To have a sore face from fake laughing

[Jimminychristmass]

I've just returned from an evening out with friends and I've spent the whole evening fake laughing so I fit in.

This happens so much in my life especially if I'm in a big group. I tend to have one on one best friends who make me actually laugh along with my husband and kids sometimes, but if I'm in a group with friends who I'm not necessarily close with it happens every time I get back. I just feel utterly exhausted from pretending. And it's not because I don't like these people, I really do. I just don't actually find much of what we're all laughing at truly funny.

I was just thinking about whether the rest of them were genuinely laughing and there is something wrong with me, or is this more common than I think?

Totally get it. After about half an hour I’ve just had enough, no matter who I’m out with and I just disassociate and get through the evening

Yep I often feel like this in a group. I don't really socialise any more beyond meeting up with one friend at a time. Wish I'd not forced myself to do so much of it in my teens and twenties as I was NOT having fun. It now gives me a migraine if I attend eg work Christmas party.

I have a very peculiar sense of humour and don't find a lot of things really funny. But I can honestly say, I never had to fake laughing.