Many years ago I was under contract with a company to provide education related to stress management. They provided a prepared program to be delivered that was well designed and well received. Whenever I reviewed the evaluation one comment was frequently seen. Attendees wanted to be entertained, even though they found the information useful and helpful.
I have struggled with this dilemma ever since. I still maintain that stress management is a serious topic. Many people can accept and internalize certain truths better if it is wrapped in laughter. As I developed my own stress management programs, I embraced the need for humor, but not by telling jokes for one hour or more. I learned from a colleague that humor, when used appropriately, can be very powerful. We often see ourselves in the stories that are being told. For nurses, it is said that we have a warped sense of humor, so we have to be careful when sharing our war stories with others. I often speak to non-psychiatric nurse groups so the stories and situations I share are more universal. Others may not understand that we are not laughing at them, but at the situation that created the high level of stress on the unit. Humor can be useful for the patient and/or the nurse. If the patient can see the absurdity in the situation they may begin to relax and become more receptive to the interventions being used. Humor should not be hurtful or mean. One story I like to share is about a client who eloped (escaped) from the inpatient unit. When she returned to the hospital we met for a debriefing session. I learned that she told the medics that she tried to commit suicide. As we explored this, I inquired about her plan since she had been found standing in a lake. She began to laugh. She articulated “what a dumb thing that was”. It generally brings laughter from the psychiatric nurse attendees because many nurses can relate to similar situations or stories with and/or about clients. Though the situation was potentially fatal, her ability to relax and laugh led to some interesting therapeutic insights.
Stress is no laughing matter. It can have very serious outcomes. We generally think about associated anxiety and other physical symptoms. I have encountered some nurses who admitted that they’ve used drugs, alcohol and tobacco to help them cope. Some other more general symptoms of stress include fatigue, hair loss, headaches, insomnia, and muscle tension and pain. The list goes on. It can also impact our interpersonal relationships which is exhibited through irritability, anger, social isolation, withdrawal and decreased intimacy.
How can humor be used when confronted with these situations? Even if you think you do not have a sense of humor, it can still serve to decrease your stress. Some ways of using humor to decrease stress can include strategies such as 1. Reading a good entertaining book where you get so involved in the humorous story that you forget about what was stressing you. 2. Play games where you are interacting with others. The verbal bantering often leads to laughter that will take your mind off of the stressor. 3. Smiling – It takes the scowl off of your face and helps you look more pleasant; 4. We’ve all read about laughter increasing endorphins in our brain, well humor results in laughter that can be so invigorating that it increases our heart rate and leaves us feeling good. 5. It’s OK if you are not the loud, belly type laughing person. We all have our unique ways of engaging in and enjoying humorous stories and situations. The important thing is that humor allows you to decrease the stress in your life, and possibility open yourself up to some amazing outcomes. Try it. Let me know how you use humor to help you cope with stressful life situations.