AIBU to think gut instinct is right

[Newdaynewstarts]

Just that… if you’ve ever had a gut reaction to something did that sensation turn out to be right.

I have a strong gut reaction my dp is up to no good with another woman. I can’t prove anything but the story he tells me doesn’t add up. The facts are not important right now, I am interested in hearing if people believe gut reactions are reliable or not.

YABU gut reactions are unreliable
YANBU trust your gut

Your gut knows as it picks up things you don't even realize, tiny body language you wouldn't see. Always go with your gut. It knows and it's right. Deep down your gut knows.

Yes it is and I've ignored it to my cost

I’m sure some people can trust their gut but I can’t differentiate between my gut and my nerves - I always think something is wrong or ‘off’ and I’m always nervous/afraid.

I'm exactly the same. My gut feeling is wrong probably 75% of the time.

I can’t differentiate between my gut and my nerves

Same.

Nerves, worries, stress, fear, superstitions, internal biases, mental or physical health issues - all of these can interfere with your judgement or 'gut instinct'.

Gut instinct is massively unreliable imo. For those that have an instinct that comes to fruition they'll remember that, take it as a sign of successfully listening to said instinct, tell others. For all the countless others where nothing actually comes of that instinct - well, no one really talks about it do they?

My gut is reliable.

Is your gut reliable, OP?

Trust your gut. It’s always right.

Had a feeling something was weird with my partners behaviour and then body language scrolling his phone in bed.
Turned out his ex was calling him and he’s been cracking on with others too 🙄

hmm interesting..to those who think gut is not reliable … I am not nervous or stressed so the mix up with gut reactions is confusing.

I have an overwhelming gut feeling but I can’t anything, questions spark denial and conflict.

it’s an awfully uncomfortable sensation to live with.

I've learnt to trust my gut through experience.
When younger i always managed to talk myself out of it, i.e 'you're being paranoid', 'they wouldn't do that don't be stupid'.. and guess what.. time after bloody time!

@Bettedaviseyes111 sorry to hear that thanks for sharing I’ll keep that in mind

@Jellykat thanks for your pov. I couldn’t get rid of the feeling if I wanted to, it’s awful

My gut instinct is shit in places/situations, however has never been wrong with people and their intentions maybe called being a good judge of character, maybe?

@Mindyourfunkybusiness
idk if it’s right. It has been right in the past tho

Every time I’ve had a gut feeling like this, I’ve been called paranoid, insecure and jealous… and then proven right.

@nadine90 yep all those too bc it’s not tangible it’s deniable

@Newdaynewstarts well, if it was right in the past, maybe its worth taking it into consideration. I'd quietly look into things, calmly.

I found reading the gift of fear helped me verbalise my gut, which has proved v useful at work.

When I was younger I ignored my gut feeling so as it to appear insecure, paranoid , difficult.

I definitely know now if I was to experience those same gut feelings I would act on them .

I ignored them to my own detriment!

Not to appear

I think people massively overstate this tbh and it’s mainly selection bias.

If you have experienced being cheated on for example you will remember the feeling it gave you because you associate it with the negative emotions. You forget the occasions when something has felt “off” and it’s turned out simply to have been paranoia.

Thats not to say your OH isn’t cheating, maybe he is. But I think “trust your gut” is meaningless.

This is a difficult thing to get a consensus on because of confirmation bias - people will rambert the times they were proved right (especially when it involves something bad happening) more often than they remember having a bad feeling and nothing happening.

I've had a gut feeling about something and it turned out to be correct. Probably a few where nothing happened or it remains unproven.

In your situation where you know someone really well, I think your gut is more likely to be correct. As it's less likely to be a 'feeling' and more likely to be your mind noticing lots of minor changes in behaviour that when taken on their own mean nothing but when added together paint a picture. For example someone can be snappy with others, act in secretive ways, be daydreaming more, staying out late, being vague about plans etc. None of these things on their own would be noticeable but together probably lead to a 'gut feeling', that is actually a collection of lots of seemingly insignificant pieces of information that your brain is working behind the scenes to put together

I've had plenty of strong gut feelings that turned out to be completely wrong

Mine is always right especially about the character of people or their hidden motivation. It makes me look like a cold bitch though.

It sounds as though you're being presented with a lot of tiny facts and together they are adding up to the fact that he is cheating. I think that's all that gut instinct is, just that an amalgamation of tiny tiny seemingly insignificant things.

What's your financial situation? What's your housing situation? Do you have children together? Are you prepared to act if you find out what's going on?