How to Talk to Expressionless People

[@DisabledVetToMillionaire]

It is called flat affect. Please don't make fun of it. These people have a low amount of facial expressions or no facial expressions. It is a medical condition. Don't make fun.

[@let6655]

Make the person human? What, you mean they weren’t already? Some people are not expressive, but it doesn’t mean they don’t feel. Ever heard the phrase, “still waters run deep”?

[@RomanVideos1]

Most of my life i am having the everyday expressionless face.. it's just who i am...

[@bunnyteeth365]

This is a very informative video as someone who's socially awkward. It explains the weird responses I get from people. I know someone who asks "clarifying questions" to me and it drives me crazy.

[@krisnight2302]

Many, MANY people don't use expressions, but that doesn't mean they don't feel. Don't judge a book by its cover.

[@zendavis3501]

I have flat affect due to depression and a genuine disdain for people. I've been through so much shit Iam just numb.

[@fagelsinnet]

I have autism and am very expressionless and have been all my life. It's called flat effect. I feel emotions just as much as others but I'm just unable to show it through my tone of voice, facial expressions, body language. I have a very monotonous voice/speech, no body language nor facial expressions regardless of what I feel. I don't nod or use my hands. I don't laugh at jokes even if I find them funny. It's very hard to make me smile even if I'm smiling on the inside. I also struggle with eye contact. This has very negative effects in social situations. When people tell you really good news or really bad news you're expected to react emotionally but when you like me don't show any emotions at all you're perceived as "strange", emotionally cold, apathetic, rude. People think you have no sense of humor or personality. It makes socializing very awkward and people tend to take it personally and think you have something against them. It makes it extremely hard to connect with people. I have never had a friend in "real life" because of it. I like being alone and am okay with having no friends but I also like people and when I do talk to them I wish I could show that.

[@yingfei44]

I'm expressionless but I'm also a good listener and I always response to them and give them some advice (if needed). But you know, I try to smile, I tried my best to laughed. But I always found myself dead (I mean, my soul is dead). People always told me I have a tough heart, I don't know, maybe I am. They even ask if I ever cry? I don't know. Sometimes the tears just flowing down without me feels anything. It is true because of the mental-state caused me to be the way I am. My experiences effect me in to be what I am now.

[@michealray4895]

Stoic people are people, instead of trying to alter their appearance, maybe just speak to them without expectation. If you poke and pry, you might get decked. That goes for many types of people and not just stoics

[@rjsweda]

it can be aspergers too. i feel like i'm emoting like red skelton yet people receive it as buster keaton. I can get more blank & monotone in crowds or around negative energy people, their emotions go thru me, especially in crowds there is such a mish mash of emotions. it's ok when people loving, kind, nice. I think in general we talk past each other & project our assumptions on each other without actually checking in with the person to see if that is what they are feeling. instead, often, we make an assumption, then interpret things in a way that proves our assumptions, yet we don't check in with them to see if that is how it is. with aspergers i do better when people speak directly, without sarcasm or subtext, and we check in on each other to see what we both are thinking feeling etc. so many people make comments as if they believe thay can read others' minds. yet they don't check in with them. plus when your face is blank people can project a much more wider range of emotions & thoughts on you that isn't even in the ballpark of what you are feelings or thinking. it's better to just talk directly instead of making assumptions. namaste

[@CODGamer9137]

Yes I get that way too. That's because we're both empaths :)

[@BVenge-pe4wi]

The neurotypicals are at it again. Nice case study on these weirdos(the NTs). Thanks for the insight.

[@clan_fraser19]

Blair Venge, why do you consider neurotypicals ‘weirdos’?

[@gabrielguzman6018]

@@clan_fraser19 because he's a douchebag

[@dawnbogstad7471]

I have Aspergers - I don't laugh because my brain goes straight to the literal and it takes me a minute to catch up .... then I see why it was funny to you- but the moment is past ..... as far as the rest of it - I'm just listening to you..... I don't use my face for that - my face is resting - my brain is following you.....

[@Dark_Warrior]

"What is it like for that person" From personal experience, you don't even realise that is happening until someone brings it up or you see a recording of yourself Emotions unaffected it's just not expressed

[@yoya4766]

Given the title of this video I'm surprised all the comments are by those who think they are expressionless. I am immensely grateful to this video. I'm a highly sensitive empath who has met more than their fair share of flat affect people. Including most of my family. It has been torture; I have taken it very personally, and eaten myself up over it. When you grow up with a mum like this it messes up your self esteem. So thank you for explaining the subject so well and validating what normal communication is. Because I was made to feel the abnormal one for being expressive. For those here who think being a brick wall is cool or blame society's values. I think you're crazy and nasty. These traits are human nature and that's why they are societal norms. You further have no idea how awful you make other people feel, due to mirror neurons we (normal people) experience you're state of mind. And it aint pretty, as reflected in most of your disdainful comments. Thank god for this video, its explained a lifetime of suffering .

[@j.onewhomills6376]

You kind of missed half of the point

[@cellychu9266]

I think the crazy and nasty one here is you who say to be an empath but at the end of the text is literally hating people who have this flat affect At least makes sense for you to be "highly sensitive", you really demonstrated that to be true haha

[@yoya4766]

@@cellychu9266 You make no sense, learn to write before replying.

[@yoya4766]

@@j.onewhomills6376 Not at all. I have a lived experience of what its like for 'normal' people dealing with flat affect. Normality deserves respect as much as all those who deviate. But at present we are the persecuted ones.

