Why do i laugh when i m sad?

Life can be quite comical at times, and other times it can be overwhelming. This usually happens when life throws you a curveball that knocks you off your feet leaving you gasping for air wondering why such calamity has found its way to you. In most circumstances, people will cry or get angry as their mind tries to come to terms with the event that happened. However, some people may find themselves laughing instead of crying in sad situations.

This phenomenon is referred to as inappropriate laughter and is believed by experts not to happen by chance but because of an underlying mental condition or deep-rooted psychological issue. Contrary to popular belief, anyone who laughs when they are sad doesn’t have a twisted sense of humor; rather, there could be more reasons than meets the eye.

What Is Inappropriate Laughter?

Inappropriate laughter refers to excessive giggling during an emotional situation like grief or sorrow caused by external factors such as trauma or stressors affecting one’s emotions negatively. The response appears contrary since laughter represents joyousness and happiness rather than sadness.

The term inappropriate highlights how awkward it seems for someone observing such behavior from another person despite being aware of its existence medically speaking. For instance, watching someone laugh hysterically while attending a funeral won’t appear appropriate behaviorally speaking comparedto say shedding tears instead under normal circumstances.

There are several explanations behind this perplexing reaction;

Dissociation Mechanism

In many scenarios like witnessing an accident scene or sudden danger that evokes fear responses indicating threat signals within our fight-or-flight mechanism known[1] . However, instead of running away due to being frightened, we first freeze where our minds seem detached from reality for irrational amounts of time allowing us sufficient recoil time before reacting appropriately if need be what occurs often termed dissociative disorder whereby we disassociate with pain and stress by laughing.

Emotional Numbness

During emotional turmoil, the feelings may become overwhelming that they numb our emotional receptors such that we laugh as an automatic defense mechanism to fill up the emptiness. Further, this is mostly experienced when there is a sense of loss or failure in one’s life that seems permanent leading to apathy, desperation resulting from depression[2].

Suppressing Trauma Responses

Laughter can also be used as an escape or coping method for individuals who have undergone traumatic experiences which resulted in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)[3]. In many cases, these people use laughter to suppress their reactions so they can prevent themselves from reliving the trauma again due to the associated emotions or behaviors. Therefore, these situations trigger threads of discomfort and vulnerability hence unease then causing inappropriate laughter rather than crying because it’s viewed less vulnerable[4].

Did you know that laughter therapy exists? Laughter therapy/laughter yoga is a practice where intentional exercises promote involuntary non-judgmental bodily responses aimed at creating deep relaxation and elevating happiness through sessions knownas laughter clubs[5]. While bizarre at first glance since internal processes cannot directly stimulate reflexes within our bodies like stretching muscles does, it turns out people who undergo sessions attest its validity—you could try them just for fun! Instead of sweating your worries out on some fancy sauna therapy whilst listening to monk chants.

The act itself releases endorphins—natural brain chemicals responsible for making us feel good—which lessen inhibitions relax muscle tension potentially curbing stressors such as anxiety while promoting overall mood [6]. That said, approaching sensitive scenarios involving personal growth using humor has been operationalized successfully by cross-cultured therapists over years since “healing through humor” emphasizes resiliency after sorrowful periods producing fulfillment healing ultimately in most clients needing aid [7].

Most times, inappropriate laughter maybe be a subconscious coping mechanism that may need addressing in some cases where:

  • The frequency of the actions raises concerns and disrupts one’s normal daily activities
  • It may happen alongside other symptoms like anxiety or depression in which case it highlights suffering from underlying mental disorder requiring medical attentions for diagnosis and treatment.

In conclusion, while human thoughts are intricate often with multi-layered designs as Dr. Seuss said—and so many meanings they can hide—understanding its complexity to enable appropriate responses is essential even when we find ourselves incapable of managing our emotions adequately comparatively during hard times.

Remember, “We don’t laugh because we’re happy—we’re happy because we laugh.”

[1] Burns JL. Dissociation theory and trauma: An overview of structural dissociation theory (SDT). Trauma Treatment Center at Los Angeles; Available from: https://traumacenterlosangeles.com/dissociation-theory-and-trauma/

[2] National Institute of Mental Health. Major Depression [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2021 Jul 20]. Available from: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression.shtml

[3] American Psychiatric Association.[Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ] DSM-5 –“” Fifth Edition available online J Psychiatry Psychotherap Commun.
1994;30(3):127–50

[4] Gracie C., Roberts M., Stam H.Jacobsen PBIntegrating humor into psychotherapy; Developing an integrative modelEur J Cancer Care (Engl)2005342530 doi:

10.1111/j/j1365-2354.2005.00564.x[published Online First Apr/12]

[5] Madan K et al Effectiveness of laughter therapy on depression among elderlyIndian J Gerontol201530246–284

[6] Amougou Nouhou M et al Effects of Laughter and Compliance on CD4+ Cell Count Among HIV-Positive PatientsInt J Med Sci Public Health2021;10(3):611-

[7] Hooten WM, Trapp BW. Healing through humor: Medical Journal for Humanity 52-71 (JMH).Calif AGS Journals. May-Jun 2008;19(3):52–71

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