Dr. Amelia Haines

Humour has long been recognised as more than just entertainment. Across cultures and throughout history, laughter has played a vital role in helping humans cope with stress, adversity, and uncertainty. In recent decades, the psychiatric and psychological communities have increasingly emphasised the importance of humour and laughter as powerful tools for emotional resilience, mental health, and social connection. Far from being frivolous, humour can serve as a meaningful coping strategy that helps people tolerate life’s challenges with greater flexibility and strength.

At its core, humour offers a way of seeing the world that allows space for lightness, even in difficult circumstances. This does not mean denying pain, trauma, or worry, nor does it mean making light of serious experiences. Rather, humour provides a momentary shift in perspective—an opportunity to breathe, to soften the edges of distress, and to remind ourselves that hardship does not define the whole of our experience.

In fact humour can throw up ideas for solutions to life’s problems because of the change in our perspective.

This article was written by Dr. Amelia Haines, a Sydney-based medical practitioner with over 20 years of clinical experience in mental health, trauma, addiction support, sexual health, and relationship therapy. In her clinical work, Amelia has supported many clients navigating addiction, relapse, shame, and recovery using evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches.

Humour and the Human Nervous System

From a physiological standpoint, laughter has measurable benefits for the body and brain. When we laugh, our bodies release endorphins—often referred to as the body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals. Endorphins help reduce physical pain and create a sense of wellbeing or mild euphoria, sometimes described as a natural “high.” Laughter can also lower levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, helping to calm the nervous system.

This biological response is particularly important in times of chronic stress or trauma. When individuals are exposed to prolonged worry, grief, or emotional strain, their nervous systems can remain in a heightened state of alert. Humour, even in small doses, can act as a brief reset—signalling safety to the body and allowing tension to release. In this way, laughter becomes not just an emotional experience, but a physical one that supports recovery and regulation.

Humour can be a healing agent quite literally for the body.

Psychological Benefits of Humour

Psychologically, humour offers a unique form of cognitive flexibility. It allows people to hold multiple truths at once: that something can be painful and absurd, serious and strangely funny. This capacity to shift perspective is a cornerstone of resilience. Individuals who are able to find moments of humour amid difficulty are often better able to tolerate uncertainty, adapt to change, and maintain hope.

Importantly, humour works best when it is inclusive and compassionate. The kind of humour most strongly associated with wellbeing is laughter with others, not laughter at others. Shared humour builds connection rather than reinforcing shame or exclusion. It affirms common humanity and reminds us that struggle is a universal experience, not a personal failing.

In therapeutic contexts, clinicians often use gentle humour to build rapport, reduce anxiety, and help clients feel more at ease. When used appropriately and sensitively, humour can humanise difficult conversations and make overwhelming material more approachable. It can also empower individuals by helping them reclaim agency in situations where they may otherwise feel powerless.

Social Connection and the Power of Shared Laughter

Humour is inherently social. Laughter is contagious, and shared moments of amusement can quickly foster a sense of belonging. This social dimension is particularly significant in a world where many people experience isolation, loneliness, or disconnection. When we laugh with others—whether friends, family, colleagues, or even strangers—we experience ourselves as part of a collective group rather than as isolated individuals.

This sense of connection has profound implications for mental health. Feeling socially supported is one of the strongest protective factors against depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders. Shared humour creates emotional bridges, strengthening relationships and easing communication. It can diffuse tension, repair misunderstandings, and bring people closer together during challenging times.

Even simple acts—watching a comedy show together, sharing a funny story, or exchanging light-hearted messages—can reinforce bonds and remind us that we are not alone.

Humour as Self-Care: “Dates” with Yourself and Others

Incorporating humour into everyday life does not require grand gestures. One accessible and meaningful approach is intentionally scheduling moments of enjoyment—what might be called “dates” with yourself or with the significant people in your life. This could involve attending a comedy show, watching a favourite sitcom, listening to humorous podcasts, or revisiting books and films that reliably make you laugh. Everyone is different in what they find uplifting and humorous, we don’t need people critiquing our sense of humour.

When life feels heavy, these moments of intentional levity can make traumatic or worrying aspects of experience more tolerable. They do not erase pain, but they can make space around it, offering relief and perspective. Importantly, choosing humour as self-care is not a sign of avoidance or weakness; it is a proactive act of emotional regulation and kindness toward oneself.

For couples, families, and friendships, shared humour can act as emotional glue. Laughing together during difficult periods can strengthen resilience as a unit, helping people navigate hardship without becoming overwhelmed by it.Hence the increasing trend for workplaces to do humorous things together to increase workplace cohesion and functionality.

Boundaries and Respect in Humour

While humour has many benefits, it is also important to recognise its limits. Not all humour is helpful, and timing matters. Humour should never invalidate someone’s pain or be used to dismiss serious concerns. Respectful humour is attuned to context, consent, and emotional readiness. When offered with empathy, it can heal; when used carelessly, it can harm.

This is why the emphasis must always remain on laughing with others rather than at them. Compassionate humour uplifts rather than diminishes, and it invites connection rather than defensiveness. Sadly we all have experiences of people at school, work or even within families laughing at us and the emotional hurt can feel crushing.

Conclusion

Humour is a deeply human resource—one that supports emotional resilience, strengthens social bonds, and promotes psychological and physiological wellbeing. Recognised and supported by the psychiatric community, laughter is far more than a pleasant distraction; it is a meaningful coping strategy that helps people navigate life’s inevitable challenges.

By intentionally making space for humour—through shared experiences, personal rituals, and moments of lightness—we can reduce stress, feel less isolated, and cultivate greater resilience. In a world that often feels overwhelming, humour reminds us that joy and pain can coexist, and that even in the most difficult moments, connection and relief are possible. Also importantly, that magical relieving feeling that ‘we are all this together’.

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