Humor is a perspective that enables one to
view stress and pain with a softer edge. Though not an immediate cure for
trauma, chronic illness, or emotional difficulty, humor can be a therapeutic
tool. It offers positive outlets for chronically ill patients and also
for chronically ill patients and also for stressed out medical and corporate
staff.
For many years medical staff have recognized that
those patients who maintained a positive mental attitude and shared laughter
responded better to treatment. Physiological responses to laughter include
increased respiration, circulation, hormonal and digestive enzyme secretion,
and a leveling of the blood pressure. Many report a general sense of euphoria
after vigorous laughter. But until the New England Journal of Medicine
in 1979 published the Norman Cousins case study, few considered the therapeutic
uses of humor.
The first documented case of humor positively affecting
disease was in 1964 when Norman Cousins, published "Anatomy
of an Illness". Medical professionals were for the first shown
that humor biologically reversed Cousins' ankylosing spondylitis, a painful
disease causing the disintegration of the spinal connective tissue. Given
a one in five hundred chance of recovery, Cousins decided to infuse himself
with humor treatments. With Cousins' self-designed humor treatments, he
found that 15 minutes of hardy laughter could produce two hours of pain
free sleep. Blood samples also showed that his inflammation level was lowered
after the humor treatments. Eventually Cousins was able to completely reverse
the illness.
Following the example of Cousins, many health care
facilities as well as corporations have established humor programming as
an aid to patient/employee health. To meet the growing demand for therapeutic humor, Carolina Health & Humor Association (Carolina Ha Ha), incorporated in 1986 as an educational service foundation. Carolina Ha Ha specializes in humor programming for health care, for business, and for personal growth. The founder, Ruth Hamilton, continues to serve as Executive Director.
An early program included the Laugh Mobile
and was developed for Duke University Medical Center in 1987 by Hamilton.
This became the Duke Humor Project and offers bedside humor interventions
to cancer patients. Coordinated with the Department of Oncology Recreation
Therapy, patients receive humorous interactions that invite them to use
the Laugh Mobile. This rolling display cart with a circus motif delivers
a wide variety of humorous media including books, audio and video tapes,
games, and clowning props. Patients are invited to use their hospital time
to learn a new skill that will increase creativity and keep the mind active.
Distraction becomes a resource for pain management. Boredom is combated
through positive experiences.
Humor interventions offer a plan to promote joy
and laughter in patients which offers many positive effects in their recovery.
Humor volunteers may engage in yo-yo demonstrations, guitar playing, or
just friendly banter that reveals clues to patient humor preferences. Water-guns
may be dispensed to allow the patient to fight back during the rigorous
oncology treatment. Patient assessments document the effectiveness of the
humor intervention and offer the recreation staff and volunteers continuity
of interventions. Over the last nine years, Hamilton has assisted dozens
of hospitals nationwide to implement humor programming patterned after
the Duke Humor Project. The Laugh Mobile is also manufactured by Carolina
Ha Ha and has been sold nationally. Medical staff report Laugh Mobile programs
build morale and endorse the value of the sense of humor.
The corporate world also values the programming
services of Carolina Ha Ha. "Good News for Humor Deficiency"
is a lunch time seminar in which participants learn techniques to apply
humor first aid. This seminar is just one of those offered by the corporate
affiliate of Carolina Ha Ha, Energy Resource Training. Glaxo Wellcome
and IBM are two corporations that contract with Hamilton for stress management
seminars that are humor based. Participants learn coping techniques that
promote positive communication and offer creative problem solving. Corporate
employees learn to enjoy more playfulness and experience positive influences
that increase retention and productivity. Managers who foster supportive
environments where laughter is heard report greater employee retention
and job satisfaction.
One contractor for Carolina Ha Ha is Frank Jeffreys,
an actor, clown, juggler, gymnast, stage and screen writer, and seminar
designer. Jeffreys teams with Hamilton to present vignettes that offer
therapeutic humor and deliver powerful messages that promote self-care.
For example, Jeffreys may become an outrageous character depicting all
the shortcomings in workplace relationships. Using humor that may range
from the sublime to the slapstick, Jeffreys helps his audience see themselves
in a more humorous context and regain their perspective.
Carolina Ha Ha has brought the light-hearted approach
to building company morale and instilling hope in patient care. Humor therapists
like Hamilton and Jeffreys offer entertaining techniques which help heal
and nurture the sense of humor. Should one feel that there is not much
to laugh about in a hospital or in corporate America, Carolina Ha Ha invites
you to seminars like "Find the Funny Side" or "The
Way of the Likeable Leaderr." As pioneers in humor therapeutics,
Carolina Ha Ha brings light to a business world that often forgets to laugh.
Ruth Hamilton and Frank Jeffreys may be contacted
at (919) 846-5739 for consultation or presentations. Carolina Ha Ha offers
monthly community mini-seminars and also clowning classes and the Certified
Humor Presenter series.
