Self-deprecating humor is that in which the person delivering the jokes uses themselves as the punchline. Although not as common in the mainstream as other types of humor, you can find examples of it among public figures, either through their characters or directly.
Most personality traits are developed early on in life, but others can be worked on and refined well into adulthood. Let’s learn about humor as a personality trait and the many ways we experience it in others.
Humor is important because it allows you to take a step back and bring some levity into your life. You’ll get little benefit from anxiety and tension, so diffuse it with some laughter.
Sometimes it is easier to laugh about our problems instead of facing them straight on; struggling with feeling less than is very hard to face for many people. So instead of seeking help or looking for pity, we cover it up.
Defenses take all shapes and sizes. And people can express themselves in various ways. However, feeling defensive doesn’t always look like anxiety, depression, or anger. Sometimes, a person seems cheerful and friendly instead. And that’s when they use humor as a defense mechanism to cope with challenging emotions.
For instance, a child might laugh because a word sounds silly, or because something they dropped made a funny noise. Children tell jokes that make no sense to adults and are funny simply because they make no sense. Because of this wide range of triggers, children have far more reasons to laugh than adults do.
Humor in relationships improves feelings of connection, relationship satisfaction, and attraction. Of course, to have this effect, humor must be used at the appropriate times. Let’s see exactly how, when, and why humor is important in relationships.
If you find yourself needing to recover from pain, feeling stressed out, or simply needing a boost, crack open a joke book and get the giggles out. As it turns out, you’re doing more for your health than just temporary distraction.