Why Laughter Loosens Anxiety’s Grip

Get Real With The English Sisters - Mind Health Anxiety

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18d ago 22:51

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A good laugh can feel like a reset button for the mind, but why does it work so well—and why do some spaces still treat joy like a liability? We dive into the science of endorphins, the psychology of pattern interrupts, and the social rules that tell us when it’s “acceptable” to smile. From nervous giggles in tough moments to the quiet relief of sharing a joke, we explore how humor helps us regulate emotions, widen perspective, and reconnect with ourselves when anxiety tightens its grip.
As therapists, we talk about how we use humor with care—laughing with clients, not at them—to gently loosen rigid stories and make room for choice. We unpack cultural and gendered stigma around visible joy, especially in professional settings, and why that bias costs us well-being. We also compare flavors of comedy, from dark humor to slapstick, and discuss how to curate content that actually nourishes your nervous system. Along the way, we touch on laughter yoga, the contagious lift of live comedy, the mindful power of softening your face, and how improv-style “yes, and” thinking builds resilience without denying reality.
If you’ve ever been told you “laugh too much,” or you’ve felt you had to hide your smile to be taken seriously, this conversation offers language, tools, and permission to reclaim joy. Leave with simple practices—micro-moments of comedy, a “sure-thing” clip list, social rituals that invite levity—so you can dose humor like daily care. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who could use a lift, and tell us: what reliably makes you laugh?

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Chapters

1. Laughter As Emotional Release (00:00:00)

2. Endorphins And Pattern Interrupts (00:01:45)

3. Serious Spaces, Misread Smiles (00:03:20)

4. Nervous Giggles And Childhood (00:05:20)

5. Using Humor To Cope (00:07:50)

6. Comedy’s Collective Lift (00:09:45)

7. Dark Humor, Slapstick, Boundaries (00:12:30)

8. Laughter Yoga And Contagion (00:16:30)

9. Different Tastes In Humor (00:19:10)

10. Gender, Culture, And The Smile Stigma (00:22:00)

196 episodes

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