Facial expressions and autism

I’m not diagnosed yet but since it was first suggested to me I started to think about it. 

Because I’ve never really thought about it before. Or about body language. 

I’m quite ok with recognising facial expression in those facial expressions tests where you look for as long as you like at a bit exaggerated expression and have to pick the correct answer. But in real life nobody’s face is still for long enough and there are no answers to pick from.So I don’t notice anything apart from obvious (someone cries, yells or laughs). 

The rest is usually neutral so I really believe that most people are on neutral most of the time. I see they make some expressions but i categorise them as neutral.

I find it hard to believe that people have lots of emotions and expression constantly going through them. I’m mostly neutral. Or anxious. 

I’ve read Field Guide to Earthlings and I still can’t believe that people are behaving that way. And I don’t know if I behave similar way or different because I never felt or believed that my body language says something. Anything.

 I also have problem with recognising people’s faces out of context so maybe it’s part of the problem.

I’ve tried to watch YouTube videos on mute to pay more attention to body language and to facial expression but it didn’t help.

I was told I’m really hard to read even though I’m quite expressive. 

I really would like to know more about it and compare myself to others but I don’t have people I could compare with. And I don’t know really how to compare.

I’m not diagnosed yet but since it was first suggested to me I started to think about it. 

Because I’ve never really thought about it before. Or about body language. 

I’m quite ok with recognising facial expression in those facial expressions tests where you look for as long as you like at a bit exaggerated expression and have to pick the correct answer. But in real life nobody’s face is still for long enough and there are no answers to pick from.So I don’t notice anything apart from obvious (someone cries, yells or laughs). 

The rest is usually neutral so I really believe that most people are on neutral most of the time. I see they make some expressions but i categorise them as neutral.

I find it hard to believe that people have lots of emotions and expression constantly going through them. I’m mostly neutral. Or anxious. 

I’ve read Field Guide to Earthlings and I still can’t believe that people are behaving that way. And I don’t know if I behave similar way or different because I never felt or believed that my body language says something. Anything.

 I also have problem with recognising people’s faces out of context so maybe it’s part of the problem.

I’ve tried to watch YouTube videos on mute to pay more attention to body language and to facial expression but it didn’t help.

I was told I’m really hard to read even though I’m quite expressive. 

I really would like to know more about it and compare myself to others but I don’t have people I could compare with. And I don’t know really how to compare.

I'm undiagnosed female. When I first started reading about facial expressions and body language, I thought I didn't have a problem. I'm quite a social person. Then it got me thinking. I do struggle to tell if someone is winding me up or not. I dont know if this is from bullying in childhood but i do get suspicioys if people are joking on me or not. Eye contact does make me uncomfortsble in some situations. I can get the wrong end of the stick with close ones (often tone of voice but maybe sometimes facial expressions too). I did the empathy quotient test or whatever it was online and scored higher than a neurotypical person. What are your own expressions like? I've had people say to me "cheer up it'll never happen." "Cheer up! It's a party!" I felt perfectly happy although a bit nervous, as at any social event. Sometimes I think I'm smiling when I'm not. One of my old school photos I thought I smiled thrn when we got it back I just looked fed up. Something happened in a course I was attending with work a couple of years ago where I didn't read facial expression correctly then felt like a fool.  I don't pick up on if people are attracted to me. I didn't recognise the male gaze until I was about 25.  I'm sure neurotypical people have some of these similar problems too but I don't know to what extent. I think often my expression mirrors the other person. Most of my friends are quite expressive. I've noticed there's more movement in my voice and face depending on who I'm with. If I'm talking to a male, they generally are less expressive and I feel I have a more natural tone and face talking to them.  Sometimes I don't know how to react to someone and feel that my face isn't expressive enough or is too much. 

I don't feel like a typical girl.  

Would a neurotypical person think about all these things as I have done and do?

Do you think most people are neutral because you yourself feel that way most of the time?

Why do you feel the need to compare? Is it so you can be more informed as to whether you likely have ASC or not?