You live in a large apartment building, and even if you don’t go out except for work, you go in and out of your apartment twice a weekday. Inevitably, then, you will run into your upstairs, downstairs, or next-door neighbors, especially some you have never met.
However, the strange thing is that you can always feel a little bit of hostility they throw at you. Even if you take the initiative to show goodwill, you never get along well with them.
“Am I right to feel this way? Do they really not like me?”
So how can you tell if your neighbors don’t like you by various signs, such as their behavior or micro-expressions, during this brief glimpse?
Don’t worry, the secret is in this article. Let’s go.
10 signs your neighbors don’t like you
Never Make Direct Eye Contact
If you notice that one of your neighbors never makes eye contact with you, even for a brief period of time, it may indicate that they don’t like you. They are intentionally avoiding eye contact, even after a nod of greeting. This may be because they simply do not want to acknowledge you. However, if your neighbor has social phobia, and they don’t make direct eye contact with anyone, then this may not be a sign of dislike.
Disgusted eyes
If you notice that your neighbor always looks at you with disgust, unfortunately, this is a strong signal that they are annoyed with you. The eyes are often said to be the windows to the soul, and if your neighbor’s eyes are filled with disgust, then they have likely made their feelings clear.
Avoiding you on purpose
Sometimes when you enter or leave your apartment, you catch a glimpse of your neighbors. At first, you might think it’s just your imagination, but upon closer inspection, you realize they deliberately choose another path or hide behind doorways and pillars to avoid meeting you. They only come out after you’re gone.
This behavior may seem ridiculous, but it’s a clear indication that your neighbors don’t like you and don’t want to have any contact or association with you.
Talking about you behind your back
If you discover that a neighbor is talking about you behind your back, it’s safe to assume that they don’t like you. Even if they say something positive about you, gossiping is never a good sign.
Some neighbors have loose lips and spread rumors about other families without considering the harm it may cause. They’re afraid that others won’t know that they have more information, so they share everything they know, including sensitive topics like job loss or couples’ quarrels. It’s best to avoid befriending such neighbors to protect yourself from being talked about.
Loud Music at night
There’s nothing more bothersome than a noisy neighbor, especially one who plays loud music at all hours of the day and night, whether it’s 3:00 am or 6:00 am.
If you’ve had to knock on their door several times to ask them to lower the volume, or even complained to the apartment manager or called the police once, but they haven’t received the punishment they deserve, and their behavior has only gotten worse, you could consider using a ceiling vibrator to fight back.
Fake Smiles
Does their smile reach their eyes? Another sign that a particular neighbor doesn’t like you is whether they often fake a smile around you. Most of the time, when people fake a smile, their eyes don’t crinkle up, and the rest of their face stays still. While it’s hard to tell if this is just because they’re tired, shy, or feeling a little awkward, if the person is more than just an acquaintance to you and you notice them faking a smile around you, it’s probably because they secretly don’t like you.
The conversation was short and impersonal
Think back to the last few times you spoke with this person. Did they seem eager to leave? Were their responses brief and unemotional? When a neighbor secretly dislikes you, they will likely try to avoid you and interrupt your conversation by giving you very vague answers, such as “I’m fine,” “nothing’s wrong,” or “everything’s fine,” or leave in a hurry with a flimsy excuse or an empty promise that will never be fulfilled next time.
No physical contact
By “physical contact” here, I mean all kinds of daily physical contact of a social nature, not intimate gestures such as hugs, handshakes, or pats on the back as a gesture of affection. You may have chatted with some neighbors a few times and apparently be on good terms, but you will find that they greet others with social gestures such as face-to-face interactions, handshakes, or pats on the back, while with you, they just know how to chat. This is a good indication that they are not willing to let you into their personal space, and chatting with you is just a courtesy to cope.
Never accept your invitations
If your neighbor is a social person and always initiates various neighborhood social events, such as backyard barbecues, and you are never invited, not even once, it means they don’t like you. You are always excluded from the circle of neighbors, as if you don’t live in the neighborhood. They have erected an invisible barrier to keep you out.
Always contradicting you
If your neighbors are always contradicting you, no matter what you say, whether you are right or wrong, and they do not hesitate to contradict you even before you finish a sentence, it’s a sign that they don’t like you. They don’t seem to give any thought to what you’re saying and may even harbor feelings of hate towards you.
Summary
Above, we have listed 10 signs that your neighbor may not like you. Some of them are very obvious, while others require careful observation to figure out. Do you have any of these problems?
It’s never pleasant to feel like your neighbors don’t like you, but it’s important to remember that their behavior doesn’t reflect your value as a person. These are things we have all suffered from at one time or another, and in many cases, they can be resolved with a long conversation, even if it involves occasional angry outbursts. Talk to your neighbor and try to work things out because, no matter what, you will always meet at some point in the day.
Communicate, be patient, or fight back.