So I am working as a cashier part time at a family's friend shop with some foot traffic near a highway so I see all types of people age & ethnicity.

I started to bulk up and hit the weights in the past 2 months and I have been noticing people are saying random shit to me that I never asked about or being really nice for no reason. This is not about "hot girls" but people in general. This is weird because just a few months ago, I was coming off some depressive episode and was very skinny.

One thing I notice is that women in general say "thank you" so kindly to me when I bag up their stuff which never happened before. Men in general will say "thank you, sir" and just give me a bit more of that "nod". Just today, this black guy just started talking about how he was in the Marines for 15 years out of nowhere while I was taking his order. Older women in their 30's just seem more "sensitive" in how they act towards me, if that makes sense. Hard to put into words. Guys in general also stop looking at me like a lowlife because I'm a mere "cashier." They actually act in a way to not bother me, if that makes sense.

The only difference between a couple months ago and now is that I gained about 20lb and been dedicating myself to fitness and compound lifts. My personality, my general quietness has not changed at all.

I am still a general retard in all other regards.

Thoughts? Is this placebo or something?