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Sometimes i can't laugh or smile

31K views 30 replies 24 participants last post by  atokasmith 
#1 ·
whenever i'm in class or lunch and socializing with workers, i have a hard time laughing or even smiling at their jokes. I think it's probably a facial muscle thats not letting me do this and really bugs me. could this be part of anxiety and what can i do to overcome it! i want to be normal again! :(
 
#3 ·
I have a hard time smiling, but only when i'm in a bleh kinda mood witch is most of the time. Looking at funny pictures or vids on the net always helps me. Anxiety probably dose have a role in this. It's hard to smile and laugh when your all stress out and over the edge.
 
#6 ·
I have a difficult time with this especially when I have something hanging over my head that I'm stressed out about, or sad. I find that I can't focus on what's so funny about the joke someone is telling or why others are laughing because I feel like I'm not there but somewhere else with my thoughts. I put on a fake smile as best as I can to fit in and seem at least a bit amused, even though I'm not technically "there."
 
#7 ·
My guess would be that it's like the public restroom fear. You can't relax your body from the fear or anxiety which means you can't go to the bathroom. I would say to maybe try some relaxation techniques and see if that may help you enjoy your co-workers jokes.
 
#8 ·
thank you again.
it happened today. i really hate this, i cant even laugh with my friend one on one anymore. i just feel like leaving, covering my face so they won't see me laugh. i have already taken medication for this but nothing has really changed. i can't go on like this anymore!
 
#14 ·
Anxietyboy, this is a common symtom of social anxiety. The tension causes facial muscles to freeze. If you're seeing a therapist or have a gp you might want to talk to them about this. It seems to happen mostly with males like other physical signs of nervousness such as excessive sweating or blushing. I've heard of guys who say thy get so tense that they can't even turn their necks. If I remember correctly beta blockers tend to offer some relief. Again talk to your doctor and ask what they recommend. I would imagine this is very distressful for you.
 
#15 ·
Sometimes I smile too much because of my anxiety and sometimes I can't smile even if I think something's funny. That is mainly due to depression. I recall one particular time I was hanging at a friends with a few other people and they put in a Jeff Dunham dvd and were all laughing but I just couldn't, didn't connect with any of it and they noticed and thought I wasn't enjoying it and kept picking at me....then I watched the same thing at home on my lonesome and laughed a lot.
 
#16 ·
Thank you all so much again.
Yes it is very stressful and its getting worse! i cant ever stoping thinking about something and it makes me very anxious..
i was having an attack yesterday while eating at a resturaunt with friends. Whenever the attention was on me i would think about it too much which led me to once again not be able to smile...

This is ruining me, i think i might have to go see my doctor about this again! :|
 
#18 ·
Try watching something that makes you laugh alot. Then try anchoring that to social situations when others are laughing so you end up thinking about what you watched. I find that im automatically thinking negatively when there is laughter or someone is cracking a joke. Its not a physical problem if you can laugh on your own.
 
#21 ·
Suddenly loose sense of laughter...

This sucks!!! But it does happen to me.

I might be with a friend discuss. a subject and he will make a joke or their is a reason to smile he will smile I guess me as an instinct will smile but then I will feel cold and kinda go into some kinda shock feel like not smiling or laughing but I would keep a smile on my face that to me feel ignorant on my part but I cant control it I hate when this happens. Why can't I be normal.:roll
 
#23 ·
It all depends. If it's a complete stranger then yeah i'll find it difficult to sometimes smile or laugh if they say something. Or sometimes I can laugh but it comes out fake because I was not expecting the joke/or them to talk to me.
 
#24 ·
Sometimes I think BDD causes my anxiety, because most of my fears are appearance related, such as always thinking of how ugly I look when I smile. It isn't really a big deal and even slips my mind in casual interaction, but for pictures and stuff.. omg, talk about impossible..then the result looks too forced and fake. :teeth
 
#25 ·
Yeah this happens to me too and it's a big annoyance.

Funny thing is for example if I'm in a picture and people are telling me to smile, I just can't, then again if we are trying to take a serious picture and the person says "whatever you do DON'T smile", I can't help BUT smile.

I think it's psychological in this way. When you are conscious about it and in your head, you're telling yourself to smile you can't.

The solution? Tell yourself NOT to smile and maybe it will come out.
 
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