Recently, because of a brief illness as well
as the inclement weather, I was relegated to the house. Initially, it was a
pretty nice arrangement. I was able to catch up on some reading as well as
writing that I had previously overlooked. I also arranged draws and closets,
played some old time radio programs, and genuinely enjoyed the time spent
indoors. However, as the days went by and the holiday programs no longer were
available, my perspective began to change and I was not a happy person. It
didn’t help that each time I turned the telly on, I was bombarded by depressing
pharmaceutical ads that had the words “death” and “fatal” too many times for
anyone to hear. Commercials that expressed the deploring states of health for
those with everything from psoriasis to lupus were broadcasted on a continual
basis. In fact, I found that there were more advertisements per show than there
were times for the actual programs.
My psyche was being bombarded with negative
sights and sounds. I realized that the time spent alone as well as not being
able to get out along with the negativity that came over the tube were taking
its toll on me emotionally as well as physically. As I was dragging through yet
another day while nursing a headache, the phone rang. My childhood friend of
many years was on the other end. Although it was nice to hear her voice, I
really wasn’t in the mood to talk. However, like a symphonic piece that starts
off quietly and with little pizazz and then crescendos to a thunderous peak, so
too was our conversation. In no time, I was laughing hysterically as we
discussed the weather, our lives and everything else. When the conversation
ended, I realized that my headache was gone. I felt lighter and generally well.
The feeling from that conversation and the light-hearted laughter that I
experienced followed me for the rest of the day. It continued throughout the
following days as well because I made a point from then on to surround myself
with humorous DVDs, old-time radio and more up-lifting phone calls.
Laughter therapy has been researched and is
utilized in different arenas such as with children who have illnesses and the
elderly who are in nursing homes. Laughter and humor does seem to help with a
variety of issues. For instance, Norman Cousins, who had been diagnosed with a
serious medical condition, lived another thirty plus years beyond because he
had determined that he would laugh his way to wellness. He subsequently got
well and went on to write several books as well as becoming a successful
businessman.
Each person has a funny bone – that place that
gets tickled so that laughter can happen. It’s built into us as humans and even
in some higher order animals. When we laugh, endorphins (happy hormones) are
released, tears cleanse the eyes, cardiovascular system awakens, and we kind of
jiggle and giggle out the gloom. A feeling of well-being comes about and we go
forward to tackle yet another day.
So if it is a bit cloudy on the outside that
might be causing a deluge on the inside – do whatever makes you happy. For
Norman Cousins, it was the Marx Brothers. For others, it might be something
more contemporary. It also might be something as simple as watching the antics
of a child or a pet that can bring those chuckles around as well. Whatever it
is – laugh. It does a body and a mind good. It can be good medicine.
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