[Travelinglady]

I am a firm believer in the use of humor in helping people to cope with mental illness, as some of you might have noticed with several humor threads on here I try to maintain. It's the major way I try to cope, and my therapists over the years have encouraged me in my efforts along this line. I enjoy reading the other humor threads, too. I find myself smiling when I think of some of the jokes, and when I'm feeling distressed, I make an effort to bring them back to mind. And this technique is often helpful.

I've even read that therapists can rightly make use of humor with their clients as well. Of course, they need to be sensitive to the clients' issues and not come across as disparaging or making fun of them. But, as one source said, when therapists are able to joke with their clients, then the clients might see themselves in a more positive light--i.e., "If my therapist can joke with me, then I must not be too bad off."

I happened upon a thread yesterday on here where the issue of humor came up. One person was recommending the use of humor and somebody else was bothered by it. The humor involved making light of people with a certain mental illness. I have personally enjoyed several threads where the members were given the opportunity to make light of their particular ailments--for example, a thread about "how you know you're borderline," a thread dealing with the off-the-wall things people say or do when they are having memory problems, such as those caused by fibromyalgia, and a thread dealing with the wild things people have done when in a manic state. I am personally able to relate to all three of these problems. I think it's a good sign if we can joke about our disorders. Of course, I'm not saying that any of them are funny in themselves. We have all suffered, some more than others, and I wouldn't wish mental illness on anyone as a way of getting some hee-haws out of life.

One factor we've tried to keep in mind as we have posted on the humor threads I "monitor" is that some folks will be bothered by jokes at their expense. None of us, I dare say, appreciate it when people who are not mentally ill laugh about people who are. (I wonder why it's still "politically correct" to use words like "crazy," "nutty," etc., when negative terms are not tolerated in many other areas. Even Internet games allow these words, when a word like, pardon me, "queers" is not allowed. Of course, it shouldn't be.) So, we try to be careful in our choices. I don't see any jokes other people share in advance, however, mind you.

I figure if someone, however, is just not in a mood to read jokes at all that day, then he or she can skip over certain threads. I'm not always in the mood for humor either. But I try to come up with something I hope might be funny to a few people, anyway.

Well, that's what I wanted to share about humor and mental illness. I don't necessarily expect lots of responses, but it would be interesting to hear what you folks have to say about it.

[hahalebou]

All I can add is that I completely agree.

[disguise123]

i agree, i also dont mind if the jokes do come from outsiders as long as they are not cruel or ill informed!

[disguise123]

where are the humour threads at these days????

[Travelinglady]

Good question! Social Chat has several humor threads, including a pet humor thread under "pets." The Bipolar forum has a humor thread. Pegs Forum has one, I think. At Jesus' Feet has one. The Games Section has some humorous stuff. I still like the "What not to tell your pdoc" game in there. I don't go on all the forums. What might I be missing? Anybody?

[splitimage]

I think humour has a huge role in recovery, at least it does for me. They way i look at it, I'd rather be laughing than crying. Up here the Mood disorders association of Ontario, actually has a formal stand up comedy course. I forget how long it runs for, but the idea of it is that at the end of the course, you're able to do a 15 min skit about your own experiences with mental illness.

And one thing I love about AA is that when you go to the big conventions and hear really great speakers is that we're always able to laugh about our experiences - take really desperate and tragic situations, that would probably make outsiders cringe, and laugh at them, because we can now see how stupid and sad and dangerous the behaviour was when we were still drinking but we can all relate to how it made perfect sense to us at the time.

--splitimage

"I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane." Waylon Jennings.

[(JD)]

I think the only ones who "should" tell their jokes are those who suffer with that disorder or element... you know... I mean, I wouldn't feel comfortable telling a joke about someone with bipolar disorder; I don't suffer with that. I wouldn't want to be reading jokes by others about others... but to tell it about a personal issue, personally, then it is a way to vent some of the frustration about it. Do you know what I mean?

