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Domisoldo
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06 Sep 2012, 1:36 pm

While I don't think people would label me as unexpressive, I realize that there are some things going on with my facial expressions. First, people routinely tell me that I look easily ten years younger than I am... I usually discard the idea, as I don't care about aging, I don't dye my hair and don't use make up... But the fact is that there aren't many lines in my face. Some smile lines, because I smile a lot in public. But about my smiles... Thinking about it, I remembered that, when I was younger, someone told me that I smiled only with my mouth, not my eyes. Then I looked at my smile in a mirror and practiced smiling with my eyes too. 8O I've been careful about it and now it's a reflex. Also, I noticed a long time ago that when I'm absolutely furious, or sad, or hurt... my face is completely blank. It's sometimes a problem, because when I have to act these emotions when I sing, I have to exaggerate them a lot. If I just feel the emotion and stay natural (Stanislavsky acting style), it won't show.

I read that women asperger can be more expressive than their male counter-parts, especially if they're good actresses - and I modestly think I am a good actress... What about you? How do you "fake it"?



alpineglow
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06 Sep 2012, 1:58 pm

Not sure what exactly you are asking here, fake what? But it is an interesting post and that's cool you are an actor.



Domisoldo
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06 Sep 2012, 2:04 pm

In fact, I'm a singer. And I sometimes perform reading poetry too. But it doesn't pay the bills, unfortunately. :lol: What I'm asking... Hum! I'm just curious to see if some people here can relate to my experience with facial expressions... I just self-diagnosed (over the past few weeks), and I'm still connecting many dots, and remembering things, noticing things in that new light... Persons with asperger are labelled as being unexpressive... I wonder if that is true for everybody, or if some persons spent as much time making faces in front of mirrors as I did... :oops:



chris5000
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06 Sep 2012, 3:07 pm

I dont really have any facial expressions. even when it feels like im smiling im not. I have a blank face



Mindsigh
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06 Sep 2012, 4:15 pm

I caught a glimpse of my face in a store window one day as I was walking down the street and even though I felt okay, nothing in particular was bothering me, I had a scary, angry scowl. :oops: I think I was just squinting because light bothers me but if I was me, I wouldn't want to talk to me either....


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Samian
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06 Sep 2012, 4:26 pm

Mindsigh wrote:
I caught a glimpse of my face in a store window one day as I was walking down the street and even though I felt okay, nothing in particular was bothering me, I had a scary, angry scowl. :oops: I think I was just squinting because light bothers me but if I was me, I wouldn't want to talk to me either....


I can relate - I've been told I look angry when I'm actually confused or just a bit nervous.

It's not that we don't make facial expressions. Maybe just not so much and the ones we do make may not fit the occaision



anneurysm
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06 Sep 2012, 4:58 pm

I haven't had any problems with facial expressions, (other than the fact that I smile a lot out of nervousness) but having a lack of or odd facial expressions is pretty common with AS. It's good that you've been able to identify this trait in yourself, and that you're figuring out what aspects of AS apply to you.


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Given a “tentative” diagnosis as a child as I needed services at school for what was later correctly discovered to be a major anxiety disorder.

This misdiagnosis caused me significant stress, which lessened upon finding out the truth about myself from my current and past long-term psychiatrists - that I am a highly sensitive person but do not have an autism spectrum disorder

My diagnoses - anxiety disorder, depression and traits of obsessive-compulsive disorder (all in remission).

I’m no longer involved with the ASD world.


JitakuKeibiinB
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07 Sep 2012, 6:18 am

My face is almost always "blank". Besides that, there are only two expressions that I make that I'm aware of. (Excluding laughing, etc.) The "annoyed face", which I make intentionally to tell people to go away. I don't know if I do it right, because they never go away. And the smile. But I don't smile when you're supposed to smile. Instead I smile inappropriately when having negative emotions and someone else is around. If someone is mad and yelling at me then I smile, and they get angrier. If I'm mad at someone else and they talk to me, I smile. If I'm sad and someone tries to console me or something, I smile and they think I'm "faking it". It's really confusing.



SilverDragonfly
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07 Sep 2012, 9:35 am

I have always had people tell me I look a lot younger than I am. I have also had people tell me I always look mad or ask me what is wrong when I feel fine. I have the issue of not smiling with my eyes. I am female, but I guess I don't really "fake it" very well.



Domisoldo
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07 Sep 2012, 10:15 am

About looking sad when you're not... I actually keep a very slightly smiling face when I'm in public... It's almost nothing, just a kind of open-focused face, I'm not REALLY smiling, but it makes my face more sympathetic... I knew I was doing it, but I had never realized it was unusual. It's only when alone that I leave my facial muscles truly relaxed. 8O



chris5000
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07 Sep 2012, 12:50 pm

I have never even been aware that you smile with your eyes.