I've been confounded about this other profound aspect of my psyche- I can't tell if a person is laughing or crying by looking at them.

I get so confused when a person is crying, but at a point it looks like they are laughing! And visa versa. I get so confused that I unappropriately end up laughing at the wrong times which is worse than crying at the laughing times. It so red faced embarrassing!

It scares me! To not be able to pick up emotional cues and assign an actual emotion to it. A distraught person looks like they are hysterically laughing. I have asked so often "are you laughing or crying?" What a stupid question to ask someone in pain, or having a great laugh.

Any idea what this is?

I'm going to post this in different areas so that I get a good variety of replies from every perspective. I'm really concerned about this. Thanx.

I have no idea what this is, unless your mind is sheltering you from potential harmful emotions?

I don't know, it's freaky. The voice switches back and forth from laughing to crying and so does the facial expression. I'm so confused.

[Beowulf]

It can be DID, I have issues with that as well. For me, it is best to wait until I know for sure if a person is laughing or crying to react at all, which is fine and causes no problems. I also have sociopathic tendencies, so there are other things socially I have to work with. I do not know always how one is supposed to act or react to certain things and situations and so I have to watch other people and learn. Granted my reactions can be different depending on how I am feeling and not necessarily who I am right then but what part of me I am. All to say, sometimes it helps to observe others and take mental notes. Or just wait to react until you know for sure

Originally Posted by Beowulf

It can be DID, I have issues with that as well. For me, it is best to wait until I know for sure if a person is laughing or crying to react at all, which is fine and causes no problems. I also have sociopathic tendencies, so there are other things socially I have to work with. I do not know always how one is supposed to act or react to certain things and situations and so I have to watch other people and learn. Granted my reactions can be different depending on how I am feeling and not necessarily who I am right then but what part of me I am. All to say, sometimes it helps to observe others and take mental notes. Or just wait to react until you know for sure

True. Unfortunately, many of times its just me and the other person. Crazy thing, the face distorts between the two emotions, it's like ...I'm switching back and forth trying to deal with the situation. That makes sense because I now realize that I jump between several alters, one concerned, one upset, one freaked out, and one having fun, it happens so fast too, and I think it's a system jolt also. I was in denial then so I couldn't figure it out.

[JohnCrow]

There is an optical illusion of stairs where, when you look at it, it sometimes switches between the stairs going up and the bottom of the stairs going up

10 impressive optical illusions

I get this with emotions too. Not all the time but sometimes someone's emotion is obvious and then, without warning, you are no longer sure

Originally Posted by JohnCrow

There is an optical illusion of stairs where, when you look at it, it sometimes switches between the stairs going up and the bottom of the stairs going up

10 impressive optical illusions

I get this with emotions too. Not all the time but sometimes someone's emotion is obvious and then, without warning, you are no longer sure

Hey, these really looks Kewl. I really like the black and white spinning one near the bottom.

Not exactly what I'm seeing because the faces morph...that's the freaky part.

[ladisputelover]

I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOURE SAYING! Sometimes, I'll ask, "What's wrong?" And my friend will be like "what are you talking about?" And I'll say "you looked as if you're about to cry or something" and they'll look at me all weirdly and be like "I was smiling, what are you talking about?"
I get so confused, like I'll physically see a smile but I'll perceive it as a frown and so on.... Like emotions are all mixed up in my mind....
Is this what you're talking about kinda? Sorry, it's hard to explain it.

Originally Posted by ladisputelover

I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOURE SAYING! Sometimes, I'll ask, "What's wrong?" And my friend will be like "what are you talking about?" And I'll say "you looked as if you're about to cry or something" and they'll look at me all weirdly and be like "I was smiling, what are you talking about?"
I get so confused, like I'll physically see a smile but I'll perceive it as a frown and so on.... Like emotions are all mixed up in my mind....
Is this what you're talking about kinda? Sorry, it's hard to explain it.

Exactly! Yes! Sometimes ill jump between the two several times always the face changing! But to think about it, since it's so confusing, my anxiety would spike to panic levels and I start feeling like I'm withdrawing into my head. I notice too that I'm switching from a happy person to an upset person too, back and forth.

[TheFuZZieONE]

Dear alwayschanging2,

It sounds to me like it can be a mild form of attachment disorder, or some type of autism. Both of those disorders can make it hard for someone to read other people's emotions. Since you are bothered by it, you're clearly NOT a sociopath because you care about this issue and are embarrassed by it. It could be that whatever trauma that brought about the DID also caused you to detach from other people's emotions as well, and that's part of attachment disorder. Some autistic people also have problems reading peoples emotions. A friend of mine didn't find out he had a form of autism until in his 20's. He was completely functional, and we served in the military together, but he did have issues with relationships and was socially awkward. I would have never guessed he had a type of autism though!