7KH6DG7UXWKDERXW<RXU6PLOH_:RUOGRI3V\FKRORJ\

6HDUFKWHUPRU=,3FRGH

+RPH

&RQGLWLRQV

5HVHDUFK 5HVRXUFHV

4XL]]HV
)LQG+HOS

1HZV ([SHUWV

Menu:

3UR

:KHUHWR"

Blog Index

Depression
Depression Overview

Depression Quiz
Loneliness Quiz

Blog: Depression on
My Mind

General Symptoms of
Depression
Specific Symptoms of a
Depressive Episode
Treatment Options
Living with Depression

Depression Library
Dozens of articles

Ask the Therapist about

Depression
Ask Others about
Depression

Medications for
Depression
More on
Antidepressants

Blog Home | About World of Psychology | Archives

The Sad Truth about Your Smile

By Emily Waters
~ 2 min read

If youre subscribing to the old adage of grin and

bear it keeping smiling or chin up to mask unwanted negative emotions,
youre not doing yourself any favors, or fooling anyone else for that matter
science shows us homo sapiens are not that easily fooled.

Researchers say that over time, putting on a fake smile can actually
cause people to associate smiling with feeling unhappy, an internal
cognitive dissonance, causing not only temporary confusion, but a

KWWSSV\FKFHQWUDOFRPEORJDUFKLYHVWKHVDGWUXWKDERXW\RXUVPLOH





New Depression
Medications on the
Horizon

Depression in Older
Adults
Depression in Children
Teenager Depression
Depression in Women
Diabetes and
Depression
More articles on
depression...

Related Disorders
Dysthymic Disorder
Dysthymia Treatment
Seasonal Affective
Disorder

Related Topics
Depression News
Clinical Trials
Diagnostic Codes
MEDLINE Research

Recommended
Resources
Books
Websites &
Organizations
Evidence-based
Treatment for Children

Connect with Others

Personal Stories
Join Our Depression
Support Group
Rate 'n Review
Depression Medications
Other Online Support
Groups

Latest Articles
The Affair in Your

7KH6DG7UXWKDERXW<RXU6PLOH_:RUOGRI3V\FKRORJ\

sense of uneasiness. The better option that is recommended is that

people should instead forgo a smile until whatever negative emotion
theyre feeling is resolved or subsided.
We are always taught to never wear our hearts on our sleeves, be it in
a professional setting like the workplace, or in ones personal life,
although it is more forgiving in the latter area. Maybe society has it all
wrong. Maybe we shouldnt be overly concerned with social decorum.
But is that the healthiest route to take?
Perhaps it is best to give into our emotions every once in a while, not
only in an attempt to appear sincere and not disingenuous to others,
but more importantly to appear that way to ourselves. Not doing so
can give way to a whole gamut of negative emotions down the road
like frustration, denial, anger, and even resentment.
Perhaps the only way of letting go, although not always convenient, or
politically correct is by being true to our emotions. Not doing so might
be a true disservice. That being said, of course there is a time and
place for everything so crying at work because you did not get the
promotion you deserved might be an ill conceived idea.
Smiling by itself does not increase happiness or well-being, one of
the researchers writes in the study. For the study, published in the
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, researchers conducted
three experiments in which they asked people a range of questions,
including how happy they are with their lives, how much they smiled
that day, whether they thought people more often smile to feel good
or to try to feel good, and in which scenarios they recall smiling from
happiness.
They concluded that those who smile when happy often feel better as
a result, while those who smile when theyre not happy often feel
worse.
So who should smile as much as possible and who shouldnt?
People who smile frequently because of their naturally cheerful
personality or disposition should feel free to just keep smiling, as this
may indeed make them feel better. However, people who dont
naturally grin should remember that, for them, a smile is likely just an
attempt to become happy, one researcher noted, and in practice,
people can think about their own beliefs about smiling, see how they
feel about how frequently they smile and adapt either their beliefs or
their behaviors to make themselves feel better, he said.
Bottom line, researchers note that it seems to be best to find your
underlying motivation for smiling to begin with, and subsequently
strive to stay true to yourself and to your emotions at least most of the
time. That might indeed be the healthiest prescription of all with
minimal unwanted lingering side effects.

KWWSSV\FKFHQWUDOFRPEORJDUFKLYHVWKHVDGWUXWKDERXW\RXUVPLOH





7KH6DG7UXWKDERXW<RXU6PLOH_:RUOGRI3V\FKRORJ\

Marriage Might Be Your

Therapist
Why Exercise Helps
Depression
Chronic Depression and
Codependency
Dog Medicine: How My
Dog Saved Me From
Myself
The Upward Spiral:
Using Neuroscience to
Reverse the Course of
Depression
A View From a Lake:
Buddha, Mind & Future

Mom's Age at
Birth May
Impact
Daughter's
Depressive
Symptoms

Hope this advice puts a grin on your face. Or not.

