An impulse issue?

Post Reply New Topic

A person who has aspergers laughs and smiles at an inappropriate time is this an example of an impulse issue amongst people with aspergers?

Not sure if it's an impulse issue, as much as... a miswiring issue, or something? I smile when I'm afraid, outright horrified, when I am really upset, etc. And it's uncontrollable, but does not mean I'm happy.

I smile a lot at inappropriate times, it seems like it's an involuntary reaction when some emotion is involved. I was grinning when I was trying to give my niece condolences for her arrest a couple of months ago. I sincerely doubt it had anything to do with impulses as I wasn't feeling any except to stop smiling.

Laughing is different, sometimes I get weird visual associations from what people say, and not always appropriate - but since I never laugh out loud it may be less of an issue.

I most definitely smile at very inappropriate times. I'm not sure why and I wish I could control it. It's not an outward expression of happiness or joy for me when I am uncontrollably displaying a smile during these instances.

One time I wrote a really long post about this issue. Including saying over and over again that this did not mean I was happy, that I wish it could be different, that it does not mean what it would mean if a nonautistic person were smiling or laughing in response to unpleasant situations...

...and some online bullies actually started spreading that post around as "proof" that I was really some kind of sociopathic monster, because it "showed that I enjoy" really awful things. >_<

During times of marital strife, and prior to my NT wife's and mine revelation of ASD's and my diagnosis, she had started to think that I was sociopathic or sadistic because I would be smiling whilst we were in the middle of very heated and emotional arguments. She made comments about how I was "heartless" or "soulless" and incapable of love. And she gleaned all this from my inappropriate facial gestures. Now, she has learned better and works hard at looking past my facial expressions, lack of tone, etc... and hopefully, realizes how caring and loving I really am on the inside.

Very much like this. I smile at just about any type of human interaction that comes my way, and haven't any control over it, no matter what I'm feeling. I also smile a lot to myself. I cry and laugh inappropriately too.

I feel bad for it but some people just say it's cute.

As for impulse issues, as an example I cut a few chunks of my hair off the other night on impulse.

Not sure if I would call it an impulse, it is just my natural reaction to situations or information.

I definitely have positive responses to horrible stories, like I always feel happy when I see disasters on the news. I always thought it was because I felt alone, and liked to believe that others had it worse than me. Maybe that is true to some extent, but there are situations that are far beyond this. A good example was an article I read recently of an old lady who was burned alive in a retirement home as she was smoking a cigarette. I just couldn't stop laughing, I could barely breathe I laughed so hard. I kept imagining her blazing up like in a comedy movie.

I tend to feel less guilty about this since I heard about ASD and read these forums. I am what I am and if other's misfortunes make me happy, then it is still a positive in my book.

I don't smile. Unless I remember that other people expect it.

I smile when I'm giving bad news about myself. I'm not sure that this is an AS issue, though. I think that this may be simply be conditioning from my childhood.