Does laughter therapy always work?

Q: Does Laughter therapy always work?

Krishna: :) The net is full of videos showing how laughter therapy is good for everyone and some even claim it always works!

Show the above video to a person who is recently bereaved. And if the loved one he or she lost forever was deeply attached to the person? It doesn't change his or her mood much. This works with ordinary moods  and superficial emotions, not with deep emotions! 

I myself felt this when I lost my mother sometime back and a person sent me this video, to brighten my mood. I felt disgusted despite his good intensions!

But, whether laughter therapy works or not depends on several things. Does laughter therapy really work according to science?

Not always! The truth is - laughter isn’t always positive or healthy according to science (3). 

Nature gave us a variety of emotions for a reason. If you try to suppress them when you feel them deeply and try to artificially laugh, you feel stress and this  causes more complications. Sometimes crying is good too! 

As a phenomenon that is unique to humans, crying is a natural response to a range of emotions, from deep sadness and grief to extreme happiness and joy. But is crying good for your health? The answer appears to be yes. Medical benefits of crying have been known as far back as the Classical era. Thinkers and physicians of ancient Greece and Rome posited that tears work like a purgative, draining off and purifying us. Today’s psychological thought largely concurs, emphasizing the role of crying as a mechanism that allows us to release stress and emotional pain (2,3).

Crying is an important safety valve, largely because keeping difficult feelings inside — what psychologists call repressive coping — can be bad for our health. Studies have linked repressive coping with a less resilient immune system, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension, as well as with mental health conditions, including stress, anxiety, and depression. Crying has also been shown to increase attachment behavior, encouraging closeness, empathy, and support from friends and family

As a phenomenon that is unique to humans, crying is a natural response to a range of emotions, from deep sadness and grief to extreme happiness and joy. But is crying good for your health? The answer appears to be yes. Medical benefits of crying have been known as far back as the Classical era. Thinkers and physicians of ancient Greece and Rome posited that tears work like a purgative, draining off and purifying us. Today’s psychological thought largely concurs, emphasizing the role of crying as a mechanism that allows us to release stress and emotional pain.

Crying is an important safety valve, largely because keeping difficult feelings inside — what psychologists call repressive coping — can be bad for our health. Studies have linked repressive coping with a less resilient immune system, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension, as well as with mental health conditions, including stress, anxiety, and depression. Crying has also been shown to increase attachment behavior, encouraging closeness, empathy, and support from friends and family(2,3).

Scientists divide the liquid product of crying into three distinct categories: reflex tears, continuous tears, and emotional tears. The first two categories perform the important function of removing debris such as smoke and dust from our eyes, and lubricating our eyes to help protect them from infection. Their content is 98% water.

When you hear someone laugh behind you, you probably picture them on the phone or with a friend – smiling and experiencing a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. Chances are just the sound of the laughter could make you smile or even laugh along. But imagine that the person laughing is just walking around alone in the street, or sitting behind you at a funeral. Suddenly, it doesn’t seem so inviting.

The truth is that laughter isn’t always positive or healthy. According to science, it can be classified into different types, ranging from genuine and spontaneous to simulated (fake), stimulated (for example by tickling), induced (by drugs) or even pathological. But the actual neural basis of laughter is still not very well known – and what we do know about it largely comes from pathological clinical cases.

Laughter and the appreciation of humour are vital components of adaptive social, emotional and cognitive function. Laughter is a good exercise too. It has health benefits. Laughter is a communal activity which promotes bonding, diffuses potential conflict and eases stress and anxiety.

Indeed, our brains seem particularly affected by emotionally rewarding and authentic happy signals. This might help explain why laughter therapy has been shown to have potent effects. These include muscle workout, improved respiration, decreased stress and anxiety and improved mood and resilience. Laughter therapy has even been shown to function similarly to antidepressants by raising serotonin levels in the brain, a crucial neurotransmitter vital for feelings of wellbeing and calmness(1).

But it loses its momentum quickly when indulged in alone as solitary laughter can have ominous connotations.

There is a well documented syndrome, thought to be first identified by Charles Darwin, involves an unsettling exhibition of uncontrolled emotion. It is clinically characterised by frequent, involuntary and uncontrollable outbursts of laughing and crying. This is a distressing disorder of emotional expression at odds with the person’s underlying feelings. The condition is known as pseudobulbar affect syndrome and may be expressed in several different neurological conditions (1).

Briefly summarised, the condition arises from a disconnect between the frontal “descending pathways” in the brainstem – which control emotional drives – and the circuits and pathways that govern facial and emotional expression. Some disorders specifically associated with the condition include traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and stroke (1).

Indeed, a study last year found that an increasingly twisted sense of humour and laughing at inappropriate times could be an early indication of dementia. Pseudobulbar affect syndrome is also one of the most common reported side effects of stroke in terms of emotional change. And given the high incidence of stroke each year, the condition is likely to be highly prevalent in the general population.

