Laughing in inappropriate situations, at inappropriate times

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When I was in my twenties I went to a funeral. It was a very sad funeral of a young person. I don't know what came over me, but while I was sitting in the pews I had the uncontrollable urge to laugh. It was so difficult to suppress my giggles that I had to clench my jaw. I started to shake and make little snorting noises out my nose from the effort it took not to giggle, so then I pretended I was crying and that my body was racked with sobs just so that people would not think I was a complete jerk.

This thread reminds me of that scene in the movie Steel Magnolias where a group of female characters get into a big argument after a very sad funeral. Sally Field plays the one character whose daughter has just died. Sally Field's character says she is so angry she could hit someone. So then one of the characters pushes another character forward and says, "Here, hit her," then they all burst out laughing, even though racked with grief. I think laughter is probably common at funerals.

I currentley seem to laugh to myself, when I think of the lyrics to the song, 'Friggin in the Riggin'. Maybe this should be in the Mature Forum, but I think that song is hillarious!

When I was 19 my g/f at the time scorned me for laughing at an innapropriate time. We were sitting on a bench at an amusement park I looked over to my right and noticed a little girl vomiting, and for some reason i just busted out laughing. My g/f got pissed off and called me insensitive, and she said the fatther of the girl was giving me dirty looks. I guess whenever I am in an uncomfortable situation i can;t help but laugh.

Also if I am thinking about something really funny, I'll have the urge to just bust out laughing, but when I am in public I'll try to keep it to myself so i dont look totally insane. It usually comes out as a snicker.

I can recall a moment when a headmaster at a primary school I was at wanted to know who the dirty culprit was who wiped their backside on one of the boarder's nice white bath towels.
I laughed out loud hysterically more than the other 30 kids put together, often with intermittent spasms of raucous laughter complete with blowing rasberries all over the room.
The trouble was, although I had nothing to do with the dirty deed I got the blame for it anyway and was punished for it.

LOL! I can't help laughing to myself while reading the posts in this thread. I am very familiar with what all of you are describing. That post from Jman laughing at the vomiting girl will have me giggling to myself all day!

I have definitely laughed in very bad circumstances, and I still cannot help but think that it has drawn awkward feelings towards me. One instance of this was during a health class last year. A teacher was telling us a story about this girl who had died of alcohol poisioning. At one point of the story, the teacher mentioned a Michael Jackson song, and for a reason unknown to me now, I giggled. I do not know if anybody had heard me, but I cannot help but feel ashamed for it, especially considering that I found the story to be completely depressing. Also, when I am in a group with people laughing, I tend to get caught up in the laughing as well, but I tend to laugh much too hard and loud when compared to them.

I laugh and smile alot when I'm nervous or uncomfortable with something. I remember back when I was working getting reamed out on the phone by a customer for something that wasn't my fault and that I didn't have an honest clue about...I didn't know what to say after the first 5 minutes, and just kept trying to get off the phone with her because I was totally confused, and she kept talking and screaming at me like I was a moron... I must have started giggling nervously without even realizing it...the woman went ballistic...and I nearly walked out afterwards.

I remember being teased by a couple of girls back in high school...when they cornered me one day to pick on me in front of everyone... I just started laughing...instead of ganging up on me though they actually let me alone after that...they thought I was insane.

yes and yes

I have difficulties with this and I often get in trouble for laughing when in an innapropriate situation

I laugh and smile inappropriately, and I think it's related to nervous tension and an attempt to compensate for the somber, scowling expression I used to have when I was deep in thought. At school a friend once told me her mother hadn't thought much of me when she first saw me walking along the street, because I looked like a snob, with my nose in the air. As I remembered it, I was watching cloud formations!

I'm never sure if the expression on my face matches the one I think I'm displaying. Occasionally a workmate or someone will ask me what I'm grinning about, and I have no idea I'm even smiling. I need to practice expressions in front of the mirror sometimes, but I don't know how much it helps. When I get nervous in social situations I still revert to smiling, laughing or talking too much and too quickly.


As for grief and laughter, I think the two are interconnected. I've never laughed at a funeral, but caught up in my own grief I've never been too sure whether to laugh or cry.

Anytime homosexuality is mentioned near me, I get the uncontrollable desire to laugh, even though I know it's not funny. This proved catastrophic to me, since a lot of people think I'm gay (due to my aspie traits) and the bullies use this as a chance to pick on me (He admits it! He admits it!).

Also, I can't stop laughing at bullies' teasings, which also sucks.

At my cousin's confirmation (today), I began laughing under her grand father's speech. Not quite approriate.
It was only my way of showing frustration, really.

About a year ago, my friend had to check a lump she had found in her leg. Sadly, I began laughing whenever the word bone cancer was brought up. I'm so, so sorry about that now. Caused me a lot of trouble.
The thought and reality of cancer makes me really sad. The word, however, worked more like a trigger than anything else.