Manage social anxiety: Find distractions like reading or using your phone to avoid deeper conversations with strangers. Politely answer questions but redirect your focus elsewhere if needed.
As stated earlier, once you start to lie, you may find yourself inextricably bound to facts that later conversations can’t support. You don’t have to give all the facts, but be honest about what (if anything) you decide to share.
Understanding personal insecurities: Ordinary questions may feel nosy due to sensitive topics. Reflecting on feeling invaded can shed light on personal insecurities and concerns.
Family priorities: Relatives' questions may stem from self-interest rather than genuine concern. Evolutionary factors, like the search for information, may influence their inquiries, unrelated to your own shortcomings or concerns.
If you repeatedly get the same question, create an answer to use that helps you avoid anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.
Redirect the conversation: Instead of deceiving, change the subject when things get too personal. Politely shift the focus by engaging with someone else nearby or finding a reason to move on, like refilling your plate at a social gathering.
Set boundaries: While it may feel uncomfortable, expressing your discomfort and desire for privacy can benefit both parties. By making your boundaries known, you allow others to understand and respect your need for distance, fostering better communication and mutual understanding.
Manage excessive talkers: If you find yourself in situations where individuals can't stop talking and it becomes burdensome, use nonverbal cues to express your preference for peace and quiet
Reflect on your own behavior: It's common to notice flaws in others while overlooking our own. If you find that your conversation partner is reciprocating the cues you've given through your own questions, consider if you've been too inquisitive in the past
In these situations, people commonly fabricate something that’s not quite true that may satisfy and the conversation continues. This strategy may haunt you later, however, if the facts surface. If your partner remembers it, you'll have to continue the pretense from then on out.