HUMOR AND WELLNESS (your funny bone and you): HUMOR AND WELLNESS (your funny bone and you) Wellness = a way of life oriented toward optimal health and well-being. A life of balance and fullness.
Humor is associated with intelligence and creativity and is identified as an important piece of overall wellness.
Humor, especially when accompanied by laughter, is said to promote physiological, psychological, and social change.
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine - Proverbs 17:22: A merry heart doeth good like a medicine - Proverbs 17:22 Pain reduction -- Laughter stimulates:
catecholamine production, which stimulates:
endorphin (natural pain-reducing bio-stuff) production, which:
would make it difficult to 'laugh ‘til it hurts'
Increase in disease-fighting white blood cells
Loma Linda University study (dude)
Slide3: A sense of humor/laughter protects against heart disease
reduction in stress
Laughter pumps the heart, muscles of the abdomen, chest, shoulders, neck… stimulates the brain, ventilates lungs, raises heart rate, respiration, and circulation
William F. Fry, M. D., 100 laughs (adult daily average) equal to:
15 min. on stat. bike or
10 min. on rowing machine
Four words: Comedy channel, potato chips
Slide4: Humor use in health care
study of humor for palliative care
humor and laugh therapy with cancer patients
not curative, helps alleviate pain
Dr. Hunter 'Patch' Adams
Book: Humor and the Healing Arts: A Multimethod Analysis of Humor Use in Health Care -- Athena du Pré
discusses prevalence and appropriateness
OFTEN appropriate, but as in all good humor, it’s a question of … … … … …
timing.
Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand - Mark Twain: Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand - Mark Twain Freud
effects of perceived humor on emotions
Positive psychological effects associated with laughter/sense of humor
reduction in stress, anxiety
increase in self-esteem and positive self concept
Kuiper/Martin study --227 university students
Slide6: associated with potent coping skills
Vietnam POW’s -- motorcycle and chimpanzee
Use of humor in therapy/counseling
patients with schizophrenia
addictions counseling
Books: Humour on the Couch -- Alessandra Lemma (Psychotherapist/comedienne); The Handbook of Humor -- humor in varies modalities Isn’t this supposed to be therapy for me? Wait until the nitrous oxide kicks in. Hee hee, I love my work. You didn’t give me any. Oh oh yeah, he he he he. I love my work.
Laughter is the shortest distance between two people - Victor Borge: Laughter is the shortest distance between two people - Victor Borge Social effects
mediates social support
funny (often) = greater popularity/support
ability to laugh at self -- sign of strength/self confidence/more socially attractive
enhances social feelings and self confidence
directly related to positive psychological effects
less anxiety
better self concept
higher self-esteem
Humor is an awesome responsibility - Frank Palmer: Humor is an awesome responsibility - Frank Palmer Using your power for good and not for evil
Being sensitive
Who is your audience? Who else might be?
Being sensible
What’s appropriate, what’s not.
Is it culturally appropriate? Mysteries of humor in other cultures;
regardé: Jerry Lewis in France
All important … … … …
timing
So, what now?: So, what now? Read a funny book…laugh.
Watch a funny movie…laugh.
Listen to a funny person…laugh.
And when all else fails?
Fake it. Your body doesn’t know the difference. But, beware…
If you do not laugh regularly, you may suffer from HUMORRHOIDS… cures include taking a mild laughsitive everyday. - Lynn Erdmann
Bye. THE END