Here is the article I'm basing this blog on: http://bit.ly/1tXy5g1. The article talks about a program that teaches people with mental illness how to do stand-up comedy. I love it. I truly believe that while laughter doesn't 'cure' mental illness, it can be a tool in efforts to heal. I've always had a pretty good sense of humor. So when I don't see the funny side of life...you know I'm depressed. Even Maxine, with her severe mental illness, was able to laugh. The symptoms of mental illness, though, don't feel funny. They are frightening and disruptive. They are overwhelming. Living with mental illness can feel like serious business. Until you become capable of reframing.
The way that I'm defining reframing is this: Reframing is the ability to look at a situation or problem differently. I learned about reframing while in school learning about therapeutic interventions. And it has stuck with me throughout my personal and professional life. If you can reframe, you can find the humor. I've said before in this blog that I remember one therapist who told me that a session with me was like watching a comedian. We both laughed. And I left her office with more perspective. I also felt considerably better because I'd challenged the hopelessness and found the humor. Her encouragement served as a reminder that the depression didn't have to be in control.
One of my best traits as a case manager was when I could help my clients find their sense of humor. I even used humor to work in the batterers treatment program because I learned I could give the men extremely tough feedback if I couched it in more humorous terms. Now, of course, this doesn't always work. Laughing at someone in pain is cruel. Humor needs to be gentle and affirming. Without nastiness or put-downs. It is extraordinarily important to remember that if love isn't at the core, you will simply hurt somebody.
I think this article points out an extremely valuable recovery tool. Learning to laugh can help you to heal. It can even help you to cope with your illness. And the first step is to learn how to reframe how you view yourself, your illness, and your life situation. You don't need to become a stand-up comedian to benefit from laughter. You just need to put in the effort. Let me know how you see humor working in your life. I would love to hear from you...
The way that I'm defining reframing is this: Reframing is the ability to look at a situation or problem differently. I learned about reframing while in school learning about therapeutic interventions. And it has stuck with me throughout my personal and professional life. If you can reframe, you can find the humor. I've said before in this blog that I remember one therapist who told me that a session with me was like watching a comedian. We both laughed. And I left her office with more perspective. I also felt considerably better because I'd challenged the hopelessness and found the humor. Her encouragement served as a reminder that the depression didn't have to be in control.
One of my best traits as a case manager was when I could help my clients find their sense of humor. I even used humor to work in the batterers treatment program because I learned I could give the men extremely tough feedback if I couched it in more humorous terms. Now, of course, this doesn't always work. Laughing at someone in pain is cruel. Humor needs to be gentle and affirming. Without nastiness or put-downs. It is extraordinarily important to remember that if love isn't at the core, you will simply hurt somebody.
I think this article points out an extremely valuable recovery tool. Learning to laugh can help you to heal. It can even help you to cope with your illness. And the first step is to learn how to reframe how you view yourself, your illness, and your life situation. You don't need to become a stand-up comedian to benefit from laughter. You just need to put in the effort. Let me know how you see humor working in your life. I would love to hear from you...
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