{"id":2042,"date":"2015-11-10T19:46:55","date_gmt":"2015-11-11T00:46:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eccafv.org\/?p=2042"},"modified":"2016-05-16T21:21:40","modified_gmt":"2016-05-17T01:21:40","slug":"how-to-find-your-laugh-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eccafv.org\/how-to-find-your-laugh-again\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find Your Laugh Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why getting the giggles can help your body heal after trauma<\/p>\n

The last thing most survivors of trauma feel like doing is breaking out into uproarious laughter. Living through trauma, like domestic violence, may bring with it a fleeting sense of euphoria and relief, but more negative emotions, such as fear and anxiety, may soon follow. A survivor might feel like he or she can\u2019t remember how to laugh at life anymore.<\/p>\n

Luckily, our brains are hard-wired to laugh, says professional life coach Michele Rosenthal, author of Your Life After Trauma<\/em><\/a>. \u201cWhile the idea of laughing after trauma may at first seem inconceivable, the brain has a system dedicated to this. The goal is offering it ways to reactivate that system over time.\u201d<\/p>\n

She should know\u2014at just 13, Rosenthal survived a horrific experience. An abnormal reaction to an antibiotic left her with severe, full-body burns. When she thought she was going to die, she says she remembers her mother\u2019s sense of humor helping bring her back to life. \u201cI learned how life-affirming and powerful humor can be, even in our most traumatic moments, and how the experience of laughter can transition us into healing.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Despite pulling through, Rosenthal endured nearly 25 years of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), something domestic violence survivors commonly suffer from as well. \u201cPTSD results from an uninterrupted survival response; the brain and body get stuck in survival mode,\u201d says Rosenthal. PTSD can be spotted by symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, mood swings and hypervigilance.<\/p>\n

Luckily, our brains can be retrained to stop panicking and start relaxing. This is where laughter comes into play: The physical act of letting out a good guffaw or giggle can actually have a chemical reaction. \u201cLaughter causes the brain to increase mood-elevating endorphins while decreasing stress hormones,\u201d Rosenthal says. Laughter can also relax the entire body, relieving tension in your muscles for up to 45 minutes. It also gives your immune system a boost, increasing infection-fighting antibodies.<\/p>\n

On top of that, laughter can also help you build self-confidence. \u201cLearning to laugh at oneself and events in the outside world creates an atmosphere of flexibility and reduces self-criticism and judgment, all of which promotes creative problem-solving and risk-taking.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, how can survivors start to find their sense of humor again after trauma? Here are a couple of ways to get a laugh fix:<\/p>\n