The power and joy of laughter

[Depression = 72% of members]

Hello, all. The last couple of days have been eye opening simply due to laughter. I work with a guy that is diagnosed ADHD. He takes medicine and is grounded. He’s a good guy. I’ve been training him to move forward in our department. He’s smart and receptive and always asks questions if he is unsure about something, instead of running the risk of making a mistake. He is definitely the “H” given his condition, and he is absolutely hilarious!

I’m sure that some of you know about the BUILD A BEAR thing that went on a couple days ago. Well, when they cut the lines off, he went into this rant about it that made me bend over laughing. For the first time, in a long time, the tears were from laughter. It was a true stand up comedy routine. Looking back, I wish I could’ve recorded it instead of being preoccupied with hysterical laughter. It absolutely wore me out. He loves to make people laugh. He says it often. “We have to laugh”. I admire him for that, and he knows that he has a positive affect on people by making them laugh.

The day after that, it was videos. Again, bent over laughing that nearly put me on my knees. The kind of laughing where the laughter feeds off of the other, and just escalates because the other is laughing so hard.

I felt really good after those two days of laughter. Endorphins I guess.

I haven’t laughed like that in a really long time. I never laughed that hard with my Son’s mother. I was miserable with her.

I forgot how good laughter feels. Real, explosive belly laughter. It was great to experience it. Laughter gave me hope. Just wanted to share.

[JNChell]

Hello, all. The last couple of days have been eye opening simply due to laughter. I work with a guy that is diagnosed ADHD. He takes medicine and is grounded. He’s a good guy. I’ve been training him to move forward in our department. He’s smart and receptive and always asks questions if he is unsure about something, instead of running the risk of making a mistake. He is definitely the “H” given his condition, and he is absolutely hilarious!

I’m sure that some of you know about the BUILD A BEAR thing that went on a couple days ago. Well, when they cut the lines off, he went into this rant about it that made me bend over laughing. For the first time, in a long time, the tears were from laughter. It was a true stand up comedy routine. Looking back, I wish I could’ve recorded it instead of being preoccupied with hysterical laughter. It absolutely wore me out. He loves to make people laugh. He says it often. “We have to laugh”. I admire him for that, and he knows that he has a positive affect on people by making them laugh.

The day after that, it was videos. Again, bent over laughing that nearly put me on my knees. The kind of laughing where the laughter feeds off of the other, and just escalates because the other is laughing so hard.

I felt really good after those two days of laughter. Endorphins I guess.

I haven’t laughed like that in a really long time. I never laughed that hard with my Son’s mother. I was miserable with her.

I forgot how good laughter feels. Real, explosive belly laughter. It was great to experience it. Laughter gave me hope. Just wanted to share.

[Harri]

JNChell, just reading this made me laugh.  Wish I had been there with you both.  I love to laugh and find it as healing and cleansing as a good cry (not the nasty kind of crying).  Humor is both fun and a defense for me... .but at least it is enjoyable.

Thanks for sharing that.

[Insom]

Hi,  JNChellhell.   

Congrats on your belly-splitting day at work!

I forgot how good laughter feels. Real, explosive belly laughter. It was great to experience it. Laughter gave me hope. Just wanted to share.

Love this!  Thanks for sharing. 

Would you like to say more about hope?  What kind of hope? 

[spacecadet]

Thank you for sharing! Your delight is contagious.

You're so right. Joy and laughter are food for us all. Being around people who have this is crucial whether or not we're in a r/s of any kind, for me anyway.

[JNChell]

Thanks for the responses!

To answer your question Insom, the hope that I feel is that I will be happy again, and not this cart full of emotional baggage that I’ve been my whole life without realizing it. That I’ll evolve into independence, and possibly interdependence if I’m ever able to explore romantic relationships again. That I will heal my C-PTSD as much as possible, and be able to manage the leftovers. That I can convey a positive message to the world around me. That I succeeded in turning my Son loose as a healthy contributor to society. That I can look back on my pain with indifference, possibly even a smile and the thought that I completed the journey.

[Mustbeabetterway]

JNChell,

Loved your post.  Having been in a sad place, laughing is an awesome healing thing.  Your post reminded me of a bible verse -

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.  Proverbs 17:22

Have a great day.  Thanks for sharing this.

