“I contend that not only can you laugh at adversity, but it is essential to do so if you are to deal with setbacks without defeat.

Allen Klein

There’s nothing funnier than Monty Python. At least I think so, and I’m the one who’s writing, so we’ll go with that. Not only is the humor of John Cleese et al physical, it’s subtle, sly, and underhanded at the same time. If you haven’t watched any MP lately (or ever…???) then you might just want to do that.

Laughter has the ability to break down barriers – language, culture, status – and level the metaphorical playing field, releasing tensions, creating endorphins, and releasing everyone present to be authentically themselves. How else could you be experiencing unexpected and uncontrollable laughter? We all look weird when laughing helplessly.

Adversity is heavy. It’s a weight that feels more and more difficult to carry the longer it goes on. When you add a huge dose of uncertainty like we’re experiencing on a global scale, it’s almost staggering. People turn to all sorts of ways to find relief from the weight of that stress, and not all of them are beneficial. In the past six months there’s been an exponential rise globally in homicides, suicides, family violence, and civil unrest. While not all of it is due to living with the scary reality of a global pandemic, what is universally true is that the stress of how we are required to live in this extraordinary season adds fuel to an already smoldering fire. What we have is a constant cycle of bad news, worse news, and horrifying news.

Cue anxiety and depression.

Multitudinous people including me have written about self-care, being mindful of mental wellness practices, and having compassion for one’s self and others. This week it occurred to me that what’s missing is the escape and relief of laughter. A deep, helpless-to-stop belly laugh. It happened to me – the unexpected manifestation of the ridiculousness of being human with all that means – and the resulting stress-relieving laugh left me feeling slightly shaky and completely different emotionally. That got me thinking.

Maybe what we need to add to our day/week/life is the opportunity to laugh. I don’t know about you, but I love what is known as “gallows humor.” The willingness to poke fun at, be sarcastic about, or highlight the ridiculous parts of that which is in reality, not funny at all. Others love puns, or word plays, or slapstick, or sly, sneaky jabs. I’m not talking that which is demeaning, insulting, or wounding to anyone – that’s just not funny. I’m talking about true humor…like the ‘He’s not dead,’ scene from Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Shriekingly funny…to me. Maybe you like the Three Stooges. Or Adam Sandler. Or stand-up comedians like Billy Crystal, Wanda Sykes, or Amy Schumer. 

Whatever/whoever makes you laugh, do some of that. Taking a break from the bad news, worse news, fake news, and Facebook will. not. hurt. you. In fact, it will do you a great deal of good. Particularly if you find a way to share the opportunity to laugh (safely, of course) with others.

Ask around. Start a list (on Facebook of course) by seeking recommendations from friends. Find a curated list of the all-time funniest movies. I would not want to be the one to try and fix a list like this, but when I searched, I was reminded of movies I haven’t thought of in years. Like, how funny was Leslie Nielsen in Airplane? It’s so old…and so hilarious. From Tom Hanks in Big! to Matthew Broderick in Ferris Buehler’s Day Off (that Corvette scene!!!), to Jackass, The Movie, to a brilliant Paul Giamatti in Sideways, there’s no excuse for not finding something that makes you laugh. 

Watch real stand-up on YouTube – Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Kevin Hart, Chris Rock, early Aziz Ansari, classic Robin Williams, or my fave, Jerry Seinfeld. There’s something already in existence for just about every funny bone. 

Google it. I did, and I now have a list of things to watch, and I’m already anticipating the humor…I think I’m going to start with, A Fish Called Wanda. When will you find space to ‘lighten up?’ Will it make coronavirus disappear? Heck, no. Will it make lockdown vanish? Nope. But it will make you forget your troubles for a while, and that’s so much better than doing nothing.

Research has shown that laughing two minutes a day is the same as a twenty-minute jog. So now I’m sitting in the park, laughing at all the joggers. ~Anonymous

Susannah is a leading psychotherapist, registered professional counsellor and Master Practitioner in Clinical Counselling based in Canada. Find her on Twitter @aboutthattrauma, Instagram @SuJo1963 and Facebook @william.associates. Photo by Frederick Tubiermont on Unsplash.