Humor for Worry & Anxiety
“With everything that’s going on in the world right now, I’m finding myself feeling increasingly more worried and uneasy. When I look up how to relieve stress at home, many of the typical suggestions such as “yoga,” “meditation,” and “breathing exercises” show up. I’ve personally never had much success with these...what’s something else that I can try?”
Dear Looking For Something Besides “Ohm”,
I hear you—this is definitely a very stressful and bewildering time. And I understand that although things like yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises are amazing tools to combat stress, they are not for everyone. Although this may initially sound strange considering our current circumstances, an extremely effective stress-buster is humor. We’ve all heard the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine,” and this is really true!
According to research studies, laughter boosts our immune system, which protects our bodies against infections. It also triggers the release of powerful pleasure-inducing neurochemicals called endorphins, which raise our pain threshold, relaxes our bodies, relieves tension, and induces a natural “high.”
Throughout history, humans have used humor and laughter during times of crisis as a coping mechanism and a way to diffuse anxiety. Not only is laughter cathartic, it’s a source of bonding during a shared experience that signifies we’re all in this together—”collective therapy” if you will. Although we must be conscious of the gravity of what is happening around the world, being able to find humor in some of the small things gives us hope and helps us heal.
There are countless amusing self-quarantine, hand-washing, hand-sanitizer, and toilet paper themed images and jokes all over the internet, as people attempt to lighten spirits and give each other a brief but much-needed escape from the constant worry and fear we feel all around us.
Try incorporating some more laughter into your days by reading a funny book, watching silly animal videos on YouTube, stand-up comedy routines, or a movie that’s always made you laugh.
Here are some additional resources for you to read about the powerful effects of laughter:
Laughter Helps the Brain Relax. How Humor Can Combat Coronavirus Anxiety https://time.com/5811041/laughter-humor-coronavirus/
Laughter is the Best Medicine https://caregiver.com/articles/laughter-is-the-best-medicine/
Yes, Make Coronavirus Jokes https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/04/humor-laughter-coronavirus-covid19/609184/
Coronavirus - ‘Laughter in a crisis can help you cope,’ says expert https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-52064153
Coronavirus: We can still laugh! https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-we-can-still-laugh/a-52886768