Lived Experience Forum

[CherryBomb]

How to use laughter as Medicine

Many of us enjoy a good laugh. Humour can help get us through tough times, and it can also put others at ease with confronting issues like mental illness. But there is a fine balance. Sometimes humour can be self-deprecating or stigmatizing, and it can make others feel awkward.

So how do you achieve this balance? Our special guest, Daniel Tobias, will be joining us this Topic Tuesday to discuss how. Daniel is a freelance writer, performer and creative producer who has who has recently premiered his solo show, ‘The Orchid and the Crow', which revealed very private and personal details of life (and near death) experiences.

He also works with art rock cabaret duo Die Roten Punkte, which has been nominated ten Greenroom Awards, which took out Best Production in 2008. It was also been nominated for the Total Theatre Award (Edinburgh) 2009 and the TO&ST (Time Out & Soho Theatre) Cabaret Award 2013. Since 2007, Die Roten Punkte has been touring consistently to North America, Europe and the UK.

Daniel is interested in mental health and wants to share his tricks of the trade in using humour to tell stories.

This Tuesday, drop in to share a joke, and pick up some pointers about how to deliver.

Click 'like' if we're going to see you there!

[CherryBomb]

Haaaaiii everyone!

This month's Topic Tuesday, I'm so pleased to welcome our spealist guest, @DanielTobias . I hope we're all ready to have our funny bones tickled.

First off, @DanielTobias I understand that you've just premiered your solo show, The Orchid and the Crow. Can you tell us a bit about it?

[DanielTobias]

Hey Everyone

[DanielTobias]

Ok. So in a nutshell (pardon the pun) [I know it's bad]... I went throught treatment for testicular cancer 11 years ago when I was 29.

Apart from the support of my family and friends the biggest help for me was hearing other people's stories - in particular Lance Armstrong's story. 

I promised myself that one day I would share my experiences and 'pay it forward' to anyone who found it valuable.

So here we are. 

[CherryBomb]

so here's a big question:

How did you make light of a serious situation like that? Did you find yourself doing it at the time while you were unwell or wait until after with the gift of insight?

I wonder if any of our members use humour when they're going through tough times @Crazy_Bug_Lady @Loopy @kenny66 @Keith1292 @kato  @PeppiPatty @Alessandra1992 - I know you like to have a laugh is this something you can relate to?

[DanielTobias]

I guess it's in my nature to always find the funny side of everything. I guess it's a coping mechanism.

When in the hospital, I was first told that I was going to have to have an orchidectomy (a ball removed), my Dad was in the next room. I called out to him and said, "Dad. They wanna take away one of my boys!"

I know that's a pretty weird thing to say, but how are you supposed to tell your Dad that the doctors want to surgically remove a testicle?

[CherryBomb]

Ha! How do you find other people respond? Do they get awkard - and if so, how do you manage that?

[-karma-]

@Flame7au 

I thought given your current work situation, that humour could be a good strategy to take away some of the tension, and make light of what is often a very difficult situation?

Could you maybe give Daniel a quick over view of what's been happening?

Id like to hear others experiences of using humour at work?

[-karma-]

I'm sure you've heard all the jokes then Daniel, there's lots of jokes about, 'boys' so to speak, hee hee.

[DanielTobias]

Often making a joke about something that is awkward is the best way to deal with it. I'd rather be laughing than feeling awkward.

It's true that sometimes people are surprised by a joke in a tense situation, but most times they are relieved that you're ok with it.

The danger in humor that hides awkwardness is that sometimes it's hiding the truth. So sometims it can get in the way of good communication.