Have you ever been called "intense"?

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I’ve been called intense on two occasions that I can think of, though I’d be willing to bet many other people I’ve come across thought it, even if they didn’t say it. The first time I remember was by my school headteacher who said something along the lines of, “you’re so intense—smile! You have a lovely smile”. I hate being told to smile, especially when they say something like, “smile, it might never happen!” It’s so rude—how do they know something terrible hasn't happened?

Anyway, the second time was when my partner’s friend said it. My partner and I had gone to his house for dinner and I was extremely anxious about all the conversation I had to engage in. My boyfriend left the room for some reason and his friend commented on how un-relaxed I looked and said I was “very intense”.

I don’t mind being told that. I am intense!

Yes, mostly when fortune-telling. At other times, I am generally described as "Ms. Serious."

i have never been described as "intense".
"intensity" implies an "amplified interpersonal energy" that the intense person imposes on the recipient of their forceful assertions.

i am described often as "cold and indifferent" or "aloof" because i have little desire to enmesh my mind with another persons mind. as far as i am concerned, as long as I thought what i thought, that is good enough for me. i do not have to show anyone else in order to complete the "thought" experience. sometimes i will say what i am thinking (like when i talk on WP), but those times are rare in real life. i am not intense in any way and i can fully understand why i have never been described as such.

yes, even used to get people who said i looked like i wanted to hit them
takes a minute to refocus with different distances book vs person

Actually, I use that word to describe myself. It's the most encompassing one-word descriptor I've found that maintains a semblance of accuracy. It's also much kinder than the words other people tend to use.

I've been called intense many times.
I'm not sure just what they mean by it though.

I've been called intense.

No, unless caught on an off moment. Someone told me once, "they think you're sweet now, but they haven't seen your temper."

So often it could be my nickname!

I tend to see it as a pejorative description.

Which caused me to write the following poem to show its beauty.

Intense
Deep woods
Pure gaze
Whispered words at night
Fierce love
Summer days
Beauty: framed by light

Intense, serious, I get both pretty consistently. I have been told to dial it back or turn it off, but I don't know how.

No and have been told that I am serious. "Intense" may mean different things to different people I suppose.

I've been called both "intense" and "mellow," oddly enough. My brother told me not long ago that I'll either show too little emotion or show too much, which might have something to do with it.

Yeah, I think so. Just another adjective on the old Rolodex, I guess.