I can't even tell jokes about people... blondes, obese, etc... I think that's cruel. Just my POV. I'd hope the jokes stay neutral, about the disorders rather than the people. <Insert joke about inability to communicate here>

[Travelinglady]

As I have looked through many jokes over the last number of months, I have found that some of them show just plain ignorance about mental illness. The ones I find especially irrritating deal with the so-called "split personality." My understanding is that the term originates from the literal meaning of "schizophrenia." The "split," then, would actually be a separation from reality, if the term is at all appropriate.

However, these jokes seem to really be referring to DID--multiple personalities. But even then they make no sense to me. Case in point: "I'm treating a person with a split personality," boasted a psychiatrist, "and Medicare pays for both of them!" Now, that so-called joke is not funny to me at all, and demonstrates even a lack of knowledge about the nature of DID. Comments, anyone? Corrections?

[lastyearisblank]

People who joke when they are sad are my hero. I really adore and admire it when someone can find something (genuinely) funny even in the darkest situation.

[venusss]

I come from a nation one Nazi official called "laughing beasts" (we laughed about than one too), so yes, I do joke unjokable. And I do use the "nuttier that squirel mix" phrase to describe myself. I laugh about my "visions" and my yearnings that pop up sometimes...

I do laugh in order not to cry.

[(JD)]

Originally Posted by PAYNE1

However, these jokes seem to really be referring to DID--multiple personalities. But even then they make no sense to me. Case in point: "I'm treating a person with a split personality," boasted a psychiatrist, "and Medicare pays for both of them!" Now, that so-called joke is not funny to me at all, and demonstrates even a lack of knowledge about the nature of DID. Comments, anyone? Corrections?

Well, actually for what the public understands (because to them a person with DID does seem to split off) though we know technically that isn't the correct term... it would be funny. The spirit of the joke is funny in a way too, and reinforces some people's idea of their idiot psychiatrist too?

[AvidReader]

I think I tend to take the jokes that refer to mental illness on this forum 'way more lightly than I would in a different forum, or in a social setting here where I live. I believe that most people here really do understand mental illness and all of its vagaries, whereas sometimes the public seems to have no clue.

And, like you, PAYNE1, I have often wondered in our increasingly PC society why terms like "crazy," "nuts," etc., are tolerated at all.

That said, I love the humor threads on this board. It feels so good to laugh. I try to see out other sources of laughter, too, like James Herriot's books for one thing, or TV shows I find funny (there aren't many).

Life is so darn serious these days, with the economy, etc., it just plain old feels good to laugh.

It also annoys me when people confuse schizophrenia with DID. "Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm schizophrenic, and so am I." Just comes across dumb to me.

[(JD)]

Oh that phrase is from What About Bob...so maybe it's the quote that makes the fun, being from the movie I mean?_)

[roses4me]

how about the role of humour in life

not so sure it should be restricted to mental illness

everyone could embrace it in all circumstances

Am I too serious for this thread?

roses

[Travelinglady]

Oh, no, Roses, I certainly agree. I think humor is an important coping skill with all sorts of life's problems. And laughter is actually physically healthy. I think we should all try to find funny things in life.....

What I personally deal with sometimes, though, is people not understanding why I laugh about some things. I try not to offend people by making fun of serious things when they just aren't in the mood for it. But sometimes I do, alas.

I know some hospitals use humor with their patients. Duke Hospital has even had a humor program for use with cancer patients. You folks might be familiar with Norman Cousins' use and then recommendation through a book he wrote about using humor to combat serious physical illness.

My last psychiatrist kept telling me I was in a "mixed state" when I would joke while feeling down. But my current psychiatrist and therapist say they see that as part of my personality!

At least if we can find things to laugh about, it makes life more enjoyable, whether it actually treats our ailments or not.

[wing]

I subscribe to several of the humor threads, and they're the first thing I read to get my day off to a good start.