difficult to look a therapist in the eyes. Some possible root causes range from guilt, shame, anxiety, low self-esteem, shyness, past abuse, depression or autistic spectrum disorders to varying cultural norms and cognitive overload.

Do you make eye contact with your therapist?

As is implied, the cultural norms for eye contact vary quite a bit. We Westerners expect and give plenty of direct eye contact, but worldwide it could be seen as disrespectful, flirtatious or even hostile. Making some eye contact may be the standard, but not everyone can do it. Even with their therapist.

Why does eye contact feel dangerous to me?

We get beat up for looking at someone the wrong way. Many would say that eye contact is where the terror and thrill of intimacy happens. For those who suffer deep guilt, shame or anxiety, eye contact feels dangerous— if you can see deep inside you’ll certainly reject me.

Is there any research on the psychology behind eye contact?

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find much theory or research on the topic. Psychotherapists are taught to note eye contact among many other behaviors when conducting an assessment, but statistics regarding when and how eye contact is made in session and what’s considered “normal” are hard to find (except stuff like this ).