Are gut instincts always correct or can they be far off the mark?

[amayzin]

Curious on this one. If you’ve ever had a strong gut instinct on something, has it been right or wrong? I sometimes struggle to differentiate between ‘gut instinct’ and plain old anxiety fearing something will happen that in reality would be unlikely to.

I saw something on here a while back that gut instincts can be totally wrong.

The persons partner had gotten some STD from the person, and you'd assume it's from cheating right?
Only they hadn't, it was a dormant STD, and no matter how much they tried to honestly tell their partner that they hadn't cheated, partner didn't believe it because of 'gut instincts' and ended the relationship.

Depends on the individual. If they're prone to paranoia/anxiety or have a lot of baggage from say past relationships (i.e. being cheated on or abuse), then they can read more into things than are really there.

I know myself, and always trust my gut, but I've also been on the receiving end of other people's suspicion when I've done nothing wrong. That's not fun, because you can't prove a negative.

It’s never clear cut for me. If I have a low level feeling I keep my wits about me and bear in my it might be anxiety or a general dislike for whatever is in question. But sometimes it is a strong feeling that I shouldn’t ignore. When I have I’ve regretted it.

I get strong gut instinct a lot, and usually follow it.

There have been a couple of memorable times when I have ignored it and told myself to use logic instead. On both those occasions it has turned out I was wrong to ignore it.

My gut instinct is rubbish.

We had moved house and I joined a new Mother and Baby group. I'd see someone across the room and think 'oh no, I don't like her,' for whatever eason.

Most of those people are now among my dearest friends. I am AWFUL at snap judgements and instinct!

Yeah I wouldn't believe someone who told me that, either. A dormant STD that had never manifested itself before? No, I wouldn't believe it.

Unfortunately for me, my gut is never wrong. I try to ignore it, hope it will go away, whish it wasn't true, but sadly, it's always right.

I think people tend to remember gut instincts that are right, more than those that are wrong.

I don't have this dilemma because I don't get anything I'd describe as a "strong gut instinct". I'm quite a logical, rational person, so I would usually have a reason for thinking something.

Gut instinct is not 100% at all.

Yep, this.

I always "know" things from gut instinct. And on the few occasions I've told myself, no you're paranoid, no you're judgemental, and talked myself into giving someone the benefit of the doubt, it's turned out badly and I was right about them all along.

If it was something of no real consequence, I'd perhaps overlook my gut instinct on it. But lesson learned, if it's a big deal, and that little voice inside is holding up a red flag, I know to trust myself and listen to it. I'd rather have an opportunity lost because I was wrong, than end up being virtually ruined by a closet narcissistic/con man/thief/general bad person because I ignored my gut.

Yeah, I’ve got one and I listen to it more as I’ve got older.

Hard to say how often I’ve been right to listen though cos it’s usually been a ‘don’t do it/don’t go there’ sort of instinct and I obviously can’t tell what might have happened. I had one recently where I almost gambled on amber after having waited two turns of the lights to make a right hand turn and everyone was piling through on red. I felt pressured because my passenger was clearly getting impatient but something told me not to go - he turned to say ‘you could have made that’ and a huge unmarked police car flew through the junction with the blue lights on 😳

My gut instinct on people tends to be wrong, but my gut instinct on situations tends to be right.

I've only been wrong once. I can't explain that one.

Gut instinct is very, very often wrong. We do sometimes pick up on subliminal messages, but that's your observation, brain and intelligence and experience working.

Of course it can be wrong. To quote High Fidelity, "my guts have shit for brains". I always thought that was an excellent summing up of the ability.

When I first met my best friend I took an instant dislike to her, she seemed aloof and what I would class as a resting bitch face. It turns out I honestly can't imagine her not in my life, she is nobody's fool but would literally do anything if she thought she could help you.
My gut instinct was totally wrong.

Like many things, people only remember when a feeling has either been spectacularly wrong or spectacularly right.

Mine tend to be spot on but I stupidly don’t listen then kick myself

Can be hugely wrong or hugely right in my personal experience so proves nothing really.

I grew up in a violent aggressive household where I was constantly on eggshells.

I can spot a man who has an anger issue a mile off. Never been wrong.

Same here, @Pistachiovillian. I hope you're in a better place now.

You're always going to get people who say stuff like "I knew he was a wrong un as soon as I saw the way he held his bag of shopping, and I was proved right, it was Fred West" or whatever. But as a pp said it's difficult to prove a negative.
I've had crippling anxiety and been wrong on a number of occasions because I was imagining worst case scenarios that simply did not happen.
Having said that, I think gut feelings are important and should be listened to. Depends on the context, available information and the individuals involved. Ultimately I'm the sort of quite nervous person who avoids any type of risk so I will trust my instinct to be on the safe side.

My gut instinct on people is very accurate. I know straightaway if I like someone/if they're genuine. I've never been wrong yet. If I don't like someone when I first meet them, sooner or later, the reason for that shows itself.

@MILTOBE thank you, I am and I hope you are too.

There's a well-liked regular in my local pub. Always been wary of him. He's nice looking, charming, interesting- everyone else loves him. There's something about him that's always made me wary.

He flew off the handle at a woman in there recently. She was minding her own business-he'd heard her say something and mistakenly thought she was talking about him. She was sitting down and he was towering above her, squaring up, top of his voice.

A male friend of mine made friends with another male. All sob stories about his ex wife not letting him see the children, and he'd been in court for assault but 'all he'd done was thrown a pen at her!'

I don't believe a word of it. Same fella, at an event we were all at, tried to fight a much older man as, similarly to the first scenario he'd misinterpreted a joke he'd heard the older man make. He'd had too much to drink but It's not an excuse, I could get drunk out of my brains and I'd still never turn violent.

Men can have a 'look' about them, to me. And it isn't literally what their appearance is like-both the above are quite different to look at. But I always know. Have 100 more examples but don't want to clog the thread up!

Maybe I should be grateful to my Dad for this 'gift'.