[lostwonder]

I laughed histerically today at a serious question my T asked. I couldn't help it or stop myself. Before the laughter set in I felt intense emotional pain. Has anyone else ever had this happen?

[tealBumblebee]

I haven't, but I remember reading a post not too long ago here on PC from another member who experienced that. S/he said that the T touched their head and I believe back and the laughter eventually calmed. They mentioned that laughter, was sometimes a sign of something stirring up inside. I wonder if that could have been a possibility with you? A nervous response? Whoever wrote it, I hope see's this post because I found their post very possible.

[stopdog]

Yes I have had an experience of not being able to stop laughing at something that outwardly was not funny. The therapist did ask me why I was laughing and I had no good reason other than it struck me as so very absurd. That it had happened in the first place and that I was even bothering to talk about it.

Not the uncontrollable laughter, but definitely giggling or smiling at inappropriate times, like when I was talking about what happened to me. I didn't even realize I was smiling until my T brought it to my attention. I think for me it was almost an embarrassed response maybe. It was either smile or cry I guess, and at the time, crying wasn't happening so the smiling or giggling was probably protective.

[lostwonder]

I lack the ability to cry. I think that it may have been an intense emotional response. It wasn't nervous laughter, it was laughter like I was sitting in a comedy club.

I had a similar incident this week.

Yes, I have had that experience. It was my t who soothed me by touching my head and back. She said that laughter and sadness are closely linked just expressed differently. I wonder if your laughter was covering up a deeper painful emotion that you couldn't express

[tealBumblebee]

Originally Posted by monalisasmile

Yes, I have had that experience. It was my t who soothed me by touching my head and back. She said that laughter and sadness are closely linked just expressed differently. I wonder if your laughter was covering up a deeper painful emotion that you couldn't express

Glad you saw this! I meant powerful not possible lol but your story stood out a lot to me!

Originally Posted by tealBumblebee

Glad you saw this! I meant powerful not possible lol but your story stood out a lot to me!

I am glad that it had an impact, perhaps positive impact on you teal and thank you for remembering .
My practises cranial sacral therapy too which soothes distressed babies and she was clever enough to see my laughter was pain and not joy.

[lostwonder]

He thought I was laughing at him. I knew in the moment that I wasn't, but couldn't articulate what was going on. I shot off an e-mail explaining that I think it was an odd emptional reaction to pain.

[BayBrony]

This has never happened to me but I know someone where it happened at a funeral for someone important to them and they were experiencing intense grief. They started laughing and of course then we're ashamed and overwhelmed. However this is apparently within the normal realm of responses to intense grief.

[timentimeagain]

not laughter..but i smile all the time..even when talking about negative things..i have the biggest smile on my face...and when talking about...something very painful...smile is even bigger...i feel my cheeks would burst open.....ahhhh...want to stop !!! hate it !!!

[unaluna]

There is a public service announcement tv commercial in the usa right now for pseudo-bulbar affect, uncontrollable inappropriate laughing or crying. Thats another reason i dont want to go to my cousins bridal shower - if someone there mentions to me that maybe thats what i have, i might have to pseudo-bulbar them in the throat

I ve never had that happen when a serious question was asked, only when she responded weirdly to something that I had said. She had laughed uncontrollably, and we did it together when we were in session, especially toward the end. Now, we laugh hysterically when ever we get together as friends.

[Partless]

Happened to me in college in a class couple times, I was tired and it was late and something just made me laugh. And I could not stop and the harder I tried the worse it got and kept worrying somebody would be offended or angry but only a couple of people looked at me but I was tearing up literally and turned red and still can't remember what had made me laugh in either case.

But I think your case is different, having happened right after emotional pain. Maybe it was a defensive thing for you to distant yourself from the pain. Sometimes people laugh when faced with deep shame but obviously anything can trigger it.

[MoxieDoxie]

Hell yes! That happened to me with T1. I would sit down look at him and just start laughing to the point the tears would flow. It happened when I knew he was going to do exposure therapy and I would have to talk about events. I would laugh for like 5 minutes. He learned if he just started talking about something it would help me stop laughing. He also could not stop from giggling sometimes.

[secretgalaxy]

Not as strong as a response for me, but I have weirded out my old because I was smiling and giggling while talking about something traumatic.