Chronic bitchface

March 26th, 2011

Just doing my bit to spread awareness for this common, but little understood condition. Thousands around the world are affected by chronic bitchface, with sufferers having to endure being told to “SMILE” and “cheer up” by well meaning, but irritating strangers. There is no known cure.

(Prints of this are now available!)

482 Comments

  1. Danyogurt says:

    Im a guy who has chronic bitch face as well. People always ask me, “why do I look so serious.” Now there is a diagnosis for it and I have an excuse. Lol.

    reply

  2. kaylynn says:

    Today I was at the store buying some lunch when someone said to me, “you look so serious!” and I had to smile. I was not serious, only hungry, as I happily purchased some food. I ALWAYS get told that I need to smile or other girls think I’m giving them the “stank” look, when I’m really just walking around or admiring an outfit. *SIGH*

    reply

  3. Ellen says:

    It’s summer I want this print! Open up up the print shop! Please!

    reply

    kris atomic says,

    June 3rd, 2012 @ 11:53 am

    Hi Ellen,
    It’ll be open on the 11th of June!
    kris x

    reply

  4. BF says:

    Hooray! I have found my people! A little corner of the internet where we have something quirky in common…and had someone clever enough to crystallise it in a humorous form.

    Thanks for the cartoon, it has made my day.

    reply

  5. Sheryl Jensen says:

    I love the diagnosis’ name ;-) I have chronic “sad face” or “unhappy face” with a mouth that turns down at the corners…inherited gene. I want a “catchy” diagnosis name. I’m really a very happy person inside but unless I smile all the time, everyone assumes that I’m very sad or unhappy…any suggestions for a diagnosis?

    reply

  6. Olivija says:

    I always redirect people to this, because it’s the most apt way to describe myself! And, yes, I’ve had that exact line, too, and I’ve even had to google its meaning because I’ve no idea! xx

    reply

  7. T.K. says:

    Thanks for this post! I always thought I was the only one with the condition and tried to avoid public places.

    reply

  8. Rahul says:

    That’s absolutely wonderful! I almost laughed at it for 10 minutes ! I just loved it ! Thanks for posting ! Did u drew those sketches or they are image from some where else ?

    reply

    kris atomic says,

    September 20th, 2012 @ 7:23 pm

    Thank you! The drawing is mine :)
    Kris x

    reply

    Rahul says,

    September 21st, 2012 @ 7:36 am

    I ain’t an artist , but I feel you use similar kind of colors most of the time ,particularly bright and vibrant color. Any such reason of doing that ?. Is it because of the object you are doing so or you love those colors. But, beauty oozing from colors seems to express its true worth ! No doubt !

    reply

  9. Lowri says:

    haha, this has made my day! it also explains a lot…

    reply

  10. CARLO says:

    I’m a gay male with chronic bitchface. Gay bitchface may perhaps be the worst type of bitchface, it’s somehow more transparent. Two unfortunate things about it: first, I’m in theater, which if you have bitchface immediately brands you as difficult, and secondly it’s quite often involuntary, but when it is voluntary is when I really get in trouble because it’s far worse than I imagine it to be. I hope I’ve found a support group here :)

    reply

  11. [...] I applaud lifestyle, fashion and other personal bloggers who do it every day. I also suffer from chronic bitchface (see above. I swear I’m really nice! Say hi if you see [...]

  12. Katie says:

    I really am a happy person and I like to smile but my relaxed face is straight. People have called me snobby because of my face before. A girl in one of my previous classes who I had only talked to on one or two occasions said she hated me because I thought I was better than her. I DON’T THINK I’M BETTER!! It is hard living with this sometimes because people always misunderstand you

    reply

  13. Jes says:

    Yes! Thank you! I finally have a name for this affliction other than “this is just how my face looks!”

    reply

  14. Nicole says:

    THIS IS ME!!!! I usually look like I want to KILL someone if I am not smiling, but that’s just how my face looks naturally! I now have a name for my affliction. :)

    reply

  15. Beeray says:

    Sourpuss.

    That is what a random customer called me a work one day.

    She came up to me and told me I look like a sourpuss and that If a handsome man came into the store I woudn’t attract him because of the look on my face.

    reply

  16. [...] Atomic, she of ‘Chronic Bitchface‘ fame, talented illustrator and long-time internet pal has just released something so [...]

  17. Male w/ CBF says:

    Male, 34, I have chronic bitch face as well. I get comments on my facebook to, smile, lighten up. Thing is I am smiling. I smile in every photo. I am as happy as can be. People are just idiots. Now I give a thumbs up in photos to make happy.

    Other people have chronic bitch face too. Alot of people that test ISTP on the briggs and myers test tend to have it as well as INTPs and a few other types.

    I like it alot. It keeps unwanted conversations and fights away. “Look at crazy eyes over there. Lets not f with him.” so fun.

    reply

  18. [...] I swear I don’t intend to come across as a mega-bitch. It just kind of happens. My chronic bitchface doesn’t help. (Image via Kris Atomic) [...]

  19. Angela says:

    Oh my!!! There are others out there! My whole life I’ve heard, “Smile! Life’s not that bad!” and many other similar phrases. A perpetual pout is my plight. Thanks for the giggles!

    reply

  20. [...] love this piece by Kris Atomic. Share the love:Like this:LikeBe the first to like [...]

