A year and a half ago, John McManamy interviewed me on the topic of humor in relation to mental health in a post he called “On the Dark Side of Humor.” I explained to him that of all my tools to combat depression and anxiety, humor is by far the most fun. I realize I run into trouble with some folks who think there is nothing funny about being depressed and not able to get up from bed. But even if you have a broken funny bone while buried in the Black Hole, the minute you surface I think it’s helpful to look back and poke fun of what just happened. If that is at all possible.
I wasn’t always able to laugh at myself. In fact, on my dad’s deathbed, he urged me to have more fun. That was his only wish. I took life WAY too seriously and was annoyed by people who didn’t.
And then it happened. One day I snapped.
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Wonderful post Therese! It’s so true, sometimes we forget to laugh… Other times we may feel afraid to laugh, or feel we have lost our humor cause we deal with such serious issues. It’s okay to laugh! With out laughter there can’t be recovery!
Great article. I have been teaching classes on LAUGH YOUR. STRESS AWAY, throughout the U.S. since 1980. My work now focuses on the senior population, who don’t laugh much anymore. Losses, health challenges and the aging process has interfered with their sense if humor. Hopefully, articles like yours will encourage them to see the lighter side of life. Thank you for your site.