I find it very heartwarming reading these posts. It is such a good thing to be able to make light of potentially negative situations and our own illnesses. Laughing at ourselves is a brilliant way to overcome sadness, negativity and (definitely essential) embarrassment. I have known people suffering from various physical and mental illnesses of whom love to have the occasional laugh at themselves and the behaviours associated with their ailment.

It is a good thing, I think, to make the occasional joke about the implications of the bipolar disorder I experience and I enjoy people laughing along with me.

For example, due to my low mood recently I've been suffering from some short-term memory lapses. When I stay at a friend's (or indeed my partner's) home, I have to leave a door key in the key safe at my parents' home to let myself in whenever I head back. On the way back to my mom's home on Tuesday, I realised I'd left the key in her house when I last visited instead of putting it in the key safe. I called her in a panic and she agreed to take her lunch break early to let me in and get the key. Upon being let into the house I searched around for the key and became worried and frustrated because I couldn't find it. I had a bit of memory return and in a moment of ponder decided to check in the key safe. It turned out the key was in the safe all along and I'd completely forgot about putting it there. Job well done! Me and mom both found this funny and didn't mind about the hassle too much because of the comedy behind it.

Yes, being able to laugh at yourself definitely takes the impact off a serious illness a tad. That can only be a good thing!

RB