How can I get rid of a nervous laugh that has even started to irritate me?

[clareybeary]

Hello all,

I have a problem. When in conversation with someone, or out with a group of people, I laugh without reason. It could be after a not-so-funny joke, or after a pleasantry is offered to whoever may be speaking. It's strange and I hate it.
It has started to annoy me because I am neither as bubbly as someone who tends to laugh at everything is, nor miserable as something who does not laugh at anything. But I know the sort of impression that someone who laughs at everything can leave on someone else: that of brainlessness, or stupidity, both of which I feel I am not.
So what can I do? I know it is a nervous laugh, I've pretty much come to terms with that but how can I get rid of it? I fear that if I just BE ME, and not laugh at nothing, or something that I do not find particularly funny (of course, not out of politeness), the people who know me or are familiar with me would say: "hey, you're not laughing," or , "you're not laughing, something is wrong," or something, and I know these people well enough to know that they would say something like that because they've said it in the past, when I didn't laugh at something they or someone else has said.

Help me!

[naomi24]

Maybe you should post this in Body & Soul. I think you may get a better response there.

[ELVIS68]

I know how you feel
At school in the headmasters office, we`d be lined up getting a rollocking and I`d get the giggles and I`d be waiting for someone to say something funny just so I could laugh but when they did nothing happened

It`s the same now at funerals, everyone is serious and I get the giggles, not out of disrespect but because it`s a situation where you know you can`t laugh, I think it`s a nervous thing

[tamborine]

Like my son you have an endearing affliction to see the funny side other dont. It cheers other up - so dont worry; we glums need you.

[coccinelle]

One of the best ways to stop doing something you don't like is to replace it by something else ie instead of laughing just say ho, ho! Your friends will still associate the fact you're 'laughing' but after a while, change that to something else like a big smile until in the end you just make a small smile... Any help?

[clareybeary]

Thanks all for your answers, very helpful.
Coccinelle - I like your method of fading out the smile - I've been trying to do that lately... with some good results (although with rising paranoia). For instance when someone merely comments and I feel there is nothing to say, I won't laugh just to fill the silence. However, that has become a bit awkward at times with people I know very well. With others I'm not particularly close too, it doesn't.