Humour is more important than we often think
Humour helps keep me sane (saner than I would be otherwise). You may be aware that I have begun writing again about mental health as it seems to be so important. I began by looking at the link between mental and physical health, but some time ago I wrote about a laugh as an aid to health. What I said then is still true.
How does humour help?
Humour makes my life more enjoyable and lifts my spirits when I’m down. It also keeps me from taking myself too seriously, but it does not keep me from taking issues seriously. In fact it can help make a serious point more effectively and memorably, whilst making it less offensive. To that end, I have been studying How to Write Funny by Scott Dikkers and some of his other books.
Watch for more humour in my writing
Am I going to fill my books with humour?
No! I don’t intend to write joke-books. I will continue to write mysteries and adventures. However, in future, you might find some funny characters and get more laughs from the way I say things. I hope you will enjoy my books for all sorts of reasons. If they make you laugh – all the better.
Is humour our only defence against depression?
No! There are many and I will be reminding myself, and you, about them in my next few blogs. But having a laugh is an important one and it doesn’t clash with any of the others. It can also be infectious. In other words, you can help others as well as yourself by simply seeing the funny side – and sharing it! You don’t need to study psychiatric medicine to be able to help improve people’s mental health.