I tend to portray myself being much weaker than I am. I'm not sure I have the words to explain it right now, just to say that I might pretend that something is affecting me when it totally isn't. I do that a lot. I think I might do it cause it lowers people's expectations of how tough I am, so that they lay off. I'm not sure... it's weird. It's really lying. I can take so so so much crap, maybe I do it to set limits and prevent getting abused?

Just curious

That's interesting, especially coming from a male. I always thought a men would do just about anything to not appear weak. I guess maybe it's just the men I have come in contact with. I would have to say I am the complete opposite. I pretend to be stronger emotionally than I really am. I act like things don't bother me when they really do. I act like this with my husband even because I feel like he sees me as this weak, naive, can't take care of myself woman. He worries way to much about me. I always tell him that I already have a dad, I don't need another one. I am a big girl now and I can take care of myself. When you act like this is it situational or only with certain people? Was there ever anything that happened to you that made you disconnect in order to cope with the situation? Do you feel like there are things that should bother you but don't and you don't know why?

I tend to portray myself being much weaker than I am. I'm not sure I have the words to explain it right now, just to say that I might pretend that something is affecting me when it totally isn't. I do that a lot. I think I might do it cause it lowers people's expectations of how tough I am, so that they lay off. I'm not sure... it's weird. It's really lying. I can take so so so much crap, maybe I do it to set limits and prevent getting abused?

Just curious
I think I can relate.

I've sometimes had problems of being overconfident, so I try to compensate by putting this in the reverse direction. It's intentional, but also I just do it to keep myself in check so I don't come across as an *******. I'd rather come across as someone unconfident rather than cocky, and in time, if the person got to know me better, they'd get to know me anyways. Usually I'm only like this when I'm in an antisocial mood and haven't been around people much.

It's one of these situations that has come along with not only being a crazy person, but also taking medication for it.

just to say that I might pretend that something is affecting me when it totally isn't.
Sounds like this is to prevent getting into a confrontation at every corner. I dunno though man, you should have provided the example of what was bothering you in the first place that made you create the thread. Are you talking about with strangers or with people you know?

i carry the diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder and have done that to con people as a teenager, I don't think it applies anymore because I sat in Jail for 7 years as a result of being an impulsive 16 year old.

I pretend to feel happy so that people don't worry about me. I try to smile at everyone even when just walking past them so that they don't have to worry.... though this is the reason I started with my mother and I am not sure of why I do it in public though. I also portray myself as childlike (though I am 26 -this probibly hampers my social life alot-) but I think it is a control mechinism so that I control the mocking.... Self mocking was another way to control the mocking of others.

Yes, very much so.

I tend to portray myself being much weaker than I am. I'm not sure I have the words to explain it right now, just to say that I might pretend that something is affecting me when it totally isn't. I do that a lot. I think I might do it cause it lowers people's expectations of how tough I am, so that they lay off. I'm not sure... it's weird. It's really lying. I can take so so so much crap, maybe I do it to set limits and prevent getting abused?

Just curious

I have some times pretended to be physically weaker than I am so I don't have to lift heavy stuff. I am a small boned women so it is believable. Some how I don’t think this is what you mean.

I understand behaving in a way that lowers people's expectations of you to make sure they aren't too high. I don't like to feel as if I am not good enough this is one way to make sure people do not expect more of me than I can meet. Is this what you mean?

Emotionally I am the opposite I don't show my depression much because I don't want to be a downer to be around, besides I figure most people don't care to hear my whining so why subject them to it. Silly I know but I hate to hear myself whine . . . .perhaps one to many "pull your self up by your boot straps" responses. (shrug)

I pretend to feel happy so that people don't worry about me. I try to smile at everyone even when just walking past them so that they don't have to worry.... though this is the reason I started with my mother and I am not sure of why I do it in public though. I also portray myself as childlike (though I am 26 -this probibly hampers my social life alot-) but I think it is a control mechinism so that I control the mocking.... Self mocking was another way to control the mocking of others.
I do the same thing...I try not to take myself too seriously(outwardly anyways) to prevent other ppl from doing it for me...because i can't control how someone else's feelings or impressions of me will make me feel

I tend to portray myself being much weaker than I am. I'm not sure I have the words to explain it right now, just to say that I might pretend that something is affecting me when it totally isn't. I do that a lot. I think I might do it cause it lowers people's expectations of how tough I am, so that they lay off. I'm not sure... it's weird. It's really lying. I can take so so so much crap, maybe I do it to set limits and prevent getting abused?

Just curious
Do you mean downplaying your abilities ('yeah, I'm just not really good at spelling'), or exaggerating emotional or physical vulnerabilities?

I learned both of these from my mom, a brilliant but sometimes bewildered woman with severe undiagnosed ADD.

Downplaying her abilities was a way of keeping people from expecting something she was afraid she couldn't live up to. She also spoke slightingly of her creative or mental abilities when she felt socially isolated by them.

The biggie, though, was exaggerating small emotional or physical discomforts. Life was full of obligations she couldn't meet and situations that overwhelmed her, and she couldn't begin to explain it to herself. Her only acceptable way to explain or control things was in terms of health, so small headaches or malaise became vital excuses for things she couldn't follow through on or escaping responsibilities or social situations that overwhelmed her.

I give her a lot of credit for not exaggerating small emotional hurts or frictions in the family to try to get more support. It would have been another great technique for controlling a bewildering situation, but she didn't go there. At least not deliberately.

I tend to portray myself being much weaker than I am. I'm not sure I have the words to explain it right now, just to say that I might pretend that something is affecting me when it totally isn't. I do that a lot. I think I might do it cause it lowers people's expectations of how tough I am, so that they lay off. I'm not sure... it's weird. It's really lying. I can take so so so much crap, maybe I do it to set limits and prevent getting abused?

Just curious
OMG !!! yes I do :eek:

Not weaker (maybe the opposite there) but when I was in school i used to not raise my hand to answer questions in class because i could ususally answer all of them and didn't want to get labelled a nerd.