Mental health question

4 Comments

I was discussing a technique I use to improve my attitude to a friend and mentioned how it caused an interesting side effect, they said they used to do something similar and it came with a side effect to them to.

Whenever I'm feeling down for whatever reason, I did something stupid, someone said something that hurt my feelings, things didn't go according to plan, ect... I would laugh. I would make myself laugh, I would laugh at the utter insanity of letting such stupid and minor problems get to me. And it worked!!! I would feel better instantly, and the more often I'd do it the more my mood would improve.
The side effect, If I did this enough, I noticed that I would start breaking out into fits of laughter for no apparent reason. Even when I wasn't trying to laugh and nothing funny happened, I would laugh my head off.

My friend mentioned that when she was younger and in depression she would smile, She would smile at her pain both physical and emotional. She told me that over time she began to like the pain and developed some masochistic tendencies from smiling at her pain.

I found it interesting that we developed these side effects from doing these things. I mentioned my friend's experience just to be complete with the story but this question is primarily about my self help technique

Is it ok to use my technique with the side effect it gives me, I don't mind the occasional fits of laughter after all it feels good to laugh but I'm worried it might lead to more problems?

It's healthy 5
It's not healthy 3
I'm not sure, you should ask a counselor 12
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Comments ( 4 )
  • HalfInsaneFemale
    7 years ago

    Sometimes you just have to be like Stephen from Braveheart and just be jolly fucking insane and enjoy it.

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  • Smokey1D
    7 years ago

    Laughing is great. They even have laughing classes now where you get together and laugh at things. Improves your mood and helps u feel good!

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  • Anewbis
    7 years ago

    Sometimes you just have to laugh to keep from crying.

    More power to ya.

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  • SeriousChipotlePirate
    7 years ago

    I'm not all that certain but I can say with some confidence that trying to get rid of pain wont make you a masochist or at least I don't think that that's what made your friend a masochist.
    I think it is normal. If it works, go ahead! and even if you start getting masochistic tendencies (which would probably not happen) it's not something as weird as you might think. I'm okay with that!

    As of the laughing, I do it two, maybe not on a physical pain cause I know that laughing at my bleeding finger won't help it heal, but on emotional stuff I do it often:
    For example I sometimes laugh when I learn something new and very interesting but most times I smile or laugh like that when I don't know what to do; friend's funeral, I smile and maybe giggle for a second, Its not funny, I don't see it as funny but I'm nervous so I smile, its practically a reflex.

    I say keep going at it, it's not like it's gonna get someone murdered but don't laugh in front of a person when you have caused them pain or maybe giggle for a second and explain why you do it.

    That's all I have to say :)

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