Nervous Laughter

[Jam The Man]

Anyone know anything about this?

I have 'suffered' with this since.. well forever. Laughing or grinning at inappropriate moments.

For example.. being told off when I was younger, i'd smile and end up getting clouted even harder than I had been in the first place!

Or when someone hurts themself and is really in pain and upset - I comfort them, and then suddenly I start grinning or laughing.

I had a chat with my girlfriend about it the other night as she was upset that I was grinning after she had hurt her leg. I honestly do not find these things funny and the last thing i want to see is her hurt, but there's this nervous laughter thing that just appears from nowhere and is so embarrassing. It's hard to convince people that i'm not a sick bastard! I really am not!

I looked it up on the internet and the closest I got to it was a form of dementia.. but i've had it my whole life so i don't think it's the onset of that at all..
Also mentioned on the internet is autism and anxiety?

When I originally posted this it was thought that it might be a displacement of emotions due to anxiety as I am relied upon in my family to be 'the rock' in times of crisis and don't get much time to have any stress release. This is an unconscious thing though - i'm not consciously trying to stop myself from crying for example...

Other than people thinking i'm insane or taking the piss, has anyone got any ideas

I'm sure i'm not alone!

 

[Wardy]

Sounds like you are unsure of the "right way" to react. When people are hurt or feel low or vunrable, they look to those that are near for support or advice.

It sounds like you are subconsucsly aware of them looking to you for help and are unsure how to react. This results in you getting nervous and thus you laugh.

 

[Jam The Man]

It's weird though as I am very dependable in a crisis and i get everyone doing the right thing and i organise everything.... bizarre stuff

 

[Spicy2]

I sympathise with you, Jam, as smiling or laughing at an inappropriate moment can be upsetting for the person hurt or seeking your help. Its obviously an automatic reaction and I'm not totally sure how to cure it except to maybe say to yourself silently that the person is hurt and that you mustn't laugh. If you find yourself laughing when watching something sad on the news maybe you should start off by trying to remind yourself how sad it is and that you shouldn't smile or laugh. This might then help you cope in one to one situations. Its only a nervous reaction and one you can grow out of.

 

[Jam The Man]

Thanks Spicy - I hope it's something that will ease as I get older, but it is a very difficult problem. Strange that it doesn't always happen, but embarrassing when it does. The other worry is that someone will pan me for it one day.

My parents recognised it after spending years of hitting me for not taking my bollockings seriously and have since apologised.

 

[Jam The Man]

Last bounce

 

[Eddie the Seagull]

Not that this will help, but I once had the attack of the giggles at my ex's fathers funeral

 

[Biscuit]

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Laughter as a symptom. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

Normal happy personality - of course, laughter need not be inappropriate.
Drug intoxication
Substance abuse
Tic disorders (type of Mental illness)
Tourette syndrome - inappropriate outbursts
Social anxiety - may be "nervous laughter"
Dementia
Angelman syndrome


Social phobia is an intense fear of becoming humiliated in social situations, specifically of embarrassing yourself in front of other people. It often runs in families and may be accompanied by depression or alcoholism. Social phobia often begins around early adolescence or even younger.

 

[The Large One]

Quite often it's a sub-conscious defence mechanism to a negative emotion. We all go through it.

Your girlfriend was upset, so you were upset. Your role was to be supportive and positive. In doing so, there seems to be a disproportionate vibe, and it leads you to giggle. A reaction is a reaction, no matter what the intended message being sent out is. Likewise, people end up crying at an extremely good moment - even though it is a reaction associated with disappointment or negativity.

On a larger scale, the first reaction after the disappointment of the Albion conceding a goal is to be 'defiant' and get up and start singing for the Albion. Otherwise it is too easy to mull and ponder the downsides. It's not as though we don't care, it's a reaction to a bad thing happening.

Perhaps verbalising (without apologising) to your girlfriend what is happening or what you are feeling may make both you and her feel better and be able understand this. Eventually, when you come to realise what is happening, you may be able to control it better.

Sticking a 'label' on any condition rarely helps.

Of course, I could be talking complete bollocks.

 

[Biscuit]

Likewise, people end up crying at an extremely good moment - even though it is a reaction associated with disappointment or negativity.

I cried when Storer scored THAT goal.

I didn't when Reinault did.

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

I always piss myself when someone falls over or hurts themself, even though I feel desperately sorry for them at the same time

 

[Hiney]

I always piss myself when someone falls over

That's incontinence

 

[Biscuit]

Good one..


ha ha...*gulp*.. ha

 

[Dave the OAP]

jam...you unsympathetic bastard...hahahahaha

"where do you get your kicks, casualty?"

Peter kaye - Genius

 

[Donny Osmond]

I am exactly the same as you my friend.
But I am the shyest person I have ever met and hate being in situations which you describe. So it is social anxiety for me.

 

[Scotty Mac]

if somebody apart from me hurts themselves and it is not serious, i usually find it quite comical. for instance, a teacher being whacked in the bollocks with a cricket ball from someone whose never even managed to hit it before

 

[Lush]

Ok here's a thing....

Inappropriate laughter is said to be one of the features of autism.

Recent studies have suggested that autism is an extreme of the male brain. Many men have some of the features of autism - and autistic people have them in abundance.

Certainly many of the features could be applied to male behaviour in general...

Male autism

* Inappropriate laughing or crying (used to release anxiety, fear, and tension).
* Difficulty in mixing with other children
* Inappropriate laughing and giggling
* Apparent insensitivity to pain
* Prefers to be alone
* Inappropriate attachment to objects
* Insistence on sameness; resists change in routine
* No real fear of dangers
* Sustained odd play
* Echolalia (repeating words or phrases for normal language)
* May not want cuddling or act cuddly
* Not responsible to verbal cues; acts as deaf
* Difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words.
* Displays extreme distress for no apparent reason
* Uneven gross/fine motor skills (May not kick a ball but can stack blocks)

So I guess it could mean that you're more male than other men!

 

[sully]

Well done Lush. I can now confess that my smile muscles also react when I don't want them to - like when my wife is accusing me of fancying someone at work.

Obviously, the fact that it's a fair cop is beside the point!


Seriously, though, I've always put it down to a nervousness at being put on the spot and not knowing how to react.

 

[Jam The Man]

Thanks all - especially Lush... much appreciated