Do you always look like you're frowning?

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MishLuvsHer2Boys
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11 May 2007, 7:55 am

People tell me I seem to frown alot or have no expression on my face and assume I'm depressed when I can be happy and not smile either.



Eller
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11 May 2007, 8:09 am

People tell me I seem to be bored most of the time. Sometimes I am. :lol: But sometimes I'm not, I just forgot to change my usual (blank) expression...



0_equals_true
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11 May 2007, 8:22 am

I been asked 'what's wrong?' so many times :x Manly I'm just thinking about things. Is it wrong to think about things now?



greensocks
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11 May 2007, 8:35 am

I get a lot of comments that I look hostile when I really just feel neutral. If I'm concious about "making a good impression," I'll smile, but it takes effort, and it's usually too much. I do smile when I'm genuinely happy, but sometimes I'll talk with a little grin when I'm relating something sad, or negative. I've never really understood that, but it's reflexive, and it always gives people the wrong impression.



kclark
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11 May 2007, 8:45 am

I usually have a neutral expression (to me), but others see it as a sad, frowning expression.
It feels so fake if I force a smile that it makes me kind of uncomfortable. Should I work at presenting a more NT friendly face?
Any suggestions?

Just found this site yesterday and am already in love with it. Peace!



willem
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11 May 2007, 9:23 am

I'm told I look pissed off when I'm pissed off, and I'm told exactly the same when I'm perfectly fine. Has to do with not using facial muscles much, I would guess, relaxed muscles means they droop down. It's not a problem, really, and it probably helps discourage strangers on buses and elsewhere who might otherwise target me for vain chitchat.


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Starbuline
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11 May 2007, 9:33 am

I get told that I constantly look sad and/or angry.



ed
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11 May 2007, 10:38 am

I don't know how to smile. It's not natural, like laughter, and has to be learned.



Astilius
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11 May 2007, 11:00 am

scrulie wrote:
Not sure but I get told to cheer up a lot even when I'm perfectly cheery. Mind you, people domake me frown a lot...


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mizkathy
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11 May 2007, 11:55 am

I frown a lot around strangers



Age1600
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11 May 2007, 12:01 pm

I frown a lot not even knowing it. All through middle school and hs, I really couldn't control my facial expressions, and I'll just be sitting there and everybody would be like why you look sad or upset. Its like ugh, Idk, I'm fine though. Even my mother would tease me and make faces at me, and I never understood why I frowned, I think maybe it because I'm deep in thought Idk.



Sedaka
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11 May 2007, 2:31 pm

one thing that led me to discovering AS ect... was that i kept getting erroneous comments on my teaching evals, sauch as: smile, use facial expressions... and others like monotone voice, try to sound more excited, look at me when i'm talking...

they always bugged me...

but yeah i hear weird things about how i look from time to time. people always say i look tired too... but i guess that's true often enough...

/shrug


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madscientist
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11 May 2007, 2:34 pm

I've trained myself to put on a very affable face in public, which has become virtually second nature. Before that, I tended to look so serious (usually lost in thought) that everyone thought I was mad and people were constantly asking if anything was wrong. This, even if I was in a particularly good mood.


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bizmack
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11 May 2007, 5:40 pm

its nice to know that im not the only one who has had to dael with this...
i can usually notice myself frowning while i am deep in thought although i rarely care at the time what anyone has to say about it though...

the other times tend to display emotionless blank stares from which co workers tend to think i am going to be the guy who comes to work and shoots everyone....

i guess at least when people think you're psycho they tend not to disturb you as much...


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Aspie1
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11 May 2007, 11:10 pm

I've had this problem as recently as a year ago. But I managed to devise a few coping strategies. Instead, I put up an "I've had a stressful day, and I'm tired" look. It's definitely a lot easier to maintain than a "happy" look, and people still respond to it fairly well. The whole time I've been using this strategy, only one person (a cashier) said something about my facial expression. I responded with a stock phrase: "Just this thing that happened at work. It gets into technical aspects of databases, so I won't bore you with it." She smiled, and said: "I'm sure it'll be fine eventually." I walked away feeling very pleased by her response.

Here are the reasons why I think this was effective, logically explained.
1. I put up an emotion that NTs can relate to; namely, feeling stressed out from work.
2. I gave a justifiable explanation for feeling stressed out (by saying "this thing at work").
3. I showed courtesy (from their perspective) by not burdening them with the information.

Just my 2 cents. Hopefully, it'll help you like it helped me.



bizmack
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11 May 2007, 11:53 pm

Aspie1 wrote:
I've had this problem as recently as a year ago. But I managed to devise a few coping strategies. Instead, I put up an "I've had a stressful day, and I'm tired" look. It's definitely a lot easier to maintain than a "happy" look, and people still respond to it fairly well. The whole time I've been using this strategy, only one person (a cashier) said something about my facial expression. I responded with a stock phrase: "Just this thing that happened at work. It gets into technical aspects of databases, so I won't bore you with it." She smiled, and said: "I'm sure it'll be fine eventually." I walked away feeling very pleased by her response.

Here are the reasons why I think this was effective, logically explained.
1. I put up an emotion that NTs can relate to; namely, feeling stressed out from work.
2. I gave a justifiable explanation for feeling stressed out (by saying "this thing at work").
3. I showed courtesy (from their perspective) by not burdening them with the information.

Just my 2 cents. Hopefully, it'll help you like it helped me.


good deal....i think i may use that one....


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