Yes

by Jimmy Flatbush

Created on: March 10, 2011   Last Updated: March 11, 2011

If you turn on the television, or open the front page of your favorite periodical, you most likely will see a torrent of bad news. Thousands of Libyans fleeing Tripoli as military fighter jets strafe the streets with chemical weapons. Public sector workers amass outside the state capital in Madison, Wisconsin in order to vehemently protest the elimination of collective bargaining rights. Violence in our urban areas robs innocent children of their futures. Methamphetamine labs sprout up in rural areas, poisoning the minds of promising adolescents and young adults. The madness permeates every corner of society.

What have we done to combat the incessant stream of negative news?

Americans have turned to the pharmaceutical industry for relief from the edge of darkness. Drugs peddled by the men and women in white coats alleviate an assortment of mental health maladies, many of which mental health experts claim are the direct result of coping with the stresses of contemporary society. These drugs temporarily rid us of our angst, giving us for the moment some semblance of normalcy. However, the drugs also add a lengthy list of side effects. Your prescription may cure you of intense insomnia, but you also have to grapple with diarrhea, nausea, and intense muscle pain. The chemical poisons do not address the underlying causes of our angst. Only one way shines the light on how we can cope during these turbulent times.

When was the last time you had a good laugh?

In a 2006 study at Loma Linda University in California, researchers discovered that the levels of two hormones in the human body increase when volunteers anticipated watching a humorous video. One of the hormones alleviates depression symptoms. The other hormone strengthens the immune system. Another study verified researcher claims that humor mitigates pain. Hospital personnel told some patients about to receive painful surgery some humorous one-liners before sedating the patients. The patients exposed to humor expressed less pain than the patients who did not receive any mental stimuli.

Science has also proven that laughter relieves the chronic stress that plagues our lives. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins in the brain that lower stress hormones such as epinephrine. For years, scientists have attributed exercise to the lowering of stress hormones. Now, mental exercise receives equal acclaim when it comes to enhancing your mood. Who would have thought a hearty chuckle has the same effect as a cardiovascular workout?

The volatile nature of our lives has many people living with acute fear. We fear falling behind on our mortgage payments. We fear the depletion of our retirement plans. We fear the loss of our jobs. Humor diffuses fear by changing our perspective of traumatic events. The glass is half-empty mindset becomes a perspective based on appreciation. Many scientific researchers believe appreciation unlocks the antidote to fear. Humor alters a painful memory into self-deprecating with that pokes fun at the incredibly stupid mistakes we have made in the past. Humor heals deep emotional scars.

Do we need science to validate how we feel? Think about a moment in the recent past when your disposition soured because of a work, relationship, or health issue. The downtrodden nature of your countenance hung over you like the fog that clings to the San Francisco Bay. Nothing cured your sour disposition; not a vigorous walk around the neighborhood, or the contents of a 750-milliter bottle of Jack Daniels. You tried discussing your feelings with a close confidant, but the conversation only made matters worse. It was not until a humorous story told by a friend, or a rip-roaring episode of your favorite television show, that you were able to cast aside the gloom.

Do we need humor on a daily basis? Science and common sense dictates that we need humor every waking hour of the day.

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