Laughing Out Loud

Humor therapy (sometimes called therapeutic humor) uses the power of smiles and laughter to aid healing. Humor therapy helps you find ways to make yourself (or others) smile and laugh more. One of ways humor therapy is practiced is with clowns in the children's ward of a hospital cheering up sick children. Some hospitals now have humor carts that provide funny materials for people of all ages.

Scientists have been researching the relation between the mind and the body, especially in connection with the body's ability to heal (a field called psychoneuroimmunology). Laughter appears to change brain chemistry and is thought to boost the immune system.

From a purely psychological perspective, humor may allow a person to feel in control of a situation and make it seem more manageable. It allows people to release fears, anger, and stress, all of which can harm the body over time. Humor improves the quality of life.

Mental Health Jokes From Comedians

The following jokes are - obviously - intended to be funny. Since we all have different tastes, you may or may not see the humor in them. If none of these jokes evoke a chuckle from you, may I suggest some old-fashioned cinematherapy; in other words, go to the movies and see a good comedy!

I'm kind of mad at my therapist because I just found out that he's in therapy, which, apparently, is common practice. All psychiatrists see a psychiatrist. The most neurotic portion of the population is in charge of mental health.
~ Chuck Sklar

Therapy's amazing. You sit there and you talk about yourself for an hour straight, and the other person listens to everything you say. It's like I'm the guy on a date.
~ Caroline Rhea

My name is Milt Abel, and I'm a passive-aggressive. That's what this counselor labeled me, which really ticked me off, but I couldn't do a thing about it -- not right then, but I made plans.
~ Milt Abel

One out of every three Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of two of your best friends. If they are OK, then it must be you.
~ George Carlin

Do you ever run into an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, and you look at them, and you think to yourself, 'Was I in a deranged psychopathic dementia? Was I in a complete psychotic state when I was having sex with this man every night, twice on Saturdays?'
~ Sussie Essman

Cambridge is the kind of place where you can walk into a children's bookstore and find a self-help section. Yesterday, I saw a book for five-year-olds, called, 'Learning to Tie Your Inner Shoe.'
~ Jonathan Katz

I was reading in the paper that a lot of kids in the United States are suffering from depression. Younger and younger, our children are seeing the sippy-cup as half empty.
~ Maria Bamford

I think, in most cases, the difference between depression and disappointment is your level of commitment.
~ Marc Maron