Scientists have revealed the role of humor in depression

Humor can temporarily improve mood and maintain psychological stability in depressive symptoms, but in the acute phase of the disease, attempts to make a person laugh can, on the contrary, increase anxiety and negative thoughts. About when humor can be beneficial for depression and why it is not suitable for every condition, see the "Izvestia" article.

When Humor can Relieve Depression

Clinical psychologist Anna Branecka from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Poland analyzed existing research on the use of humor in depression, including data on its emotional impact, people's reactions to humorous content, and the results of various interventions. The work was published in the journal Clinical Psychology Review.

The analysis showed that the effectiveness of humor depends on the stage of depression, the context, and the specific form of humor. In the acute phase of the disease, humorous interventions, according to the data reviewed, did not demonstrate effectiveness.

The best results were observed in people with mild depressive symptoms and in remission. In such cases, humor can contribute to psychological stability and help a person maintain mental well-being.

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How Jokes can Help with mild symptoms

According to the review, humor can affect some of the processes associated with depressive states. In particular, it is able to shift a person's attention away from difficulties and temporarily reduce the tendency to constantly think about negative events.

The author considers the use of humorous content, which helps to distract from problems, to be the safest strategy. Branetska cites telling jokes as an example. At the same time, we are not talking about the fact that laughter by itself eliminates depression. In the reviewed studies, humor is rather considered as a possible tool to support positive emotions and psychological stability, especially when the severity of symptoms is low.

Can it harm a person's attempts to make them laugh

For a person with depression, the laughter of others is not always perceived as a benevolent reaction. People with this condition are more likely to have gelotophobia — the fear of becoming the object of ridicule. Therefore, a humorous situation that looks harmless to one person may be perceived as a threat to another.

According to the review, attempts to "forcibly" cheer up a person during the acute phase of depression should be treated with particular caution. Such actions can cause severe anxiety instead of the expected improvement in mood.

Self-irony becomes a separate risk. Trying to laugh at your own problems in some cases can, on the contrary, increase negative thoughts and worsen your emotional state.

What is the danger of black humor in depression?

Caution is also necessary when using negative Internet memes and other forms of black humor. People with depression may find such content closer to their own emotional state. In the short term, this is sometimes accompanied by an improvement in mood.

However, prolonged use of such content can reinforce a pessimistic way of thinking. Therefore, short-term emotional relief does not mean that a certain kind of humor will be useful in the long run.

Risks also exist when using humor by mental health professionals. An unsuccessful joke on the part of the therapist may be perceived by the patient as a lack of empathy or as a devaluation of his problem. For this reason, Branetska believes, before using humor in working with a patient, it is necessary to take into account his mental state and how he perceives what is happening.

Why Humor is not a Substitute for Treating Depression

The researcher emphasizes that humor should not be considered as an independent way of treating depression.

According to Branecki, for a positive effect, humor must match the stage of treatment, as well as the patient's current emotional and cognitive abilities. She considers the most promising use of it to be the formation of psychological stability and the prevention of relapses, rather than use during the most severe periods of depression.

The author also draws attention to digital technologies — applications, chatbots and virtual reality using artificial intelligence. They can make humorous interventions more accessible and cheaper, but without professional supervision, according to the researcher, such tools can also reinforce pessimistic thinking patterns.