The difference between negative and neutral

When someone comes across as neither obviously friendly nor overly hostile, most people will find it difficult to read them accurately.

That means many neutral encounters end up being perceived as negative ones. People who are sensitive to rejection may assume other people will shut them out. Recognizing our own skewed perception of the world is a first step toward solving it. With classic cognitive behavioural therapy techniques, we can learn to reinterpret other people's behaviour.