YUK IT UP: Comedy prompts healing, reduces stress

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By Deirdre Cox Baker | Thursday, November 29, 2007 9:44 AM CST | () comments

As it turns out, cancer patients who joke about bad hair days — even when they have no hair due to chemotherapy — have found a great way to handle their illness.

Laughter is “the most phenomenal coping skill ever,” said Claudia Robinson, the chief executive officer of Gilda’s Club-Quad-Cities. Robinson, in fact, cites laughter as the way to release pent-up fear and deal with stress, both prime health benefits related to oh-so-human feelings.

“When laughing, you feel included, or part of something bigger than yourself,” said Dr. John Golden, who directs the Genesis Integrative Wellness Center in Moline. Golden recommends to some of his patients that they rent comedy movies and watch them to their heart’s content.

“I tell them, ‘Watch television shows that are funny, read cartoon books like the “Far Side,” get a sense of what you find funny and indulge,” he said.

While laughter itself has not been shown to cure health problems, it certainly seems to help, especially in terms of coping mechanisms and social factors, said Dr. Christine Sharis, a radiation oncologist at the Trinity Cancer Center in Moline.

“Mental stress can interfere with healing, so laughter alleviates that and helps physically as well as mentally,” she said.

Gilda’s humor

Laughter is one of the most important aspects to Gilda’s Club, which is celebrating its 10th year in the Quad-Cities. The facility is located at 1234 E. River Drive, Davenport, and serves as a support community for cancer patients and their families. It was founded by Gilda Radner, the comedienne who gained fame as a member of the original “Saturday Night Live” cast and battled cancer for years before succumbing.

The club organizes support groups for cancer patients as well as separate ones for family members, runs workshops, provides lectures and offers social events for anyone affected by cancer, said Melissa Wright, the program director.

Those who have a cancer diagnosis may develop a dark sense of humor, Wright said, which is one reason the club hosts separate groups for patients and family members. “People feel more comfortable around those who are in the same place, they feel free to share,” she said.

Gilda’s Club also is known for its annual fundraising Week of Laughter, which in 2008 will feature a comedy concert by Daryl Hammond, a current member of the “Saturday Night Live” cast.

“We have the honor of sharing with people a most difficult phase of life,” Robinson said. “I believe, with all my heart, that laughter is the finest and best means of coping with stress, illness and depression.”

Laugh the pain away

Laughter does create a positive change in physiology, Golden said, because it increases oxygen levels, helps strengthen the immune system and raises cortisone levels. “All are important in successful outcomes,” he said.

A good, deep belly laugh also will increase endorphin levels and help with pain tolerance, he said.

In one study, people with cancer who watched a humorous video showed less stress and an increase in a particular cellular activity that helps fight disease, according to the Mayo Clinic Web site, MayoClinic.com.

“We have noticed that patients who are able to laugh at their grandchildren and laugh at different things, it seems to put them in a much more positive mood,” Sharis said. “It helps them to take care of themselves and they also cope much better.”

Deirdre Cox Baker can be contacted at (563) 383-2492 or dbaker@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com

The health benefits of ha-ha-ha

Whether watching “The Office” TV sitcom prompts a giggle or the old movie antics of the Marx Brothers cause a belly laugh, both are fine ways to help deal with health problems.

There are, in fact, both short- and long-term health benefits to laughter, according to the Mayo Clinic (Web site MayoClinic.com).

Short-term

n Stimulates organs, enhances intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates the heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the level of endorphins put out by brain. (Endorphins are a group of peptide substances secreted by the anterior portion of the pituitary gland that inhibit the perception of painful stimuli.)

n Activates stress response in the heart, resulting in an overall more relaxed feeling.

n Soothes tension and tummy aches.

Long-term

n Improves the immune system. Studies show negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that increase stress in a human and decrease immunity. But positive thoughts release neuropeptides to help fight stress and possibly more serious illnesses.

n Relieves pain. Research shows that laughter may ease pain because the body is able to produce its own painkillers naturally.

n Increases personal satisfaction since laughter can make difficult situations easier. Cancer patients in an infusion center often use a special type of humor to cope with the experience, says Claudia Robinson, chief executive of the Gilda’s Club in Davenport.