The healing qualities of laughter and humor have been observed since Biblical times to the present, however the applications of humor to professional psychotherapy is still in its infancy.
The examples in this study spell out how humor in therapy can bring people together, and help them affirm life and laugh at anxiety, depression, and their problems in living.
PMID: 17844770
CONCLUSIONS: The practice of psychotherapy is enhanced by the therapist who maintains a sense of humour, who appreciates its development in his/her patients, and who respectfully uses it to assist in building the therapeutic alliance. Therapy is not so serious that laughter need be excluded from it.
PMID: 17464660
Laughter at professional health care conferences may be the best medicine.
PMID: 17273207
ONCLUSION: Viewing a humorous video increased DCD-derived peptide in sweat of patients with AE, and thus, it may be helpful in the treatment of skin infection of AE.
Dermcidin (DCD)-derived peptide is an***antimicrobial peptide*** produced by the sweat glands.
PMID: 17188121
We assessed the impact of humorous movies on psychopathology, anxiety, depression, anger, social functioning, insight, and therapeutic alliance in schizophrenia inpatients.
Reduced levels of psychopathology, anger, anxiety, and depression symptoms and an improvement in social competence were revealed in the study group.
No changes were observed in treatment insight or working alliance.
Video films are a practical and cost-efficient means of entertainment that seem to have a positive effect on patient morale, mood, and mental status.
PMID: 17102716
ESULTS: 94% (235/259) of Community Health Aides and Community Health Practitioners surveyed emphasized the importance of laughter to ***support adult learning.***
PMID: 17020524
The literature also showed that humor had a positive effect on the immune system.
Improvements in pain thresholds and elevations in natural killer cell activity consistently appeared in quantitative experimental studies.
In addition, measurements of specific neuroendocrine and stress hormone levels revealed biochemical changes that suggested improved physical stress responses and increased feelings of well-being after humorous interventions.
This article has implications for nurses because humor can be an effective intervention that impacts the health and well-being of patients with cancer.
PMID: 15853164
Viewing a humorous film significantly reduced bronchial responsiveness to methacholine or EGCg, while viewing a nonhumorous film failed to do so in BA patients without affecting bronchial responsiveness to methacholine or EGCg in healthy participants.
These findings indicate that viewing a humorous film may be useful in the treatment and study of BA. (Bronchial asthma)
PMID: 15178163
CONCLUSION: Laughter may reduce stress and improve NK cell activity.
As low NK cell activity is linked to decreased disease resistance and increased morbidity in persons with cancer and HIV disease, laughter may be a useful cognitive-behavioral intervention.
PMID: 12652882
Posted by Greatcod (Member # 7002) on :
Well the IDSA doctors take the idea of professional laughter very seriously. They are always laughing at us.
Posted by wrotek (Member # 5354) on :
Actually i rarely laugh rather smile, i wonder why.