  21. Kristen says:

    THIS IS ME, omg. I shared this on twitter. I have bitchface, drivingface, programmingface. And it is the worst when people tell me to smile! I am the happiest person ever! I hate looking dour on the outside! So I put on a smile but I can’t imagine it’s natural looking. I think I need smile lessons.

    reply

  22. kimberly says:

    oh my gosh, this is how it has been for me since grade school i think. Its just my face people. I always told/tell them that. Uggh but glad im not alone.

    reply

  23. Ash Frog says:

    This is awesome!

    Me and my friends refer to it as RBF (Resting Bitch Face)

    reply

  24. Tony says:

    So, it looks like there are a bunch of people out there that know that they are sending off some kind of non verbal message about being bitchy but don’t think that there is “anything” they can do about it. I am calling bullshit, stop being such a bitch, and figure out how to communicate happiness. The rest of the world shouldn’t have to be clairvoyant because you feel like a victim. You people are pathetic.

    reply

    kris atomic says,

    December 30th, 2012 @ 10:57 am

    Calm down Tony, it’s just a bit of fun.

    reply

  25. Kate says:

    I have had this all my life! People were telling me to smile as I was going down the isle at my wedding! I thought it was just me.

    reply

  26. Deborah says:

    What a great post! I had chronic bitch face and got so tired of the “smile” and “it’s not that bad” comments that I decided to change my face. I practiced turning the corners of my mouth up and now it’s a habit. I don’t feel any different on the inside but everyone around me feels better. You can also communicate a positive vibe through eye contact.

    reply

  27. Bobsaggot says:

    Atleast people ask you about it. Or comment on it nicely. I have chronic bitch face and as a male everyone just assumes I’m a prick. And treats me as such. Woman have it easy…

    reply

  28. Sally says:

    Love it – share your gift! An American living in Britain loves your work!

    reply

  29. Estella says:

    I can’t even begin to describe how much this picture is like me! i always get comments like ” Cheer Up , we hate it when your crabby” and im all lke ” What are you talikng about? im in a great mood!” Now i know its just my face!! To bad there isnt a cure!

    reply

  30. M. S. Miller says:

    thank you for this, yes it is a pain to have this condition. if i had a nickel for every, “smile it can’t be that bad” or why do you always look so grumpy!!

    reply

  31. M. S. Miller says:

    thank you for this, yes it is a pain to have this condition. if i had a nickel for every, “smile it can’t be that bad” or why do you always look so grumpy!!

    reply

  32. [...] Kris Atomic comments – “Just doing my bit to spread awareness for this common, but little [...]

  33. jennifer says:

    this happens to me all the time,started in my teens til adulthood….. now i have one wrinkle crease between my eyes and that REALLY makes me look bitchy!no matter how nice you are or the tone of your voice,people look at your face and think your a bitch,mad,grumpy or something is wrong….i would love to have plastic surgery to fix this…what can i do?

    reply

    noreen says,

    April 5th, 2013 @ 9:15 pm

    can’t help it if we are not fake people with a permanent plastic smile!

    reply

  34. Tim says:

    I have the opposite condition. I have an Irish face, and even when I’m brooding people seem to think I’m always ready to dance a jig on the table, smiling rainbows.

    reply

  35. Hildegard Argelmach says:

    people also can’t tell the difference between:

    a) pointless worrying
    and

    b) trying to think hard about something that is legitimately, seriously bothering me

    or c) trying to put on a moody atmosphere so I can enjoy a feeling of pleasant, bittersweet melancholy, like that awesome cut scene in that game

    I don’t like looking cheerful and happy all the time. Nintendo does that. I was raised Sega.

    reply

  36. noreen says:

    HAHA I LOVE THIS. It should be a Facebook page. since young people have always thought I was stuck up, and only after actually getting to know me would say,”You know, I thought you were really bitchy when I first met you. But you’re actually fun!”

    reply

  37. Susy says:

    I have this too! It used to drive me crazy. But then I realized, it’s because the outer corners of my eyes droop down, just like a sad cartoon character. So when I realized that, I decided to start doing a cat eye and now I only get comments like “your eyes are so pretty”. Makeup can do ANYTHING

    reply

  38. dalaurya says:

    Uggggh! Thank you so much. :)

    reply

  39. [...] this has been a common thread throughout my life. I’m living with chronic bitchface – a syndrome that prompts strangers to tell me to smile and causes men to think that I’m mean [...]

  40. [...] for work and getting shouted at by strangers to cheer up because I have an ongoing case of chronic bitchface (she even has [...]

  41. CHRISSIE says:

    hahah!! perfect. i get this from everybody, was starting to think i was just a bitch, this post gives me hope hahaha.

    reply

  42. [...] couple of weeks ago, I ran across this comic going around Facebook. I SO IDENTIFY WITH IT. I remember even way back in high school, struggling [...]

  43. [...] of “being friendly” as a marker of beauty? What if you’re like me or friends of mine who have Chronic Bitchface either from dealing with all the bullshit in the world, or just because that’s how our face [...]

  44. somebody says to me: “What’s with the face”
    I say: “So you’ll know who I am”

    reply

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