Whenever I get nervous or embarrassed, I have giggling fits. And, it’s not that anything is funny nor that I laugh to cover up awkward moments. I can be doing a presentation on something as serious as cancer, but if I’m nervous, I giggle w/out control.
I heard that this happens to other people.
What causes this?
…and sorry, does this belong in GQ?
I think it’s classified as a nervous tic. I had a classmate in 2nd grade who burst into laughter when the teacher told us President Kennedy had been shot. I think people will also do this a funerals and such. You might want to mention it to your doctor. There may be something you can take that will help.
Yep, I do it too. Just be glad your reaction to being nevous or embarassed isn’t, say, bursting into tears, or shreiking wildly, or pulling out an AK-47 …
From what I remember from a course in animal behaviour years ago (no cites, sorry!), it’s a common animal behaviour as well. For example, when nervous (if there’s a predator around, for instance), birds will make unnecessary adjustments to their nests. It happens in other animals as well - they clean themselves, or have some other innocuous behaviour that doesn’t serve any apparent purpose, that’s brought on by uncomfortable situations.
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Having giggling fits when you’re really nervous couldn’t be as bad as sticking your fingers under your armpits and then (sniff) smelling them.
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well I would rather laugh then have to crap really bad which is what happens when I get nervous…
it sucks…
Wow… I do this all the time! Sadly, when I found out my uncle passed away, I was crushed but could not stop smiling… God, that’s bad. I could not figure out what the hell was wrong with me.
Maybe it’s some sort of defense mechanism. I’m pretty sure that this topic, or something similar has been on the board before. It was touched on in a thread about police officials in Bali (?) laughing at a terrorist’s comment about wishing he’d killed more people.
When I was younger I had this type of problem. My mom would be yelling at me and I would start to smile and giggle. Doing this would only make her more angry and have her yell, “It’s not funny!” Saying that just made me laugh even harder.
Also crying and laughing are really close, physiologically, I guess. Ever laugh so hard you end up crying? And notice how a laugh breaks the tension of an unpleasant moment?
actually laughing makes it more awkward for both parties.
A girl at school does this when she has to get up in front of the class and make a speech. She has it really severe–she gets up there, starts laughing, and then starts crying, which starts hiccups. Usually she ends up going and sitting back down with her head in her arms.
People who have known her since kindergarten say she has done it in every single grade. I think she just gets so worked up about it, knowing that she’s going to do it, that it becomes even worse.
It might also be a defense mechanism as Dignan said. I mean, teachers are less apt to give a really bad grade to a kid who’s up there crying but still trying to do it, and if she gives a bad speech people will still be sympathetic. I’m not implying she does it so she gets good grades; it might be subconscious.
I do it! Any social situation where I’m likely to be nervous will set me off. Mine is more of snorting cackle than a giggle.
But what’s really weird is when I laugh while in pain or stressed.
Every cat I have ever owned licks its lips when it is nervous. Yes, cats do have lips.
I laugh uncontrollably when traumatized. My son almost drowned and was I saved him and the initial shock wore off I was laughing so hard I nearly wet my pants. I thank God it was only him and me at the pool or surely he would have been taken away from me. Shortly after that he fell down a flight of stairs and I did the same thing.
Every cat I have ever owned licks its lips when it is nervous. Yes, cats do have lips.
I laugh uncontrollably when traumatized. My son almost drowned and was I saved him and the initial shock wore off I was laughing so hard I nearly wet my pants. I thank God it was only him and me at the pool or surely he would have been taken away from me. Shortly after that he fell down a flight of stairs and I did the same thing.
I was in counseling some years ago, and my counselor noted that I added a little “ha ha” to nearly every sentence.
Sorry 'bout that, I hit the “stop” button when I had the additional thought, evidently it had already gone through!
Giggle fits at funerals, weddings, home based crap-parties…my speciality.
It’s basically a contained area where a certain amount of uncomfortableness,propriety, hesitancy and uncertaintiy, mix it all up, add a funny line, a accidental fart, or some other totally inappropriate joke, and the room is yours.
It is not only a defense mechanism of giggling like a little school girl, but also a release mechanism of " Ahhhhh, we are all on the same wavelength here."
In my early thirties I developed a problem with nervous giggles at inappropriate times, but the problem didn’t last long. About the same time, I had a problem with hard laughter changing into hysterical crying. It was really scarey.
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Giggle fits at funerals, weddings, home based crap-parties…my speciality.*
Did you ever seen the Mary Tyler Moore episode where they are holding a funeral for Chuckles the Clown? (As best I remember, it was dressed in a peanut costume and was shelled by an elephant.) Anyway, Mary gets the giggles and it becomes infectious. One of the funniest things I’ve seen in a sit com.