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Inject Some Humor into Your Life if You are Prone for Depression




Humor has been used both as a coping strategy and a therapeutic tool for a long time for reducing anxiety, depression, anger, and pain (Weisenberg et al., 1995). The field of positive psychology has recently brought humor to the forefront as a psychotherapy intervention, especially for depression and anxiety (Sarink & Garcia-Montes, 2023). Of the various types of humor, the one most associated with well-being is self-enhancing humor. This involves a generally humorous outlook on life, a tendency to be frequently amused by life's incongruities, and a humorous perspective even in the face of stress (Martin et al., 2003). Self-enhancing humor is associated with greater cheerfulness, self-esteem, optimism, psychological well-being, and satisfaction.

People with depression may be less reactive to humor due to a diminution in their sense of humor, and they also tend to use humor less often as a coping strategy (Falkenberg et al., 2011). In addition, individuals with depression may have irrational negative thinking (e.g., "I have never been a fun-loving person"), which may prevent them from adopting a humorous and cheerful outlook on life (Rnic et al., 2016). In this context, research has shown that humor can be used as an adaptive tool by people who are prone to depression in dealing with negative responses to adversities, thus preventing future depressive episodes (Braniecka et al., 2019). Humor doesn’t mean that you adopt a frivolous outlook; it does, however, mean that you stop taking life and yourself too seriously and be able to chuckle at the absurdities of everyday life.

Here are some strategies to inject humor into your life (Godfrey, 2004; Lazarus & Lazarus, 2000):
  1. The ability to have a childlike perspective is one of the key elements of humor; this is different from childish behavior. The next time you find yourself frustrated or angry over something, ask yourself, “How would an 8-year-old see this situation?” In the privacy of your mind, with no need for others to know, reframe the situation into a laughing matter or at least an amusing one that is not so loaded and much easier to handle. Deliberately look for the absurdities, ludicrousness, and ridiculousness in everyday life situations that make you frustrated and angry. You may also ask yourself, “How would my favorite comedian see the situation?” and try to reframe the circumstances using a proven humorist as an internal ally. 
  2. Actively seek out things that make you laugh. These include funny videos, joke books, comedians, humorous stories, and cartoons in newspapers and magazines. Post the ones you like in places you can see them – refrigerator, work desk, bulletin board, or in your wallet, and keep changing them. 
  3. Keep a humor notebook. Once or twice a week, recall one thing that made you laugh or an amusing incident during the day. These may include funny things young children do or say, clever bumper stickers, witticisms, clever puns, humorous newspaper headlines, and funny events that happen to you or someone you know. On days when you feel sad or on days when you are not making an entry, reread your past entries to reinvigorate your humorous side. 
  4. Even if a situation is not funny, like getting stuck in traffic, try laughing instead of scowling. Laughter is a release mechanism that helps you express unacceptable emotions in a more acceptable manner.
Like any other therapeutic technique, humor is not a one-size-fits-all intervention, and the following caveats are in order here:
  • Avoid jokes based on ridicule, as they are more reflective of hostility than humor and can backfire
  • Humor may not work if an individual has severe depression
  • Humor complements but is not a substitute for other conventional therapies for treating depression
To learn more about evidence-based self-management techniques that are proven to work for depression, check out Dr. Duggal's Author Page.

HARPREET S. DUGGAL, MD, FAPA 

REFERENCES

Braniecka, A., Hanć, M., Wołkowicz, I., Chrzczonowicz-Stepień, A., Milkolajonek, A., & Lipiec, M. Is it worth turning a trigger into a joke? Humor as an emotion regulation strategy in remitted depression. Brain and Behavior, 2019, 9:e01213

Falkenberg, I., Jarmuzek, J., Bartels, M., & Wild, B. (2011). Do depressed patients lose their sense of humor? Psychopathology, 44(2), 98-105.

Godfrey, J. R. (2004). Toward optimal health: the experts discuss therapeutic humor. Journal of Women’s Health, 13(5), 474-479.

Lazarus, A.A., & Lazarus, C.N. (2000). The 60-second shrink: 101 strategies for staying sane in a crazy world. Atascadero, CA: Impact Publishers.

Martin, R. A., Puhlik-Doris, P., Larsen, G., Gray, J., & Weir, K. (2003). Individual differences in uses of humor and their relation to psychological well-being: development of the humor styles questionnaire. Journal of Research in Personality, 37, 48-75.

Rnic, K., Dozois, D. J. A., & Martin, R. A. (2016). Cognitive distortions, humor styles, and depression. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 12(3), 348-362.

Sarink, F. S. M., & Garcia-Montes, J. M. (2023). Humor interventions in psychotherapy and their effect on levels of depression and anxiety in adult clients: a systematic review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13:1049476. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1049476

Weisenberg, M., Tepper, I., & Schwarzwald, J. (1995). Humor as a cognitive technique for increasing pain tolerance. Pain, 63, 207-212.

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