Always thinking there's a catch

It's almost as if I'm waiting for the punchline. As if a persons compliment towards me is just a ruse to get a reaction out of me or something. If someone gifts me something I always wait for them to take it back and tell me they didn't mean it.

It even includes things like in tests or when I'm asked a simple question. I always think there's a more detailed approach, or it's a trick question trying to catch me out. Because 1+1=2 is just too simple of an answer, right?. Put a difficult question in front of me and I'll answer it perfectly, but anything simple and easy becomes so incredibly impossible.
Following instructions is just the same. I always think there's a step that's been left out or I'm not reading it correctly and will sometimes never complete the task because of this.

I really want this to go away. Thinking everyone is lying or trying to trick me really has it's effects on both me and everyone I interact with. I've tried to pin it down as to why I'm like this and wow have I got a history of backstabbers. The biggest being my mother. If you met her you'd understand, there's no such thing as good intentions with her.

I've already come so far from my past, but evidently it's still having some sour affects on me.

Anybody else experience this? Or how to stop feeling this way? It'd be nice to not feel alone with it.

Auburn said:

It's almost as if I'm waiting for the punchline. As if a persons compliment towards me is just a ruse to get a reaction out of me or something.

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Snap, so me. Just this day got some nice remarks. Within a minute or so I was hypothesizing about the people's supposed "real intentions."

Hate to say it but when dealing with humans there usually is a catch, not always, but usually.

Auburn said:

It's almost as if I'm waiting for the punchline. As if a persons compliment towards me is just a ruse to get a reaction out of me or something. If someone gifts me something I always wait for them to take it back and tell me they didn't mean it.

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Yep! I'm exact same. Like for example, if you genuinely compliment me on my appearance, I'll always wait for that split second, expecting a laugh and putdown to follow it. Since, most of the time, whenever people do that to me, they immediately followed it with a harsh putdown.

Don't know, guess that due to years of being bullied? And growing up in a dysfunctional family where sarcasm, insults and humiliation were par for the course.

So, I've developed that typically stand-offish Scottish "Whit d'ye want?" demeanour - rightly or wrongly? Because my family are particularly bad at being told "No" once in awhile, so tend to emotional blackmail me.

Cannae exactly blame me for being wary of people's intentions when I grew up around people who think only about themselves more than others. And lie to get things their way.

Auburn said:

I really want this to go away. Thinking everyone is lying or trying to trick me really has it's effects on both me and everyone I interact with. I've tried to pin it down as to why I'm like this and wow have I got a history of backstabbers. The biggest being my mother. If you met her you'd understand, there's no such thing as good intentions with her.

I've already come so far from my past, but evidently it's still having some sour affects on me.

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My mum is somewhat similar, as is most of my family. In that, they'll repeatedly tell me one thing - like if I ask them, nicely, to do me a wee favour - then do the exact opposite. Or more often, just ignore me.

Then give me some lazy excuse to justify not doing what I'd asked of them, when I ask why they didnae bother. And my mum is super paranoid about people and doesn't trust most people. Not even me. And she's always thinking the worst, always.

As result, a lotta these traits huv rubbed off on me, sadly. :sad:

I'm the same way. I'm extremely cynical and pessimistic. I do honestly feel 99 percent of the people in the world have a personal weird motive or agenda when they are being nice or use flattery/compliments with me. My parents were very eccentric, paranoid, distrusting. My mother was a raging alcoholic as well and sarcasm was her first name. So I think early family environment may set the stage for distrust in people when we get older. I wish I could change, too, and just exhale and feel comfortable with people. The only thing that helps me check the pessimism when having to deal with people is to talk myself into believing I am being insecure, and that everyone is insecure as well out there. I try to take the focus off my distrust and tell myself everyone is fragile deep down inside. Unfortunately this only works until I am reminded that there really is a catch to most of humanity.