Dark Humor: How It Helps

Ahhh good old dark humor. The sick and twisted things that many who have endured some sort of traumatic can laugh about is surprising to some but completely natural to those who have endured. Dark humor does help. While some may consider it to be an unhealthy coping mechanism, the reality is that it helps us confront some of our deepest fears, insecurities, and demons with laughter.It certainly isn't for the faint of heart as subjects that are normally viewed as taboo are discussed openly and addressed with laughter. You might find yourself thinking,

"Well, dark humor is all well and good, but X subject should never be laughed about, that just isn't funny."

That's totally fine, you're entitled to your opinion, but we can probably find someone who has experienced "X" and they make jokes about it all the time. It's not for everyone and no, not everyone will appreciate it. But for those who do partake in gallows humor or dark humor, it can be a healing force.Science has long known that laughing it up with friends produce endorphins in the brain. These chemicals alleviate pain and do a whole host of other things. This isn't exactly newsworthy, we've known for a while. What we want to talk about is how facing the sometimes grim realities of life allow people to experience the trauma in a way that allows