# I don't laugh anymore, but I find things funny



## HanSolo

For years I do some type of laughing through my nose thing...I inhale/exhale fast like a laugh....lots of people do it

Is that like linked to being so introverted and depressed, I used to laugh loudly ages ago, like in early teen years I think

I do find things funny sometimes, and have a good sense of humor, why can't I laugh anymore?????? And I hear my ex-dream girl and love her laugh, and again I just feel so left out and unloved by girls


If I was to try and laugh out loud like a normal person, even about something I find funny, it would be something fake like "Egon trying to laugh" in Ghostbusters, which I find funny.........he just does so really pathetic ha...ha......ha...ha.......because he's so serious in the movies...


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## LifeinAShell

im the same way i dont laugh i just breath out the laughfter


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## Mariette

Someone once told me how (more or less) all people tend to partially supress their laughter, automatically shaping it into a sound that's deemed socially acceptable, and that the only true, unadulterated laughter is heard from babies. There's something in that...

If a person is more withdrawn, this type of self-censorship might be stronger... But look - you said that you DO have the reflex to laugh - it's just quiet (the breathing thing). So, it doesn't seem to me that you have a depression-related problem there. 

Personally, I noticed that I laugh the loudest and best when I'm all alone. But then, there are various types of laughter (like, nervous laughter - I do that a lot in front of the others. :um )

Anyway, don't worry if you don't laugh - and never force yourself into that. Just enjoy the funny things and let go and enjoy yourself... that's the shortest way to a big laugh. But if you don't get there, it's cool! I know a guy who laughs once in a blue moon, and he's still well liked by girls and comes off as attractive. It simply looks like he has that "mysterious, disciplined, silent type" thing going on. So, don't worry about the girls - just be yourself.


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## AllInYourHead

Mariette said:


> Someone once told me how (more or less) all people tend to partially supress their laughter, automatically shaping it into a sound that's deemed socially acceptable, and that the only true, unadulterated laughter is heard from babies. There's something in that...
> 
> If a person is more withdrawn, this type of self-censorship might be stronger... But look - you said that you DO have the reflex to laugh - it's just quiet (the breathing thing). So, it doesn't seem to me that you have a depression-related problem there.
> 
> Personally, I noticed that I laugh the loudest and best when I'm all alone. But then, there are various types of laughter (like, nervous laughter - I do that a lot in front of the others. :um )
> 
> Anyway, don't worry if you don't laugh - and never force yourself into that. Just enjoy the funny things and let go and enjoy yourself... that's the shortest way to a big laugh. But if you don't get there, it's cool! I know a guy who laughs once in a blue moon, and he's still well liked by girls and comes off as attractive. It simply looks like he has that "mysterious, disciplined, silent type" thing going on. So, don't worry about the girls - just be yourself.


I find this interesting. This is a really good explanation of this phenomenon. I remember being very young and was very embarrassed of my laughter, and as I became aware of this I tried to force myself to stop laughing, which I couldn't do - so it ended up sounding like a little girl (like "hihihi"), because the laugh just bursted through. Thinking back now it's kinda funny, but at the same time not funny at all, and kinda depressing. And this just made me even more scared about laughing, and after some time I just stopped laughing at things, and whenever I watched comedies I would acknowledge that it was funny but not laugh. And being with people would confirm my thoughts about myself, as I was not like the others. I would smile to fit in, although I found what we were watching funny as ****.

It's starting to come back though, I've tried bringing the laughter back. Not sure what I did. But I think that your explanation of this makes it pretty logical.


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## AHolivier

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## ariariariarieeee

I'm the same way in public and just to myself I might laugh once but it wouldn't be realistic


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## probably offline




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## AussiePea

I just tell people that I'm happy on the inside.


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## aaaa1111bbbb2222cccc3333

probably offline said:


>


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## shemp

You don't have to laugh. You don't have to prove that you find something funny. If silent appreciation works for you, there's nothing wrong with it. But don't be embarrased of your laugh. The people I know with the most contagious laughter all have one thing in common: a unique, somewhat "silly" sounding belly laugh. The people who try to change their natural laughs end up sounding less genuine. Like Mariette said, most people probably change their laughter at least a little, in order to fit in. I think as you progressively overcome the shame and fear inherent in social anxiety, your laugh will return naturally. What does it say about society that we're expected to change our natural laughter to be more false?


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