T H E H E A L I N G P O W E R of H U M O R Linda J. Keilman, DNP, GNP-BC Consistent with the ACCME Standards of Commercial Support, faculty for the symposium are expected to disclose any economic or other personal interests that create, or may be perceived as creating, a conflict related to the materials discussed. Faculty Disclosure Linda Keilman declares that she does not have a financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with one or more organizations that could be perceived as a real or apparent conflict of interest in the context of the subject of this presentation. Objectives: 1. Discuss the therapeutic healing effects of humor on the mind, body, and spirit. 2. Describe humor interventions to utilize with clients and their families for increasing coping and quality of life. 3. Identify how to utilize humor as a therapeutic tool/intervention. An innate human quality Creative Balanced Loving Spontaneous Source of power Helps us to cope Keeps us balanced Constantly being modified by life experience Can be an empowerment tool Gain a different perspective on problems, stressors, everyday life Can help give a sense of control in life Powerful versus Powerless Reflects a positive orientation to life & a sense of well-being Holistic mind, body & spirit
Capable of reducing stress & enhancing communication The way we view the world Unique to every individual No known negative side effects A gift! With smiling 15 facial muscles contract Average adult laughs maybe 17 times/day Laugh 30 times more when in a group Purpose of laughter is to trigger positive feelings in others (& self) Improves quality of life The best medicine? Humor Is Not: Judgmental Ageist, sexist Prejudice Culturally insensitive Negative Aggressive At the expense of others Jokes alone Anxiety Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Autism spectrum disorder Bipolar mania Co-morbid, chronic conditions Cognitive impairment Dementia Depression Disinhibition Drugs & ETOH Grief, loss, bereavement Fatigue Multiple medications Myxedema Pain syndrome Paranoid personality disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Sensory losses (Greenberg, 2011)
What Are The Areas of the Body Positively Affected by Humor & Laughter? Muscles & Bones Increases blood pressure Increases heart rate Initially - & then lowers Hiccupping Coughing Increase in vascular blood flow Increase in oxygenation of the blood Increases circulation Skin Provides cardiac conditioning Psychoneuroimmunology Mind, body connection When in a state of mirth, natural killer cells that destroy tumors & viruses increase Laughter brings balance to all components of the immune system Laughter reduces levels of certain stress hormones which tighten blood vessels & suppress immune activity: Epinephrine (adrenaline) Dopamine Cortisol Growth hormone Fight or flight syndrome
Laughter triggers the release of & increases the level of health-enhancing hormones: Endorphins The body s natural painkillers Produces a general sense of well being Promotes relaxation Neurotransmitters T-cells; Gamma interferon In 1984, the Journal of the American Medical Association printed an article & acknowledged that laughter therapy could improve chronic disease, patient s quality of life (QOL) & help reduce pain (Black, 1984) Pain reduction Increased pain threshold & tolerance Analgesic effect When humor used as adjunct to conventional care Humor allows a person to forget aches & pains (time varies) Distraction Enhances coping Humor Assessment of the Consumer/Client 1. Have they given any clues that indicate they are receptive to humor? 2. Do they attempt to share humor with staff, family or others? 3. What is the individuals ability to perceive & understand humor? 4. How do they use humor? 5. If you share humor will it be perceived as caring or annoying? Laughter dissolves distressing emotions Helps you relax & recharge Reduces stress Enables you to stay focused Increases energy & accomplish more Shifts perspective See situations more realistically Less threatening Creates psychological distance Help avoid feeling overwhelmed Decreases anxiety Stabilizes mood Rests the brain Enhances communication Maintains hope Bolsters morale Is contagious
Prevents toxicity Makes time fly Effective coping mechanism Tears down barriers Relieves burnout & lightens burdens Promotes self care Transcends everyday existence & difficulties Increases social support Social competence Intimacy Social relationships Adopt an attitude of playfulness Think funny Laugh at yourself Take yourself lightly Make others laugh Have fun! Keep things in perspective Checklist for Lightening Up Ask these questions - Is it really worth getting upset over? Is it worth upsetting others? Is it that important? Is it that bad? Is the situation in your control? Is the situation irreparable? Is it really your problem? Realize that a sense of humor is deeper than laughter & more satisfying than comedy It is more important to have fun than to be funny! Only laugh WITH others not AT others
Find a humor buddy Look for the absurdities in life Go to the card aisle & read all of the hilarious cards Collect funny books, comics, videos, CDs, DVDs to read or view when you need a laugh or to share with someone else in need Keep a humor diary Act goofy Don t take yourself too seriously Surround yourself with reminders to lighten up Computer screen saver, toys, bubbles, postit notes, funny poster Check out the newspaper titles, headlines, advertisements for errors Put all the stuff you collect in a scrapbook Hang out with people who have a good sense of humor it s contagious Cut out comics or humor that make you laugh & place them in strategic places around your home Share a good joke with others Act like a kid again! Keep a humor journal of things you find funny & read it when you are down Put on a happy face even if you don t feel like it! Maintain a positive attitude! Plan to use humor Encourages openness & flexibility in tense environments or encounters Smile Take pictures of people, places, animals, signs, things that make you smile & put them in your Happiness or Humor Album Try spreading laughter around it is contagious Make a list of your blessings Create a Bucket List!
Bring humor in to conversations Watch a funny movie or TV show Go to a comedy club Host a game night with friends Go to a laughter exercise/yoga class Play with a pet or go to the zoo Goof around with children Have a daily joke or positive affirmation calendar & read it Name the office equipment & talk to it Copy your hand on a copy machine, write on it Need a pat on the back? Stand here. & tape up on a wall Provide bubble gum or lollipops at a meeting Make or buy a magic wand & grant wishes Take a 5 10 minutes humor break every day Remind yourself to have fun! Using humor & laughter in relationships helps you to: Be more spontaneous Let go of defensiveness Release inhibitions Express your true feelings Use common sense Sometimes laughter must wait for the right moment FUNNY BONE HISTORY When was the last time you had a good laugh? What kinds of things make you laugh? How often do you laugh? How do you feel when you laugh? When was the last time you played? Uniquely individualized Enhances communication Fosters a therapeutic relationship Helps to reduces stress & pain Improves healing Bring about feelings of being uplifted or fulfilled Useful as a cognitive-behavioral intervention Teach perspective by helping clients see reality Bennett et al., 2003; Morse, 2007; Strean, 2009; Toda et al., 2007
Can erase anger & unite families during crisis Decreases sense of isolation No negative effects documented from research Most inexpensive & most effective wonder drug; a universal medicine (Bertrand Russell) Easily implemented Cost effective Use & outcomes need to be documented Buy funny greeting cards when you see them & put them in a file Use for times when colleagues need cheered up, are to be congratulated or for no reason at all Subscribe to an internet humor or laughter site & get daily greetings * Only if not against work policy Be careful of the source Only positive, clean sites for this fun Share a laugh/joke a day/week or humor of the day with colleagues Bring some of your toys & props to work Create a humor bulletin board Create & share inside jokes because you share a common history Use the magic mirror When someone smiles at you, smile back! Hold a Laughter Session 15 minutes Exercises Breathing (in & out) Smiling Stretching (playful) Laughter sounds Singing Greet people around you Congratulate yourself (clapping) Linda J. Keilman, DNP, GNP-BC Michigan State University, College of Nursing 517/355-3365 keilman@msu.edu