Finally, there are a number of physical ailments that affect the movement of the body. Even if you’re aware that someone is suffering from one of these conditions, it can be hard to overlook gestures that don’t fit into the context of the situation or conversation. And when you aren’t aware of someone’s ailment, confusion is the order of the day. This is just the type of thing that leads to social isolation for these folks.

Neurological Disorders

When someone has a condition that affects the nervous system, he can have all sorts of behavioral symptoms—far too many to get into here, so let’s talk about one specific condition that can wreak havoc on the body: Parkinson’s disease. Sufferers may experience:

• Uncontrollable shaking

• Stiffness

• A shuffling walk

• Unclear speech

• A “flat affect” of the face

In the earliest stages of the disease, these symptoms can easily be mistaken as signs of aloofness or jitteriness, which may drive other people away, which only makes the situation worse. Understandably, many sufferers also deal with depression, which comes with its own set of physical symptoms.

So are you supposed to ask everyone who trembles if he has some sort of neurological problem? Of course not. It just helps to be aware that when someone’s nonverbal cues are somewhat unusual, they may be out of his control. Try to give him a fair shot through verbal communication before you write him off as being uninterested or too nervous for your liking.

Depression

It’s estimated that over 10 million Americans suffer from some sort of depression, which makes it very likely that you know at least one person who’s in the throes of some serious blues. The physical signs of depression can include:

• Lack of facial expressions

• Poor posture

• Angling the body away from others

• Anxious behaviors, like tightly crossing the arms

Basically, a depressed person will often appear to have no interest in the people and the world around him, which leads other people to stay away from him, which can lead to a deepening of the depression. It’s not your job to diagnose emotions or act as a therapist; however, acknowledging that body language isn’t always sending the message it appears to (it’s easy to mistake depression for aloofness, for example) might lead to a better understanding of the people around you.

It’s human nature to reject the people who seem to be rejecting you. But if you open the door to meaningful communication—by simply saying hello, for example—you might see an instant change in the depressed person’s demeanor (a smile, eye contact, a straightening of the spine, etc.).