I wish I could stop worrying about people not liking me.

[Nobodyknowsitall5]

That's it really. I've tried all sorts including therapy and medication. I can't help but think that people don't like me. I have friends and family who love me but I just have this constant noise in my head that people generally don't like me. I don't know why I care. I really wish I didn't. Anyone else ever felt this way? Anyone got any tips how to manage or silence the noise?

Thanks

I learnt a new skill which filled my time / head; leaving less room for the over thinking.
I did some work on personal boundaries. I learnt that I am not my thoughts. I also learnt that I don't have to believe everything I think. Distancing myself from negative, critical people helped too.
I also worked on my inner crtitic.
I started speaking to myself as I would to others which reduced the self-criticism, admonishments etc. If started speaking harshly to myself, I'd reframe it imagining that I was talking to a friend. Immediately, the words would be kinder and supportive.
So, for example, you wrote.. "I have friends and family who love me but I just have this constant noise in my head that people generally don't like me."
Let's re- frame-
"I have friends and family who love me." That's the sentence OP , there's no 'but' after it.

Love that. Thank you xx

So what if they don't like you?
Do you like everyone you meet? Doubt it.
life moves on and everyone is too self absorbed and worried about themselves just like you're fixated on your image and likeability which you can't control anyway..ironically the less you care the more people fawn over you.

Read the book "The Four Agreements". It's a very short read of a book, but I found the section "take nothing personally" was a great help.

My DH used to be very similar. As others have said he found CBT life changing, although he’s still a bit of a people pleaser and dwells too much on little interactions with people. Try to change the thought process - there are over 8 billion people on the planet, do you like them all?! Chances are they won’t all like you either, and that’s ok! Focus on self esteem building and the things you like about yourself.

This will sound harsh but my husband finds it helpful so I’ll try it - people are fundamentally focussed on themselves! No one is really thinking about you and it’s quite arrogant to assume anyone is spending time dwelling on how much they dislike you. People have their own lives and problems to focus on. What you perceive as a dislike of you could merely be someone who is preoccupied or busy or has been up all night with a baby or who has had a shit day at work. It’s rarely personal.

I've started reading a book called let them recently. It's a motivational type thing but whilst they usually annoy me, I find I am enjoying it.

There's good bits on worry about perceptions of others.

I'd echo a lot if the above op, but also, try to start just noticing what's happening. You'll get hooked into thoughts and upset by them without really noticing sometimes, so try to distance from thoughts instead of getting pulled into that internal monologue.

Eg 'that person doesn't like me' becomes 'I've had a thought that person doesn't like me' becomes 'I've noticed I've had a thought that person doesn't like me'. The latter is easier to 'call out' as just a thought you could choose to believe or not.

I also found it helpful to think about whether there's much evidence others don't like you or not. If not, and it's more a niggling worry, try to 'fake it til you make it'. How would you act if you weren't worried? Often our behaviour gets in the way ie we avoid speaking to people if we think they might not like us. Act how you would if you felt confident eg smile at them, chat etc - often feelings will change when we change behaviour.

Good luck :)