can't laugh

LegacyUser

You know when someone makes a bad joke, one laughs at it to be polite... thereby making the joker feel good in your presence etc. My problem is that physically I can't do the voluntary laugh. Only if something is genuinely funny to me, can I laugh at it.

TBH you could say it's not a problem. If you're in a group, and someone says something funny, the rest of the group would emit an audible laugh, whereas I would just smile at it or whatever. Almost always there's enough people present to negate the fact that one of the group is not heard laughing... and that's fine.

Where I especially notice the problem is at work... most of my work is done over the phone discussing things with clients. Quite often the client will laugh at something I say (I'm a reasonably witty fu*ker even if I say so myself)...but when they make their bad joke I wish I could laugh back... but I can't...so I just say "indeed"... or make some comment in place of laughter.

I speak to a lot of v interesting people, and I wish I could banter freely with them... but because of my restriction, I often just keep to the subject at hand. Also e.g, when my father in law or someone important makes a joke, I wish I could laugh at it for the sake of politeness.

I don't know if my condition even has a name ffs. Anyway please don't tell me to lighten up or anything... I enjoy myself, and have a great life in almost every respect otherwise.

jimmycrackcorm

can't laugh wrote: »

Where I especially notice the problem is at work... most of my work is done over the phone discussing things with clients. Quite often the client will laugh at something I say (I'm a reasonably witty fu*ker even if I say so myself)...but when they make their bad joke I wish I could laugh back... but I can't...so I just say "indeed"... or make some comment in place of laughter.

If you were a fraction as witty as you think you are then you'd be able to some up with a reply, but obviously aren't. Try preparing by having a subject deflection for example. you recognize the problem, you know the symptoms, just be prepared for when it next happens and deal with it. It's not that hard.

LegacyUser

Ok, irrelevant statement of mine... my wit or lack thereof is beside the point.

R.D. aka MR.D

Expell lots of air out your nose while smiling and nod your head in person.

On the phone say, ha! with a fake smile.

Not difficult really. I don't think i know anyone who actually laughs with a fake laugh!

Catari Jaguar

Do like Mandy Moore's character in Scrubs. Whenever JD told a joke she would smile and say "that's so funny" instead of laughing.

Doop

I'd be kinda of similar... have never looked at it as a problem, rarely LOL unless i find it really funny, pleanty of little things u can do

eg.
*bad joke* ... answer, yeaha ha ha (hard to describe in text) its not really laughing but a gulping kind of noise! or ... "Ah your gas" .... "where'd we get u from", smiles usually sufice... although obviously not over the phone.

It's actually really hard to fake laugh. When I worked in a call centre I used to cringe during the weekly feedback and heard myself trying to laugh at a bad joke - everyone else was the same! I think it's better to say something back or say 'yeah' than force yourself to laugh.

dreadlocks

JimmyCrackcorm-If you were a fraction as witty as you think you are then you'd be able to some up with a reply, but obviously aren't.

Why bother putting a person who's concious of a perceived problem down even further? I honestly don't know why the **** some people come on this personal issues site offering negative putdowns. I've noticed the same seemingly professional posters practically tearing strips off people here. Get a life.