Discussion Smiling and Cheerful...not me

[sleepy dog]

I have always had difficulty with smiling and being cheerful, happy, enthusiastic. It has affected my status on jobs and not being hired for jobs. It of course has affected relationships, making friends. It has created misunderstandings. I have been harassed and hated for it. I actually have to make a huge effort to smile most of the time. Those muscles hurt. Anybody else?

 

[Shamana]

I've completely lost my ability to smile. I can't even fake a smile. This has definitely effected my social comfort and confidence in jobs etc.

 

[Throwaway9787]

Bro you don't have to be smiling just try to look miserable. I know easy said than done.

 

[Rocksandsand]

I almost feel like all my emotional expressions are blunted these days? Smiles feel strange, laughing feels forced... it's like my face has atrophied

 

[sleepy dog]

Same here. Like I don't enjoy anything.

 

[Cutter3991]

Trust me I get it. I'm tired of faking it. I smile all day and used to laugh a lot but I don't even laugh anymore. I'm prob not going to smile at all today. No more faking it. And now I have to go work for a boss where my friend outed me to yesterday and he's super close minded and judge mental. I was going to tell him but in my time. So today is going to fucking suck.

 

[Rachel74]

I fake smile all the time, fucking kills me.

 

[StillWaiting]

I am not happy or anything. In fact I am depressed all the time but during my internship my colleagues said that I look cheerful and smile all the time.

 

[cryptic_cynic]

I've never liked smiling. Being upbeat and cheerful doesn't come naturally to me. I don't know how to fake it well, either. I've been told that I have an uninviting disposition, which is fine with me since I hate interacting with people anyway.

What I loathe is being asked to smile. Some asshole did that to me recently, and I really wish I could have strangled the bitch.
As if forcing a smile is going to make me want to die less.