Copyright 2008, CancerIsNotFunny.com
The Scientific and Medical Merits of Laughter: (According to Us)
The medical establishment is always slow to challenge or change existing conventions (especially
slow when such changes could potentially cost them billions of dollars in lost revenues.) Such is
the case with recognizing the therapeutic and curative properties that laughter and humor
provide in dealing with illness and disease. While they are quick to acknowledge the many
physiological benefits that laughter and positive emotional responses can produce, they stop
short of granting them any curative powers. This is moderately understandable as science
requires volumes of experimental evidence to back a claim or theory before it becomes widely
accepted and recognized as truth. As it's difficult (some would claim impossible) to measure the
effects of humor in respect to healing a patient or curing a disease in a rigorous scientific
experiment, the medical community conveniently sweeps these ideas aside. There are, however,
countless examples and mountains of anecdotal evidence that support the claim that humor
and laughter not only have the power to enhance one's health, but to eradicate illness and cure
disease.
The human body and its wondrously immense biochemical complexity is far beyond
comprehension, by even the sharpest of medical minds and the most comprehensive scientific
models. Sure, the general mechanics of the human body are well documented and many
simplified models provide reasonably accurate approximations of the inner workings, but the
underlying matrix of complexity is still far from understood. The seemingly simple task of
explaining how something as modest as our emotional state can effect numerous physiological
changes remains elusive. Lack of comprehension should not preclude us from utilizing and
implementing such an obviously powerful tool. Just take a look at gravity: we know it's there,
and we even have elegant mathematical formulae to describe the phenomenon, but the
underlying mechanism of how gravity actually works is unknown even to this day. And so it is
with humor; we should continue to pursue it as a therapeutic and curative tool of medicine,
even though we're unable to describe the intricate details of its mechanism.
More information on the scientific and medical merits of laughter can be found by navigating
through the links below.
slow when such changes could potentially cost them billions of dollars in lost revenues.) Such is
the case with recognizing the therapeutic and curative properties that laughter and humor
provide in dealing with illness and disease. While they are quick to acknowledge the many
physiological benefits that laughter and positive emotional responses can produce, they stop
short of granting them any curative powers. This is moderately understandable as science
requires volumes of experimental evidence to back a claim or theory before it becomes widely
accepted and recognized as truth. As it's difficult (some would claim impossible) to measure the
effects of humor in respect to healing a patient or curing a disease in a rigorous scientific
experiment, the medical community conveniently sweeps these ideas aside. There are, however,
countless examples and mountains of anecdotal evidence that support the claim that humor
and laughter not only have the power to enhance one's health, but to eradicate illness and cure
disease.
The human body and its wondrously immense biochemical complexity is far beyond
comprehension, by even the sharpest of medical minds and the most comprehensive scientific
models. Sure, the general mechanics of the human body are well documented and many
simplified models provide reasonably accurate approximations of the inner workings, but the
underlying matrix of complexity is still far from understood. The seemingly simple task of
explaining how something as modest as our emotional state can effect numerous physiological
changes remains elusive. Lack of comprehension should not preclude us from utilizing and
implementing such an obviously powerful tool. Just take a look at gravity: we know it's there,
and we even have elegant mathematical formulae to describe the phenomenon, but the
underlying mechanism of how gravity actually works is unknown even to this day. And so it is
with humor; we should continue to pursue it as a therapeutic and curative tool of medicine,
even though we're unable to describe the intricate details of its mechanism.
More information on the scientific and medical merits of laughter can be found by navigating
through the links below.
We, at CancerIsNotFunny.com, are not doctors. We are not medically trained or certified in any way
(if medical knowledge was measured in parenting skills, we'd be Britney Spears) and thus, all of the
claims and/or suggestions detailed on this site should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult
your physician before beginning and/or modifying any alternative course of treatment.
We are, however, firm believers in the healing power of laughter. **Laughter has not been FDA
approved for the treatment of cancer or any other medical condition (except maybe depression, and
if it's not, it sure as hell should be)**
(if medical knowledge was measured in parenting skills, we'd be Britney Spears) and thus, all of the
claims and/or suggestions detailed on this site should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult
your physician before beginning and/or modifying any alternative course of treatment.
We are, however, firm believers in the healing power of laughter. **Laughter has not been FDA
approved for the treatment of cancer or any other medical condition (except maybe depression, and
if it's not, it sure as hell should be)**
Links:
Humor Therapy as defined by the American Cancer Society
A Psychologist's Perspective on Humor and Healing
Why Would I Laugh at Cancer?
Humor Therapy as defined by the American Cancer Society
A Psychologist's Perspective on Humor and Healing
Why Would I Laugh at Cancer?
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