Is it possible to laugh away sadness?

1. 84

   pstraubie48posted 12 years ago

   Is it possible to laugh away sadness?
   
   When sorrow has surrounded your loved ones, do you find that giving them reason to laugh and smile is helpful at least for a bit??
   
   

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2. 61

   lumen2lightposted 12 years ago

   Sadness and sorrow, depending on the cause, and the person can be all consuming. Each individual needs time to come to terms with them, how much time will depend on who the individual is and who their friends and family are.
   
   Helping someone to smile is like putting a plaster on the little cut your child has; it does not take away the pain, nor make the cut disappear, but it does make both child and parent feel better.
   
   I would not say that you could laugh away sadness, but a smile or a laugh does help to ease the symptoms.
   
   Thank you for your question.

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3. 0

   Emily Sparksposted 12 years ago

   I think it depends on the reason for the sadness.  If over something small, I believe laughter can take one's mind of it and replace it with happiness.  If the reason is something more serious, laughter will certainly lighten things, but will not be able to wipe out the reason for the sadness.  In any case, laughter can help!

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4. 72

   lorlie6posted 12 years ago

   Absolutely!  As they say, "Laughter is the best medicine", and that goes for emotional turmoil as well.
   That said, it is important to understand the quality/quantity of the sorrow.  When dealing with your loved ones, be aware of their fragility in the situation.  Most everyone deals with emotional distress differently, so sensitivity to the individual is paramount.
   Finally, those you care for can be "read" with body language, the level of grief, and flowing tears.  Treat each with what you feel to be the proper uplifting assistance, whether it be a grin, a sweet laugh, or an out and out guffaw; engage them with your love.

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5. 83

   annartposted 12 years ago

   Yes, difficult though it might be at first.  They say that people who laugh more, live longer, so I guess it must be good for you.  It's also often said that one should look at the positives in life (or in the life of a loved one who's died) and smile and celebrate rather than be down.  I have found that a laugh or smile cheers people up and it's then easier to talk about the situation.
   Great question

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   1. 83

      annartposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks so much for the vote!  I'm honoured.

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6. 82

   skperdonposted 12 years ago

   Absolutely! If it doesn't drive away the sadness, it will atleast lighten the mood!

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7. 50

   tynu-dinaposted 12 years ago

   In my Evolutionary Psychology class, My professor told the class of a study that was conducted to answer this same question. The results suggest that laughter cannot take away sadness but it makes the sad event easier to deal with. Laughing helps people focus on the good and realize that it does outweigh the bad. The study also discovered that laughter is highly contagious so a happy person around sad people will infect these people with happiness. Try to smile

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