Looking less okay than you actually are

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DevilKisses
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07 Jul 2014, 4:36 am

People often ask me if I'm okay at horrible times. If I'm lucky they'll ask me when I'm just a bit tired or bored. I can usually give them a satisfactory answer and they leave me alone. If I'm unlucky they'll ask me when I'm spacing out. I can understand because I look like I'm hallucinating when I'm spaced out. When I'm spacing out I feel fine, but I can't really respond to my environment that well. I often end up responding inappropriately.


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Kiriae
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07 Jul 2014, 7:57 am

People tend to ask me if I am OK when I actually feel normal. There is something in my face that makes them think I am constantly sad.



kraftiekortie
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07 Jul 2014, 8:13 am

I know what you mean. I like to space out sometimes. I don't like people disturbing me when I'm spacing out. Perhaps, in the course of spacing out, I might come up with a creative idea.



structrix
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07 Jul 2014, 8:58 am

People do this to me too. It's worse when they do it in front of a group and then you are like....no, no, I'm FINE....(maybe, but now I feel worse for being singled out).


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Sweetleaf
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07 Jul 2014, 9:11 am

DevilKisses wrote:
People often ask me if I'm okay at horrible times. If I'm lucky they'll ask me when I'm just a bit tired or bored. I can usually give them a satisfactory answer and they leave me alone. If I'm unlucky they'll ask me when I'm spacing out. I can understand because I look like I'm hallucinating when I'm spaced out. When I'm spacing out I feel fine, but I can't really respond to my environment that well. I often end up responding inappropriately.


I tend to look more okay than I actually am.

Also though, how exactly is one supposed to look when they are hallucinating? Didn't know that was a specific look aside from like dilated pupils if on psychedelics for instance, but people certainly don't all have the same facial expressions during such experiences....not sure if hallucinations caused by mental disorders cause dilated pupils or not.


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eggheadjr
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07 Jul 2014, 10:29 am

I get this too - my wife will ask me if I'm OK / angry / upset at times (we've been married almost 25 years) when I'm doing just fine.

Seems to occur when I'm thinking about something. I guess my "serious" face can come across a bit strong. :D


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Andrejake
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07 Jul 2014, 11:24 am

It happens to me a lot, especially when i just need some time alone to rest and people start acting like if i was dying or deeply depressed.



Dan_Undiagnosed
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08 Jul 2014, 8:30 pm

I first started to notice this when I was in high school in the late 90s. My year 10 grade advisor asked me if I was okay a few times. I remember one time he said something like "cheer up mr ********, life's not that bad" or something and I was like huh? From then on I sometimes tried to have less of a poker face but it is a constant tiring effort. It would be like an nt constantly trying to look flat or sad when they felt good or just normal.



EzraS
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09 Jul 2014, 1:34 am

I get asked if I'm okay all the time. But I don't mind because it just means they care. I like that they are checking up on me to see if I'm alright, instead of just assuming I'm okay. Lots of times its an opportunity to tell them by text if something is wrong.



Dillogic
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09 Jul 2014, 2:02 am

Sweetleaf wrote:
I tend to look more okay than I actually am.



nyxjord
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09 Jul 2014, 10:24 am

THIS!! !! People used to ask me constantly if I was angry.. when I would have a completely blank face and be thinking about nothing at all! I had to learn to put emotion on my face (confusion, wonder, excitement, etc) so that people would stop constantly asking me what was wrong. Now I always have some type of emotion on my face.


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JoelFan
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09 Jul 2014, 10:43 am

Yes tho sometimes I wish they would stop! I'm tired of people prying into my life and asking Are you happy?/ Oh you look depressed?/ are you depressed?/ is there something you wanna talk about?

What people don't seam to understand happiness is an extreme so is sadness I'm content with my life not overly happy not overly sad it's probably the only thing in my life that isn't in "black and white"

Tho as Ezra said it just means they care. So I don't really hold it against them


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11 Jul 2014, 3:28 pm

I used to hear this stuff all the time growing up (are you okay whats wrong smile cheer up its not that bad) but then I learned to put on a smiley face so I wouldn't have to listen to it anymore. So now people usually think I'm more okay than I am. But every once in awhile someone will ask if I'm okay, especially if they catch me in an unguarded moment, when nothing is wrong and I'm just daydreaming or trying to remember something.



babybird
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11 Jul 2014, 3:34 pm

No one ever asks me if I'm ok.

That could mean one of two things I suppose.


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11 Jul 2014, 4:33 pm

Nope. Not a thing.
Never.

Doesn't matter how bad my day is... the absolute MOST I can expect from anyone is a dirty look or complaint from co-workers because some random tiny thing I'm doing is somehow distracting them from their work or something.

Other than that, and actual work-related discussions... nobody ever says anything to me. Ever.

Oh yeah, and when I get sick, I tend to get accused of faking it. Like apparently I should be immune to ever getting ill or something.




I suppose I could blame it on the fact I always wear sunglasses.... but I mean c'MON ... it isn't like my eyes communicate anything anyway.



skibum
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11 Jul 2014, 5:17 pm

Sometimes people think I am angry when I am spacing out and I have a blank stare on my face. I guess it must look like a cold stare. usually I am not thinking about anything at all but I am focusing in on one thing like tree bark or a cloud or I might not be focusing on anything at all. Some people have insisted that I was angry when I was just spacing out but usually I think I space out when I need a little mental rest and reset. It works like a shutdown or mini meltdown without all the drama of a meltdown.


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