Saw my own name in a chat that wasn’t meant for me. It changes how you see people.

This happened a few days ago, and I still haven’t processed it properly. A friend handed me their phone to show me something. While they were looking for it, a notification popped up from a group chat. My name was in the preview. I don’t know why, but something about it made me look. I didn’t open the chat fully, but I saw enough. It wasn’t anything extreme. No direct insults, no dramatic statements. But it was clear they were discussing me. My behaviour, my choices, the way I come across sometimes. Not in a supportive way. More like… quiet judgment. And the thing is, these are people I see regularly. People I thought I was comfortable with. Since then, every interaction feels different. When they laugh, I wonder if I’m part of the joke. When they’re quiet, I wonder if something’s being said later. They act normal. Completely normal. And I’m the only one carrying this new version of reality in my head. I can’t confront it because I technically wasn’t supposed to see it. But I also can’t unsee it.