Source: Journal of Experimental Social Psychology
Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 3 Sep
2014
Originally published on PsychCentral.com on 7 Sep
2014. All rights reserved.

About Emily Waters

Emily Waters earned her Master's degree in industrial psychology with
an emphasis in human relations. She possesses keen insight into the
field of applied psychology, organizational development, motivation,
and stress, the latter of which is ubiquitous in the workplace
environment and in ones personal life. One of her academic passions
is the understanding of human nature and illness as it pertains to the
mind and body. Prior to obtaining her degree, she worked in both the
corporate and nonprofit sectors. Presently, she teaches a variety of
psychology courses both in public and private universities.
View all posts by Emily Waters

Bullies & Victims

at Risk for Eating
Disorders

This post currently has 3 comments.

You can read the comments or leave your own thoughts .

Empathy May Be Key

to Political Persuasion
What's Hot

How Babies
Change
Relationships

APA Reference
Waters, E. (2014). The Sad Truth about Your Smile. Psych Central.
Retrieved on November 18, 2015, from
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/09/07/the-sad-truthabout-your-smile/

Use Joy To Treat

Depression,
Anxiety, Addiction
10 Tips for a
Successful
Relationship

Powerful Parenting: Anger Management Tips for Children

Alive in My Dreams: Grieving During Sleep

KWWSSV\FKFHQWUDOFRPEORJDUFKLYHVWKHVDGWUXWKDERXW\RXUVPLOH





7KH6DG7UXWKDERXW<RXU6PLOH_:RUOGRI3V\FKRORJ\

Most Popular Posts

Differences Between a Psychopath vs Sociopath

How Babies Change Relationships
10 Tips for a Successful Relationship
The Perfectionist's Guide to Making Decisions: The Art of Satisficing
5 Ways to Feel Less Anxious
Most Popular News

Mom's Age at Birth May Impact Daughter's Depressive Symptoms

Researchers Study Brain Response to Art
Treating Addiction Recovery As Reward, Not Deprivation
Bullies & Victims at Risk for Eating Disorders
Empathy May Be Key to Political Persuasion
From Our Blogs

3 Steps to Rebrand Your Parenting Style with a...

Breastfeeding Pain Linked to Postpartum Depression
The Psychological Trap Behind Fear of Failure
The Truth about HIV Transmission among Addicts and Alcoholics:...
Charlie Sheen Discusses Shame, Attempt to Conceal HIV Status...
Are Your Friends Making You Fat?
Recent Comments

lsdxcat: I am in the middle of a crisis of faith in our government and my fellow countrymen.
What happened in Paris...
Mark: I have been fighting (living with) depression for most of my life. I had a brief exciting 18
months of therapy...
Linda Trueblood: You can buy an electronic machine online. My therapy used it. It has
patches you stick on your area...
Kendall: Unfortunately I rather wait until judgement day to report to the higher power about
KWWSSV\FKFHQWUDOFRPEORJDUFKLYHVWKHVDGWUXWKDERXW\RXUVPLOH





7KH6DG7UXWKDERXW<RXU6PLOH_:RUOGRI3V\FKRORJ\

Philadelphia because the...

Kendall: I cant think straight because of my family destruction in Philadelphia my father pass
on then younger...
Join Over 175,000 Subscribers
to Our Weekly Newsletter
HPDLODGGUHVV

6XEVFULEH

Find a Therapist
Enter ZIP or postal code

=,3&RGH

*R

Home
About Us
Ad Choices
Advertise with Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
KWWSSV\FKFHQWUDOFRPEORJDUFKLYHVWKHVDGWUXWKDERXW\RXUVPLOH





7KH6DG7UXWKDERXW<RXU6PLOH_:RUOGRI3V\FKRORJ\

Terms of Use
Site Map
Disclaimer/Disclosure
Feeds
ADHD
Anxiety
Bipolar
Depression
Schizophrenia
Psychotherapy
Psych Central Professional
Psych Central Blog Network
Psych Central News
Psychological Tests & Quizzes
Sanity Score
Forums NeuroTalk
Copyright 1995-2015 Psych Central
Site last updated: 18 Nov 2015
Psych Central does not provide medical, mental illness, or psychological advice, diagnosis or treatment. Learn more.
0LSLDFH

PLOD )ROORZ#SV\FKFHQWUDO

.IROORZHUV

KWWSSV\FKFHQWUDOFRPEORJDUFKLYHVWKHVDGWUXWKDERXW\RXUVPLOH