Peace and blessings,

Mustbe

[Gemsforeyes]

Dear JN and all-

You are correct, sir!  Laugh... .no matter WHAT!  I’m actually a very funny person and I wish I were around people so I could make them laugh.  But I’m not.  Hopefully someday. 

I think I’ll watch a funny video.  I need to work on deepening my laugh lines. 

Here’s a little joke... .

Two toddler boys were playing in a sandbox and talking babytalk. 

One toddler boy said “I will not be here tomorrow, I have to go to the doctor.”

The second toddler boy asked “why, are you sick?”

The first toddler boy said “No, I just have to get circumcised.”

The second toddler boy exclaimed: “ OH MY GOD! I HAD THAT DONE WHEN I WAS BORN, AND I COULDN’T WALK FOR A YEAR!”

Funny, right?

Gemsforeyes

[Learning2Thrive]

I felt really good after those two days of laughter. Endorphins I guess.

I haven’t laughed like that in a really long time. I never laughed that hard with my Son’s mother. I was miserable with her.

I forgot how good laughter feels. Real, explosive belly laughter. It was great to experience it. Laughter gave me hope. Just wanted to share.

Indeed, JNChell! Laughter is good medicine and healing for our souls. I love a good full belly laugh, though I have to admit they always cause me to snort rather loudly. 

So glad you had those big laugh days. Sending you wishes for lots more days filled with full belly laughter.

L2T

[Mustbeabetterway]

gemsforeyes. That’s pretty funny.  Made me !

[Cromwell]

It truly is, I find I laugh most when it comes completely unexpected, an example from work between myself and a colleague as she was about to leave.

"are you finished"?

"no! im French!"

I couldnt help but forget all the little problems of the day and erupted into laughter, her as well. (She thought id asked "are you Finnish?"

[WindofChange]

JNChell, thanks for starting this thread. Laughter is definitely a lifesaver! Love those endorphins! I have a tendency to make jokes during stressful times as a coping mechanism. My family is big on that.

Maybe we need a thread for posting clean jokes or links to funny videos. Not sure if that would be okay with administrators, maybe too hard to police? Just a thought.  Hey, I found a use for that emoji, yay! 

[WindofChange]

Oh, and Cromwell, I chuckled at that, too. Thanks for sharing! Finnish? Ha ha!

[once removed]

i try to get in some form of comedy show every night of every day if for no other reason than the health benefits. i finally saw my first standup comedian some years back (demetri martin, whom i love, but i was a little disappointed with the show). saw adam sandler, rob schneider, nick swardson, and david spade more recently, which was really something.

Maybe we need a thread for posting clean jokes or links to funny videos.

Stump the Experts is a great place for posting/sharing jokes!

[JNChell]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I’m sorry that it’s taken me a few to get back to this thread. I’m glad that it was a positive note for you all. Sitting here and typing this, I’m reminded of how that joy disappeared the more isolated I became within the relationship. Scary stuff. The good news is that that joy is still in me. It’s in all of us. Even though it had to be hidden away to keep it safe, they couldn’t take it from us. Thank you all! 

[CryWolf]

laughter also works in the dating field:

"how do ugly guys get attractive girls?"
"the more she laughs, the more time she spends with her eyes closed. its science"  

[spacecadet]

The good news is that that joy is still in me. It’s in all of us. Even though it had to be hidden away to keep it safe, they couldn’t take it from us. Thank you all! 

It is indeed. 

[Mustbeabetterway]

Hope this makes some of you chuckle, here it goes -

The revival preacher was ending his sermon and he shouted, "If I had all the beer in the world, I would throw it in the river!"  Everyone cheered and he shouted louder, "If I had all the wine in the world, I would throw it in the river!"  The crowd cheered again.  Encouraged, he yelled, "If I had all the whiskey in the world, I would throw it in the river."  The song leader came to the podium and said, "Let's turn to page 350 and sing together - Shall We Gather at the River!" 

[WindofChange]

CryWolf and Mustbe, thanks for sharing. Gave me a little chuckle and brightened my afternoon.