Facial expressions and body language

[TheStatue]

Does anyone else feel as though they don't know how to, say, smile properly? I get nervous not knowing how much of my teeth to reveal, how long to smile or in what situations (unless we are talking about very obvious ones). The same with laughing or being angry. Some times I just act angry in order to seem normal (in situations where I feel others may expect me to be upset).

I'm constantly thinking of the way I'm expressing myself nonverbally, whether I do it all in a socially acceptable manner or not. I rarely use my arms in conversation, because i just don't know what to do with them. Eye contact is the same. Most of the time I just avoid it. (Teachers have discussed this issue with me ever since I can remember).

Then there are the situations where I listen to the way people talk and wonder: Should I be talking like that as well? Should I use that or that new slang word? I don't even have the slightest dialect. In fear of doing it the wrong way and sounding unnatural, I tend to resort to what others would consider a rather formal language (which unfortunately seems to repel people).

Does anyone of you over-analyze your body language like this? Or maybe it's just me being extra weird.

 

[Elenwen]

I wave my arms around too much when I talk. And I make weird faces, I know I do. I've gotten comments on it, ha. It makes me really self-conscious and I try to calm myself down and stop moving my arms all over the place/speak very formally so that I don't make weird faces, but then people think I'm weird because I'm so young and so formal. No matter what I do I feel very self-conscious, which, of course, people pick up on and then they feel uncomfortable because you're uncomfortable.

I don't have any advice, I'm sorry. Except for maybe practicing in front of a mirror. That way you can watch yourself and see if what you're doing is excessive (wrong word, but whatever).

 

[TheStatue]

I don't have any advice, I'm sorry. Except for maybe practicing in front of a mirror. That way you can watch yourself and see if what you're doing is excessive (wrong word, but whatever).

Don't be sorry. I just want to know if someone else experiences the same thing. Maybe I'm just worrying too much. And I do sometimes practice facial expressions in front of the mirror. Sadly, it just makes me notice my yellow teeth.

 

[JamieD]

Yea i'm always self-concious about what facial expression, tone of voice, etc.. it's so annoying because sometimes it feels as if i come across wrong. Like when i'm nervous, my facial expression and tone of voice can go weird, and i come across as angry or something. Don't laugh. lol.

 

[BlueDays]

I do this all the time. Later on i will play the conversation over in my head and analyze whether i displayed the right body language or tone of voice.

 

[TheStatue]

Later on i will play the conversation over in my head and analyze whether i displayed the right body language or tone of voice.

I recognize that myself. I've pretty much been analyzing todays conversations ever since I came home from class today. I know I probably I shouldn't, but it's just that when I get a problem into my head I can't get it out again unless it is solved. And my social issues are problems unsolved. Thus I keep thinking about them, which keeps the spiral of anxiety going.

 

[Shift]

I have a hard time with using body language and facial expressions because I don't really know what to do... Which gets me in trouble when I have to tell stories in ASL.

 

[veggiebasket]

I am an enormous hand-talker. A lot of times when I'm having a conversation with someone, words escape me, so I use hand gestures as a way to describe what I'm trying to say because my mind always goes blank and I usually just mutter a bunch of gibberish.

I am also really bad at analyzing conversations after they happen. Since they are so rare, I remember everything I have said in a day, and usually at night when I'm trying to fall asleep I will remember and cringe at all the foolish things I have said and done while in the company of others.

 

[lyricalliaisons]

I can relate to almost everything you said.

 

[recluse]

I hate having to fake smile all the time. When you think consciously about making your facial expression look a certain way it just becomes strained and it does not look natural.

 

[illuminationSP]

I can usually act my way out of anything, but yeah, I experience this... especially the part where I play the conversation over in my head.