It’s no secret that negative emotions usually plunge a person into stress. And the more serious the reason for worry, the greater the influence of stress factors. Many people in difficult life situations have a question: is it appropriate to look for reasons for joy in order to at least temporarily forget about the negative? And if difficult events have affected many people, doubts are added: is it possible to rejoice when, together with others, you cross a dark streak in life? Is it worth laughing if someone is definitely not having fun right now? Let’s try to figure it out and find the answers.
Joy is a source of energy needed in a difficult situation
It’s unlikely that anyone wants to remain in a state of discomfort forever or wish this on their loved ones. But it is not always clear how to get out of a dead end. And what to do if the exit is far away.
There is a very simple and short answer to this question: act. Don’t sit and replay the sad details in your head over and over again, but change the situation. Or just go about your business, trying to do them as best as possible. Thus, Viktor Frankl, in his book “Saying Yes to Life!”: A Psychologist in a Concentration Camp, wrote about the horrors of imprisonment he experienced: “Those who survived were those who focused on their affairs, without expectations of what else might happen.”
But in order to get things done without getting exhausted, you need to replenish your supply of resources. Not only eat on time and remember to drink water, but also maintain a high supply of energy. This means that you need to take care of ways to restore it.
Stress burns up the body’s resources. But positive emotions – joy, admiration, love, gratitude – help restore tone. It turns out that forbidding yourself to rejoice during difficult periods means depriving yourself of the opportunity to regain strength.
Therefore, in a difficult situation, on the contrary, it is worth looking for any little things that will help distract you from gloomy thoughts. A beautiful photo, birds singing outside the window, an unusual cloud, a bright umbrella from a passerby – all these little sparks of positivity will help you feel that life goes on and there is a lot of beauty in it. This means that problems, no matter how serious they may be, do not last forever.
Oksana Shtyrkova
In difficult stressful situations, many people have a feeling of guilt: “How can I be happy if they have…”. But this is a cognitive distortion. We think that if we don’t do this, we can empathize with the victims. This is wrong. It is important to share feelings such as empathy and joy in your life. They are not contradictory. It is possible to enjoy the environment and sympathize with those who are suffering.
Laughter is a great remedy against the effects of stress
There are people who are ready to reproach anyone who, in a difficult situation, is in no hurry to cry and complain, but for some reason laughs. Perhaps they just don’t know that laughter can have significant health benefits. And we haven’t heard that it helps a person not to succumb to the destructive effects of stress.
But doctors are well aware of the healing properties of laughter. Thus, employees of the American Mayo Clinic, one of the largest medical and research centers in the world, advise laugh as often as possible. And in any, even the saddest circumstances.
Those who have fun receive both short-term and long-term benefits. Here’s what doctors at the Mayo Clinic say laughter does in the body:
- Stimulates internal organs. You begin to breathe deeper, the lungs allow more oxygen to pass through, and the blood delivers it to all organs. The abdominal and diaphragm muscles come into play, and the heart begins to beat faster. The brain produces more endorphins. As a result, in a matter of minutes the body’s tone increases. So is your mood.
- Helps relax. After muscle stimulation, a relaxation reaction occurs. The number of heart contractions decreases, and blood pressure decreases slightly. The result is a pleasant feeling of relaxation and peace.
- Eases the pain a little. When a person laughs, the body produces natural painkillers. This does not mean that fun will replace medications prescribed by a doctor. But it can help make painful conditions easier to bear.
- Strengthens the immune system. This is a long-term effect, and it occurs after regular exercise. That is, repeated repetitions of episodes of delicate giggling, polite snorting or loud laughter. This works because negative experiences increase stress and cause additional cortisol production. As a result, the body works in the “escaping from danger” mode. Such stress depletes the immune system. Laughter reduces stress and ultimately strengthens the immune system.
It turns out that laughter is one of the most accessible and effective remedies against stress. Sometimes only he is able to help not go crazy and maintain composure.
Oksana Shtyrkova
In situations of severe stress, a person may physically feel “as if in a vice.” It is difficult for him to take a deep breath; many people feel pressure in the chest area. Therefore, having a good laugh is a step towards relieving stress. Laughter is a bright, natural reaction of the body. It relieves tension, which is what often prevents us from letting go of the situation, relaxing, and breathing out.
Of course, it is difficult to have fun on demand. Sometimes laughter can turn out to be insincere, and a smile can turn out to be crooked. But doctors believe that even forced laughter has a positive effect on the body. If you keep trying, a forced smile can turn into a natural one. Laughter will become the same.
It turns out that the intensity of the fun isn’t that important either. Research showedthat the consequences of experienced stress are reduced by both loud, booming laughter and quiet giggles. So laugh as much as you can.
Resource state is a source of opportunity to help others
“How can you have fun when a nightmare is happening around you!” – some are indignant. Yes, there are situations when it is difficult to hold back tears. When you want to be silent and it seems that you will never be able to laugh again. But this condition passes sooner or later. And you shouldn’t prolong it by forcing yourself to continue to be sad and suppress other, positive emotions.
If you regain your strength and desire to live, you can help others do the same. If you are a resource, you will be able to calm your loved one, listen to him or just be with him. When it’s bad, everyone wants someone strong and capable of supporting them to be nearby. Such a support is unlikely to be provided by a person who is himself in a state of severe stress. So laugh, be happy and joke. Let us add: of course, only in those situations where it is ethical and appropriate.
Joy, even the smallest, can awaken hope. Humor allows you to relieve tension and drive away disturbing thoughts, at least temporarily. This means looking at what is happening from a slightly different point of view. And maybe see what you can change in the situation.
Oksana Shtyrkova
You can regain both strength and resource by listening to yourself and the needs of your body. If you want to be at home in silence and lie down, do it. Not to scroll through the news, but to wrap yourself in a warm blanket, pour some tea, turn on a movie and enjoy it. In this way, you will regain the resource that is necessary to cope with stress, anxiety, and daily work matters. It is very important to maintain its internal level, because you are alive and your life goes on.
Andrew Matthews, author of the international bestseller “Happiness in Hard Times,” states in his book: “Living in constant sadness will not improve the future.”
You can’t stop the elements. But they are able to brew delicious tea to please themselves and their loved ones. You can’t cure all the pain on the planet. But talking to your loved ones, hugging them, letting them feel that together you can cope with many things is quite within your power. Therefore, take care of yourself, and when you have the resources for this, take care of other people who are important to you.
take care of yourself ❤️