Laughter does have the power to override other emotions momentarily – we cannot sob morosely or simmer with anger while simultaneously laughing. This is because our facial muscles and vocal architecture have been hijacked by sunnier emotions. And it is all controlled by specialised brain circuits and chemical messengers (neurotransmitters).

We know there are several brain pathways that contribute to laughter – each for different components of it. For example, brain regions usually involved in decision-making and controlling our behaviour have to be inhibited to facilitate spontaneous and unbridled laughter. Laughter also relies on emotional circuitry connecting areas responsible for experiencing emotion with those required for expressing emotion (1).

So laugh when you are in a good mood and cry when you feel the pain deeply. Both have their own benefits and nature gave us these different emotions for a reason. You need not supress one for the other and get more stressed.

Footnotes:

1. https://theconversation.com/the-science-of-laughter-and-why-it-also...

2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-crying-good-for-you-20210301....

3. https://kkartlab.in/group/some-science/forum/topics/the-science-of-...

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Updates:

Fighting depression with humor: Laughter can bring relief, but not every moment is right

A review of clinical research suggests humor may support resilience in people with mild depression or in remission, but is ineffective and may cause distress during acute episodes. Its effects depend on timing and content: distracting humor appears safer than jokes about personal difficulties or dark humor. Humor cannot replace depression treatment.

Comedian Robin Williams once said that every time you get depressed, comedy will be there to drag you out of it. But does humor really help? A researcher from SWPS University investigated the potential of using humor to treat depressive states. She found that while it could act as a natural stress buffer, it typically does more harm than good during the acute phase of the illness.

Can humor serve as a remedy for depression? While it can improve mood and boost resilience against everyday worries, depression is a serious disorder that requires appropriate specialized treatment. It is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions worldwide, with over 280 million people diagnosed. The condition involves profound suffering and impairs daily activities.

Despite advances in treatments for depression, their overall effectiveness and durability remain limited. Some researchers have argued that a contributing factor is the prevailing emphasis on reducing symptoms, with less focus on positive functioning and well-being. That is why experts have increasingly advocated for a more comprehensive approach to depression treatment. In this context, humor is a promising tool that may counteract the main factors contributing to depression, including rumination and reduced positive emotions. "The impact of humor on mental health is supported by neuroimaging studies.

The response to humor directly affects brain regions involved in the development of depression, including neural circuits related to the prefrontal cortex and limbic system.

Humor requires sensitivity. Researchers analyzed existing clinical psychology research on the use of humor in the context of depression. They considered the benefits, such as emotional advantages, responses to humorous material and intervention outcomes, as well as the risks associated with being the target of jokes, including potential side effects. They then formulated general recommendations for professionals regarding the use of humor.

The analysis found that the effectiveness of humor depends on factors such as the phase of depression, the context in which a joke is used and the specific form of humor employed.

Humor-based interventions are ineffective during the acute phase of the illness. They yield the best results for individuals in remission and those with mild symptoms, as they foster psychological resilience and can help people achieve full mental well-being.

The safest strategy is to use humorous content that distracts from difficulties (e.g., telling jokes). Conversely, attempting to laugh at one's own worries can, for some people, amplify negative thoughts and worsen their mood.

Another important consideration is that individuals with depression are more likely than others to experience gelotophobia (a fear of being laughed at), which can lead them to misinterpret laughter around them as a threat. During the acute phase of the illness, attempts to cheer them up "by force" trigger intense anxiety.

Negative internet memes and other forms of dark humor also warrant caution. While people with depression may find them more relatable and mood-enhancing, in the long run, these forms of humor can reinforce pessimistic thought patterns.

Humor is no substitute for therapy.

The researcher also highlights the role of mental health professionals. A person with depression may perceive a clinician's ill-considered use of humor as a lack of empathy or a dismissal of their problem. That is why using humor in treatment requires great care.

Before deciding to use it, a therapist should thoroughly understand its effects and carefully analyze the patient's mental state and current perspective. Humorous content is increasingly delivered through digital technologies, such as apps, chatbots and virtual reality, often supported by artificial intelligence.

While technology-based humor interventions offer greater accessibility and lower cost, they must be approached with caution. If patients use them without professional oversight, they can reinforce pessimistic thought patterns.

Humor is not a universal cure for depression and it cannot replace comprehensive therapy, but it can serve as one of its elements. To be beneficial, it must be tailored to the stage of treatment and the patient's current emotional and cognitive capabilities. It works best when building resilience, that is, psychological robustness, as prevention against depression relapse, rather than during the most difficult moments of struggling with depressive symptoms.

Anna Braniecka, The use of humor in depression: An integration of benefits and risks, Clinical Psychology Review (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2026.102781