Why do I laugh when it's sad?

Why do I sometimes laugh when the subject is actually really sad or upsetting? Do other people experience this? It's really annoying. It's like I don't feel the correct emotions!

Who is the subject of the conversation? I will often find myself laughing when the topic of conversation is about me and the other person considers it sad but I do not connect to the sadness but start laughing instead.

thanks for your reply, good point possum, that is often the case with me as well actually, only just realized. but...it can also be about anything sad or serious so I'm talking of a broader spectrum really..

You could very well be experiencing the correct emotion. Many people smile or laugh as a way to sort of self sooth / ease the intensity of the mood. Laughing can also be a sign of nervousness or discomfort. How do you actually feel inside when you're laughing at a sad situation? Also it could just be that you have become desensitized, with everything on tv and in the media in general truly sad things have been overexposed and developed now into a source of entertainment.

I think that one of the reasons you might laugh might be the same reason others cry at a happy situation. IMHO it is just a way to express an emotion. The problem is everyone has a preconceived notion of what is an acceptable expression of emotions for certain situation.

When I am in a situation where someone expresses the opposite emotion from the norm I try to remind myself that they might have a different concept of what is acceptable or are just releasing their emotions in the only way that they can at that moment.

here where I live and work when a person shows inappropriate emotions or is unable to show emotions it is called lack of affect, self regulation, shock, PTSD nervous habit, anxiety, depression, agnosia and many other terms too depending upon the situation and other accompanying symptoms.

for some people its normal for others its a learned behavior for others its a physical or mental health problem.

I have done it before.....with in me it was called depression, grief, stress and anxiety. the treatment for me was antidepressants and antianxiety medications.....

yes it can be annoying. your treatment providers can help you learn why you do it and how to control/show your emotions appropriately.

i used to go to this really sick Mental Health Clinic, and they would accuse me of having "inappropriate laughter", just because i actually thought it was funny to have survived another trauma.

what was i supposed to do ? suffer some more for having survived ? i don't think so. i often laugh at things other people think are my suffering. i'm laughing because i got away. it's a joyful thing.

laughter is the best medicine. it means you understand you got free~

My former room mate has this problem. I'm glad there are some valid reasons for this. She laughs occasionally when something I or someone says to her are obviously painful. I try not to get too hurt by it. She's a very caring and loving individual, with just that one little issue.

I laugh sometimes in unbelief. When something is really sad. I think what I feel about it. Is that I may of already cried about it, or felt bad for it...people have questioned me when I laugh when discussing really sad things. Its more like an after effect. ... just unbelief like this is unreal. ..and you react to it in with a smile. The smile for me is more like a disgust. ...but why then am I smiling...I feel that its more like I don't know what else to say or feel about it...
When I have already felt bad about it, or probably experienced other circumstances about it way to often... its like a fed up laugh.
It sounds ignorant even to me...but I do not know what to do about it.
I think people who mostly do it such as myself...is like...been there done that... cried over it hurt over it...I don't have any of that left for this monment ...type deal...

I get this, too. In my case, it's a symptom of my schizoaffective disorder. I'm pretty sure inappropriate emotion can be a symptom of all kinds of psychosis (though it's not necessarily just that.)

i do this when nervous, anxious, or confronted

I too have this issue.......... I will often laugh or smile at the exact opposite appropriate time - it is my believe that is part of my brain in "self protect" mode.

I rely on my fake smile, self-deprecating humor and quick wit to ensure that keep people at a distance from myself. If you never let them in, they can not hurt you.

Perhaps this is you too?

I am pretty sure what the OP is describing is specifically called emotional lability. In a neurological context is it psuedobublar [eh, spelling?] affect.

It can be caused by many things- TBI or other neurological complications or problems, extreme stress, exhaustion. It can be caused by some medications as a temporary or long term side effect or have roots in dissociation or, as was mentioned- psychosis.

Because the causes are so varied, it is difficult to pinpoint a cause. If it is an occasional thing it is likely not something to be terribly worried about, imo- but I mean, not a professional here... I just have personal experience with this after a TBI. The occurrence of inappropriate affect has lessened in intensity and frequency since the injury but still happens sometimes. Occasinally still with great severity- particularly with sharp unexpected pain- my immediate reaction is to laugh. I have a pretty immediate laugh reaction to a lot of things but it has lessened greatly in general.

I get giddy at some things that should make me feel just the opposite. The more I am aware of these inappropriate reactions the better I am at regulating them though.

If it is happening frequently and with in tensity and most of all interrupting daily functioning you should talk to a provider about it.

If it is bothering you in general, I would bring it up for discussion.

actually this is quite common they call it sort of a hiccupp of the brain