Laughter is such an effective form of distraction it can shift the brain’s focus away from pain.
That’s because laughter physically alters your emotional state. It does this by causing endorphins to bind with opioid receptors in the brain, calming any feelings of pain as a result. This is why socialising with friends or watching a favourite comedy can be a helpful way of managing pain.
Being alone and isolated can have the opposite effect – and increase your feelings of pain. This is because the negative emotions we experience when we feel excluded increase the mind’s perception of vulnerability. This feeds into what I call ‘the cycle of suffering’ where negative emotions are projected onto the body, and any pain feels worse. If you feel worse, you’re likely to socialise less – which then traps you more firmly in the cycle.
The importance of having a sense of connection and belonging dates back to our ancestors. Being part of a tribe was essential to survival. If you were on the outskirts of the tribe, you’d be vulnerable to predators. Your brain perceives this potential threat to life and puts you on high alert. Back to the modern day, and we know this is what happens when you feel all on your own. In this state, your brain signals high alert which makes you more sensitive to any pain you’re experiencing.
For our ancestors, the natural survival response would have been to work your way into the core of the tribe. Less chance of being eaten and more nice feelings of safety there! In terms of your pain experience, feelings of safety and protection unlock the medicine cabinet in your brain. The body is flooded with endorphins, our natural painkillers.
The same thing happens with laughter. So try to arrange opportunities that are likely to bring on laughter – whether that’s time with friends or watching that film which always makes you giggle.
By addressing how you are thinking and feeling, I’ll help you develop an awareness of how, in your body, psychological events and physical sensations are so closely connected.
As The Mind & Body Guide, my aim is to explore these connections to help you gain insight into yourself. This could be looking at present problems or those that are more deeply seated: things you’ve been told or events you’ve experienced which have shaped who you are now.
I have decades of experience in health care. Years spent working as a senior physiotherapist in the NHS. I’ve taught Pilates to hundreds of people. And I’m a qualified psychotherapist with a suite of therapy skills to draw on.
My approach to therapy is to help you to understand yourself mentally and physically. Then, working together, we can plot your pathway to a healthier, happier life.
The Mind & Body Guide.
Therapy for the whole of you.
