Once, long ago (late 70s early 80s) I was a programmer in the military/industrial complex (we made bombs and the Goblin and spy satellites at the companies I worked for). There were two guys who seemed to have no "real" function. Turned out they were real, honest to goodness "spooks". One told me "nobody knows, but you have to believe everybody knows"
I won't call it guilt, or paranoia. Just a hyper awareness of who you are that projects your image on to yourself. You see yourself through the eyes of people who you fear "know", but who have no idea.
The above paragraph courtesy of 20+ years of therapy.
If I saw you at a club wearing a "slut suit" I'd probably figure I could bang you for two or three drinks. If I saw you in the same club wearing some expensive jeans and a really nice blouse, I'd be looking for someone else because I "know" your bf can beat me to shit while he's on the phone call an ambulance for me.
Yeah, sometimes I "know" that "they" "know".