Hyderabad: On World Suicide Prevention Day, much of the focus is on awareness campaigns, helplines and professional care. But alongside these essential supports, an often-overlooked element deserves attention: humour.
For many living with depression or suicidal thoughts, laughter has served as a small but powerful anchor. Mental health professionals are now recognising humour not as a replacement for therapy, but as a complementary tool that can reduce distress and build resilience.
Why laughter matters
Laughter triggers physiological changes in the body: it lowers stress hormones, increases oxygen intake and releases endorphins.
More importantly, it creates a sense of connection. For someone who feels isolated, a shared joke or a light-hearted exchange can offer proof that they are not alone.
“Humour has a way of cutting through silence,” said Dr Priyamani Venkatesh, a psychiatrist speaking to NewsMeter.
“When patients laugh, even for a moment, it signals that hope is not entirely lost. That moment can open space for deeper conversation about their struggles.”
Not all types of humour is good
Not all humour is equal. Psychologists classify it into broad categories:
• Affiliative humour – jokes that bring people together, often through shared experiences.
• Self-enhancing humour – the ability to find lightness in one’s own difficulties.
• Aggressive humour – humour at someone else’s expense.
• Self-defeating humour – making oneself the target of ridicule.
Studies suggest that affiliative and self-enhancing humour can reduce suicidal ideation, while aggressive and self-defeating humour may worsen feelings of hopelessness.
“When people joke at their own expense repeatedly, it may seem light-hearted to others but can actually signal deep pain,” explained Dr Anya Das, a clinical psychologist.
Humour in clinical practice
Therapists sometimes use humour to build rapport or to ease the heaviness of sessions. But professionals caution that it requires sensitivity.
A misplaced joke can harm rather than help.
Dr Venkatesh shared: “I’ve had clients who open up more easily when I use a gentle joke about daily life. It humanises the therapist–client relationship. But timing is everything. Humour cannot be forced; it has to emerge naturally.”
Peer support and everyday contexts
Outside clinics, humour often plays a role in peer groups and online spaces.
Dark humour, in particular, is frequently used by those struggling with suicidal thoughts as a way of expressing pain indirectly. While such jokes may alarm outsiders, they can act as coping mechanisms within safe circles.
“Among friends, joking about my bad days made me feel heard,” said R, a 22-year-old student in Hyderabad. “It was my way of saying ‘I’m not okay’ without having to explain everything.”
Experts note that while humour can ease tension, recurring suicide-related jokes should be taken seriously. They can be both a relief strategy and a signal of deeper distress.
Building resilience through laughter
Community initiatives are experimenting with structured humour interventions.
Laughter yoga groups, stand-up workshops for people with depression and hospital clowning programs all explore how humour can reduce distress. Early results show improved mood and reduced anxiety, though experts stress these methods are supplements, not substitutes, for professional care.
“Humour is not a cure,” Dr Venkatesh noted. “But it can act as a protective factor, an extra tool in the toolkit against suicide.”
A delicate balance
Humour’s value lies in its ability to humanise pain and create shared relief. But it is not universally safe. What helps one person cope may deepen another’s struggle. The key, experts say, is context, intent, and timing.
On World Suicide Prevention Day, humour reminds us that even in life’s darkest moments, the ability to laugh at ourselves, with others, or at the absurdities of life, can become a lifeline.
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