Can Humor Heal? An Evaluation of Humor in the Medical Setting

Abstract

Humor and humor therapy are currently being explored as possible treatments for depression - a disorder with a growing and largely unmet need in modern medicine. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Eleven percent of Americans aged 12 years and over take antidepressant medication" (Pratt). With such prevalence and reliance on antidepressants, it is no surprise that alternative treatments are being explored. But what is the relationship between humor and medicine? Is it possible for the lightness of humor to exist within the highly professional health sphere? If so, what are the efects of humor and can those efects be applied as alternative or supplemental treatments for depression? The frst part of this discussion will examine the role of the physician and medical community, as well as the functional benefts humor provides to medical interactions. Then, multiple perspectives regarding humor and humor therapy will be evaluated to consider its application for depression therapy.