Surround Yourself with Laughter
Everyone has heard of the phrase, “laughter is the best medicine”. But is that really true and if so, what makes laughter so special that it can be considered almost a remedy to a person’s problems?
Laughter is a human response that often comes from hearing humorous stories, thinking funny thoughts or even a positive state of being. Laughter also has many different uses. If a person is in a group setting, laughter can signal acceptance as well as emotional context to the conversation. Laughter also can mean many things, depending on one’s culture, religion and education. People also can experience nervous laughter, laughter due to grief and sadness, and laughter out of anger. Below are four ways that laughter affects us in a positive sense and shows why it is so important to include in your daily life.
1. Physical Effects- Laughter has such a strong positive impact on someone’s physical health that it can strengthen the immune system as it decreases stress hormones and increases immune cell responses. Also, while someone is laughing, there is a brief reduction of pain due to the endorphins being released in the body. Laughter also impacts the brain and has the power to “de-stress” your emotions, which can give your mind a chance to rebalance to a healthy emotional state.
2. Be Genuine- When you are in a social situation and people are laughing around you, it is pretty easy to tell if the laughter is genuine. Try to avoid fake or bitter laughter as it can have the opposite effect and leave you feeling worse off. There might be times that you do not feel the setting is appropriate to joke about certain things, such as the workplace or a place of worship.
3. Surround Yourself with Laughter- Take a minute or two to think about who or what makes you laugh most often on a daily basis and try to spend more time in those settings. If you have certain friends that you connect to on a more humorous level, make that extra effort to hang out with them and let them know that you enjoy spending time with them.
4. Feeling Good about Yourself- Although laughter is generally thought of as a “social emotion”, having humorous thoughts by yourself can go a long way in just feeling positive no matter the situation. Thinking about past happy events or watching a comedic movie is another way to feel happier from an outside source.
Ben Barer, LCSW-C is offering sessions virtually as well as in-person. Ben also has extensive experience working with couples, individuals and families. Ben is experienced working with depression, anxiety, self-esteem and men’s issues. He can be contacted by phone or email, 443-601-9722 or barercounseling@gmail.com or through the contact form on barercounseling.com