[@j.onewhomills6376]

@@yoya4766 Si Fi yeah, but your comment had no respect for those who deviate. You call yourself an empath, but in reality, you have no empathy for those people with flat affects, which was the message of this video. They remind the audience that though it may be hard to talk to those people with flat affects, they have feelings too and deserve respect. You completely failed to respect those with flat affects. You don't know our lives and the kind of trauma some of us have been through to make us afraid to laugh or cry or show emotion. You don't know what it's like to be bullied as emotionless for your flat affect, when in reality, you're hurting so much that you just have to hide it all. You call us "crazy and nasty," and you call the comments on one of the few places we get to talk "disdainful." This video is about giving love to the unloved people with flat affects. Someof the flat affect problem is natural, but some of it is a result of our environment. My mother constantly hurt me (emotionally and sometimes physically) when I displayed emotion. I was already hiding dark secrets from her and everyone. I was bullied a lot. I eventually learned that the only way to protect myself from people is to stay distant from them. After a year, I had a nervous breakdown and was in the hospital for 3 weeks. After that, I've been trying to be normal, but always fail. I'm actually very empathetic and I care for people, but I can't show that for fear of being taken advantage of by yet another narcissist. I came here for some help and positivity after my (ch*ld m*lester) boss told me that nobody likes me and that I'm a jerk, etc. It's not easy. It's my own struggle. I validate yours and know it's hard. But please have more respect and empathy for those with flat affects. You don't know us individually, and these comments, in person and online, make it harder to deal with our already difficult social lives. If we're looking at this video, we're probably trying to get better.

[@kakei773]

...side note this is a super helpful video.

[@GamesCooky]

I have reduced affect myself. I try to consciously express emotions when they are expected by others. Like a psychological mask i guess. I have noticed that some people have a hard time reading me if i don't use a mask. It's actually kind of funny, because they don't really know how to handle the situation. On a positive note, because they're so uncertain on how to interact with me, they tend to not mess too much with me. They don't know whether i can take a joke or not. I've been called callous a couple times. Someone even called me a psychopath once. So that's why masking is a useful skill.

[@GamesCooky]

@Paul Tilley You just generalized the entire European population. What bad experiences have you had with Europeans to make you want to believe they're all the same?

[@GamesCooky]

@Paul Tilley Sounds like you're living your life in accordance to how others want you to. Americans are superficial.

[@GamesCooky]

@Paul Tilley Then that makes you antisocial. You live in such a way that brings you in conflict with societal norms.

[@Jake-be9ji]

Its a way of saying "im not playing your game"

[@kakei773]

If neurotypicals feel awkward because someone doesn't emote that's the NT's own fault. It's offensive to keep calling people awkward just because lack of expression makes you uncomfortable.

[@infinitetundra]

I get accused of this all the time for my Expressionless demeanor. It was a defense mechanism for my Narcissistic Personality Disordered Family. It’s an instinctual Grey Rock Method.

[@belindarosenheim2322]

Another marriage soothed and improved. Wow thanks.

[@LinYouToo]

How about someone who, when you’re with them, talks in a monologue style where they’re talking at you and when you try to share something going on in your life they just stare blankly at you? Some people are very good listeners and ask a lot of questions and show interest while others not so much. What advice would you give in this situation?

[@rachelmarcotte8415]

They either are very egocentric and narcissistic or they may have asd

[@yoya4766]

I experienced that recently albeit briefly. He was animated and talking in a monologue when I tried to say something about me. He looked at me as though to say how dare you speak. He was egocentric, all about him, and narcissistic in that I could only exist as his audience.

[@gabrielguzman6018]

Everytime I smile people judge me for it hence why I don't or show expressions

[@killerfrost1753]

Some people could be expressionless by choice, not just because of some medical condition or personality disorder.

[@niva-orruvio1312]

Thank you

[@anandsharma2512]

I am a expressionless person

[@zendavis3501]

Sure you are😉

[@thefriendlypsychopath3894]

I think my lack of emotions and no facial expectations is what irks people, I'm not good at pretending to make others comfortable as I could care less because I only care about myself.

[@AmbivalentAlexthymic]

Its called alexithymia.

[@michaelking4578]

If you take it personally then you are judging the motive of the person that isn't showing emotion.Only God can do that. If you do that you are putting yourself in the place of God because you are afraid of rejection likely. That is a cycle of chaos and destruction.

[@gabrielguzman6018]

Sadly a lot of people do this

[@sewagedump]

These people are expressionless to me.

[@zendavis3501]

I love your profile pic 😂😂😂

[@hannahkhan6910]

Mighty teacher said to my mom that ur daughter is expression less lol

[@sperdie8428]

0:00 that fucking face dude.

[@paulcooper5748]

What a gorgeous woman i would love to have this woman.

[@michaelking4578]

You might be talking to a serial killer.

[@DisabledVetToMillionaire]

I know serial killers who have all kinds of facial expressions. You are an illegal discriminater.

[@krisnight2302]

A lot of serial killers are sociopaths and are great and mimicking normal facial expressions. This is very inaccurate.

[@DisabledVetToMillionaire]

@@krisnight2302 .l

[@krisnight2302]

@@DisabledVetToMillionaire ???

[@DisabledVetToMillionaire]

@@krisnight2302 serial killers coming all types