I noticed quite a few older unhinged people with upside down smiles. Like :( and that is their default facial expression. What is the reason behind this?

  • Acamon@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    As people age their faces sag due to changes in skin elasticity (and also often gaining weight), this can lead to a “resting sad face” compared with perky youngsters. But, as a middle aged person, I’ve also started to notice that I often get absorbed in my thoughts and realise I’m sitting there with a thousand yard stare and a drawn facial expression I associate with being sad or very sick or very hungover.

    But inside I’m not sad, I’m just thinking about something I need to do or whatever, but I feel like I need to consciously “inhabit” my body again and “power up” my facial muscles so I look thoughtful, or determined or something rather than a blank “my family has just died in a car crash and I can’t decide whether to call the ambulance or kill myself with a shard of broken windscreen” expression.

    • flambonkscious@sh.itjust.works
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      2 days ago

      further to this, we tend to get greater responsibilities as we age, and they’re no fucking fun, are they?

      watch out kids - don’t grow up, it’s a TRAP (and not the good kind). Still, it’s mostly mental, a lot of the time