Why Laughter Truly is the Best Medicine
"Laughter is not just laughter; it's the most fundamental sign of safety and connection" (Daniel Coyle, The Culture Code).
When we’ve been chronically abused and mistreated by an intimate partner, joy seems to drain from the soul. As the months and years pass, the idea of joyful existence seems a distant memory, something unattainable and extinct. The weariness of trying to cope with daily battles feels insurmountable.
Yet it doesn’t have to be that way. Purposefully bringing joy into what feels like a joyless existence will relax your nervous system, boost your immunity, and help release some of the brain fog caused by abuse and gaslighting.
If you don’t feel like laughing, try to laugh daily anyway. In this case, “fake it ‘til you make it” is excellent advice. Watched a funny YouTube video, listen to clean stand-up comedy, or do something silly with your children. Even if you feel too exhausted, when you make an effort to bring laughter into your life on a daily basis, the rewards will pay off tremendously.
“Laughter is the best medicine” is such a common phrase that we tend to shrug it off. Sure, it feels good to laugh—to really laugh, deep in the belly and firm in the spirit—but the actual benefits of laughter are often overlooked. It’s more than just a feel-good action (or reaction); laughter actually benefits our health, enriches our spirit, and can transform our minds from a state of discouragement to that of inner renewal and healing.
