Why?

[DamselODistress]

Why, when it's obvious that you are NOT paying attention(because you're working on the computer, have headphones in, and haven't looked up in an hour), do people talk to you about what just happened on TV or in the movie they're watching or ramble on in a long story about their day at work? My mom and sister are freaking notorious for this! Just because I'm sitting on the couch in the living room does not mean I am willing to have a conversation; the headphones should indicate that. They do it when I'm completely engrossed in a book, too. They've told me that if I don't want to be interrupted, I shouldn't be in an open part of the house. That doesn't seem fair to me, and I've gotten exasperated several times and snapped that I'm not paying attention, don't care, and don't want to know. Ten minutes later, they're at it again.

[LunaRufina]

I bet if you start giving them no reaction at all, it will eventually stop.

The behavior will likely get worse before it gets better though

[DamselODistress]

They try harder! It's ridiculous. They'll wave and wave until I notice out of the corner of my eye, or reach over and tap my shoulder.

[LunaRufina]

YES. They will try harder. You have to ride it out.

It's a typical pattern of human behavior- when you want to extinguish a behavior by ignoring it it will get worse before it gets better.

I swear I'm not making this shit up. It's a well-known psych phenomenon.

You want charts? I can get you charts.

[enlightened_plutonian]

I hate this too. I get it quite a lot when I am on the bus, and clearly wearing earphones. I just ignore them and keep focussed on my music. Chances are they will carry on but eventually when they realise that I am not listening they do shut up.

[Odetta]

Been there - annoying when a stranger on a bus or plane keeps trying to interrupt you from whatever you're engrossed with. Also annoying when family does it...BUT.... They're family. It's different. They deserve better treatment from you than what you'd give a stranger.

They probably love you and would like to have your attention. What if sometimes you did the opposite of what the others are suggesting and actually stopped what you're doing and gave them the attention they are seeking? Maybe they'd ease up on trying to interrupt you all the time, because their emotional bank would be filled.

My kids and husband often try to interrupt me when I'm doing something solitary that I enjoy. If I ignored them all the time, they'd act out, and I'd be paying for therapy, Rx's and couples counselling later. Yes, they need to learn that sometimes mommy/wife needs/wants alone time, but I also need to realize that sometimes I need to set aside my need/desire for alone time to give them the love and attention they need.

[Cattitude]

My SO interrupts me all the time, either by talking or blaring videos on his computer, or music samples in iTunes. Ironically if I interrupt him when he's busy with something, he sneers and snaps at me or (if he's sitting beside me) gives me a little shove with his hand to tell me to shut up.

I just sort of pretend to listen when he blabs. Trouble is, often I forget what he was blathering about and if he asks me a related question, I bullshit an answer. Then he gets mad because the answer is wrong. For the blaring, at first I tried to ignore it but recently I firmly but politely asked him to at least ask me if it will bother me if he plays his stuff. I tried giving him a good set of USB headphones but he's a Luddite and refuses to wear them. But, the setting of a boundary seems to be working for now.