When I was a child (2-3 years old), my parents could not get me to smile for photographs. They would try everything in the world during professional photo shoots to get me to smile... all to no avail. Eventually, my father noticed I was "smelling" not smiling. Guess I was oblivious to the fact they were pointing at their mouths while smiling... strongly encouraging me to do the same. I was listening... not seeing cues.
Fast forward to adolescence and adulthood (I'm 33)... I still cannot smile for photographs. I cannot "fake" a smile; it seems like a lie. But the real issue is that I cannot make a fake smile look real. I just end up showing my teeth and it looks all fake and mechanical... looks nothing like my real smile. Having said that, I have no issues smiling in real life when I am happy. I merely cannot fake it.... looks stupid. People still give me crap every time we do a group photo. "What's wrong".... "Smile"... "don't be a stick in the mud". The best I can do is to slightly raise the corners of my mouth and try to smile with my eyes. Anybody else have this issue?
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Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 160 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 61 of 200
09 Apr 2016, 9:52 am
