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Monitoring Laughter

We’ve all heard the saying, “laughter is the best medicine.” While it definitely holds some truth, there is also a fine line between telling a joke and feeling like one is part of it. Humor is a common coping mechanism, but it is essential to pay attention to the language used in the jokes themselves. Always remember that there is a point where they may be doing more harm than good.

While nobody is suggesting that one should not try to find the laughter or joy in each day, finding the source of the hilarity is important. Using humor to cope can be a powerful strategy insofar as it can create times free from sadness or anxiety. Telling jokes about more generalized things in an attempt to force oneself to smile can work, but be mindful of the exact language being used when telling them.

Internalizing the Joke

All too often, these jokes are told at the expense of the individual telling them. Suffering from anxiety and depression can lead one to make themselves the butt of their own jokes, and it is there that the laughter needs to be analyzed. Even when told with comic intent, the beliefs expressed by a joke may be genuine. It all leads to a constant self-reinforcement of one’s shortcomings. Ultimately, disparaging jokes give way to a mindset of “if I can’t be happy, then I may as well make someone else laugh.” While it seems like a decent idea to make the best of a situation, the reality is that it confines the sufferer. The jokester may be forced to continually live as the butt of every joke, and stifle their own self-confidence.

Language is More Important Than Appearance

Seeming happy and joyful on the outside is not always an indicator of how that person may be genuinely feeling. When jokes are always self-deprecating or told consistently in the first person, there may be a bit more underneath. In this case, laughter may be the very thing that is keeping them down and away from getting the proper help they need. Finding this sign and addressing it early is paramount in changing one’s mindset before self-deprecation transforms into self-destruction.

Coping with anxiety and depression is a tricky topic. Trying to cope with it on your own can often lead to denial and destructive habits. For those suffering from anxiety, addiction, trauma, and any co-occurring disorders, contact The Guest House today. Help is available to instill the necessary techniques to begin changing one’s mind from one of self-deprecation to one of positivity for the future. For more information about the programs and services available, contact The Guest House today at 1-855-483-7800.