TikToker Says Being Highly Aware of Everything Around Him Can Be Depressing: ‘I’m Beginning to Think It’s a Curse’

TikTok content creator @iamjustdenzel posted a video that amassed more than 3.2 million views and 8,300 comments, describing why he believes his high level of awareness can become a source of depression at times. He said that because he's so aware of the people, places, and events around him, nothing seems to get past him.

Denzel began his video by stating that while many people associate vigilance and discernment with being a gift, he's beginning to think of them as a curse as well. He explained that being highly aware of his surroundings has given him the ability to read what he perceives as the true intentions of others, recognize the emotional masks people wear, and see through behaviors he considers disingenuous.

He went on to list examples of what his awareness allows him to notice, such as a fake smile, a shallow or insincere compliment, and even a shift in a person's cadence when they're pretending or, in his view, trying to lie about a situation. Denzel described this heightened awareness as a way of navigating the people and situations around him.

Denzel Says His Awareness Makes It Difficult to Ignore Subtle Details

Denzel went further to say that he thinks being overly aware of everything can also feel like a curse. He said he's able to discern what he believes are other people's motives by reading their body language without having to try too hard.

According to Denzel, this comes naturally to him, but he said it can also become overwhelming because his brain is constantly picking up on subtle signals and microexpressions.

Reactions to the video came mostly from commenters who share the same gift of awareness, and many explained that this is what comes with "seeing too much." One commenter wrote, "The clearer you see the world, the harder it is to ignore how broken it is."

Another commenter said they have resorted to acting eccentric to survive most conversations. They wrote, "That's why I have to act whimsical and delusional to just survive human interactions."

A separate commenter shared a verse or scripture that summed up his feelings. They wrote, "For in much wisdom is grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow (Ecclesiastes 1:18)."

The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify Denzel’s perspective on heightened awareness, which he shared in a video posted to his TikTok account, @iamjustdenzel.