Do you crack up at inconvenient times?
With all the possible medical, psychiatric, and neurological conditions that could potentially cause people to break out in uncontrollable laughter at inappropriate times, it’s a wonder it doesn’t happen more often. But one thing is certain, you are not the only person who suffers from an inability to stop laughing at unsuitable times.
If you want to take back control of your emotions and feel less anxious in social situations that normally trigger a laughing attack, check out the following 12 coping skills that can help you control your laughter.
1. Accept and show yourself compassion to reduce your stress and anxiety.
One of the first steps in managing inappropriate laughter is to accept yourself and show self-compassion. Many people who struggle with this issue experience feelings of shame, embarrassment, and anxiety, which can actually exacerbate the problem. By accepting that this is a challenge you face and showing yourself kindness, you can reduce the overall stress and anxiety surrounding these situations.
Self-acceptance and compassion can be particularly helpful if your laughter is a result of Tourette’s, Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA), social anxiety, autism, or ADHD. When you accept yourself, you’re less likely to enter stressful situations with heightened anxiety, which can sometimes trigger inappropriate laughter.
Try practicing positive self-talk, such as “This doesn’t define me” and “I am worthy and loveable exactly as I am.” Remember that accepting yourself doesn’t mean giving up on reducing laughter in awkward situations; rather, it creates a foundation of self-love from which you can work on strategies to manage your laughter more effectively.
Additionally, being open with trusted friends or family members can help create a supportive environment. When others understand and accept you as you are, it can significantly reduce the pressure you feel in social situations, making it easier to stay calm and control your laughter.
Do not underestimate the importance of self-acceptance in reducing stress and anxiety, and thus reducing uncontrollable laughter. The other tips on this list are designed as practical solutions if you want to use them, but without self-acceptance, they will have a limited effect. Truly accepting yourself as you are is the single most important thing you can do to help yourself.
2. Get a medical checkup to investigate possible medical causes.
If you do not know the cause of your uncontrollable laughter, get a comprehensive medical checkup to make sure you are physically and mentally fit. There are numerous causes of uncontrollable laughter, including those already mentioned, but also physical health conditions, neurological conditions, and psychiatric conditions, many of which can be treated and managed.
There is no need to suffer embarrassment in social situations if a treatable medical condition is the cause.
3. Identify your triggers.
What usually makes you laugh inappropriately? Do you burst into giggles when you’re nervous? Or is it when you’re feeling uncomfortable? Is it when you or people around you are feeling painful emotions that you get the uncontrollable urge to laugh? Take time out to identify what makes you laugh in improper situations.
Whatever the reason may be for bursting out into fits of uncontrollable laughter, write it down. Also, note the time, location, occasion, and even people present while you’re laughing. Anything that occurs repeatedly could be one of your triggers.
Once you’re able to identify your triggers, you can put together a plan to mitigate them once they show up. For example, if you notice you’re prone to laughing uncontrollably when you’re tired and under pressure, take steps to get extra rest and engage in stress-relieving self-care before a big presentation, meeting, or social event.
If you don’t know what triggers your laughing spells, you won’t know when they’re coming, nor will you be able to block them.
4. Reduce your general stress levels by prioritizing self-care.
Stress is a common trigger for inappropriate laughter, so taking steps to reduce your overall stress levels can be incredibly beneficial. Prioritizing self-care that’s tailored to your personal needs and preferences is an effective way to manage stress and potentially decrease instances of uncontrollable laughter in serious situations.
Take some time to reflect on activities that help you feel relaxed and recharged. These could be anything from reading a book, taking a warm bath, or going for a walk in nature, to practicing a hobby or spending time with loved ones. The key is to identify what works specifically for you.
Pay attention to how different activities affect your stress levels and overall well-being. You might find that certain practices have a more significant impact on your ability to stay calm in challenging situations. Perhaps a morning jog helps clear your mind, or maybe a few minutes of deep breathing before important meetings makes a difference.
Experiment with different self-care routines and adjust as needed. What works for you might change over time, so be open to trying new things and letting go of practices that no longer serve you. The goal is to create a personalized toolkit of stress-reduction techniques that you can rely on.
By regularly engaging in self-care activities that resonate with you, you’re not only reducing your overall stress levels but also strengthening your ability to cope with challenging situations. This can lead to better emotional regulation, potentially reducing the frequency and intensity of inappropriate laughter episodes.
5. Distract yourself from the urge to laugh.
Perhaps you’re already at an emotional event, like someone’s funeral, and can feel the laughter bubbling up inside you. Quickly distract yourself from the giggles by doing any of the following:
– Pinch yourself or ping a hair/elastic band that you’ve put around your wrist. The sensation will distract you from the urge to laugh
– Count backwards from 100 or say the alphabet backwards
– Make a list in your head, such as a grocery list or to-do list
– Look for a certain color in the room and count the number of objects in the room with that color
– Sing a song to yourself – it can be something simple like the ABCs
If you find yourself wanting to laugh during an office meeting, try clicking a pen or twirling it around your fingers. You could even try nodding along to what is being said or repeating what is being said in your head.
Take your mind off the situation or whatever it is you find so amusing and replace it with behavior that you can do inconspicuously.
6. Seek ways to help with social anxiety.
If you have been diagnosed with Social Anxiety, work with a licensed therapist to learn coping skills that will help you better manage social situations. Treatment options include:
– Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy – This method will help you learn how to control anxiety using relaxation and breathing techniques. You’ll also learn how to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
– Exposure Therapy – Exposure therapy was developed to help people confront their fears. With this form of therapy, a safe environment is created in which individuals are “exposed” to the things they fear and subsequently avoid. This method eventually helps to reduce fear and decrease avoidance.
– Group Therapy – This method helps you learn social skills and techniques you can use to interact with people while in social settings. Therapy sessions are conducted in group sessions, which help you feel less alone as you interact with people who have the same fears as you do.
Your doctor may even suggest some medications to you if they find that will be a better approach to manage your anxiety. Ask your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks involved in the different treatment options and choose the best option for you.
Note: If you are autistic and experience social anxiety as a direct result of this, we would not recommend exposure therapy as it can do more harm than good in this case. Instead, seek out a neuroaffirming (or even better, an autistic) therapist who honors your neurotype rather than trying to change you into someone you’re not. People who are autistic report mixed success with CBT, particularly those who struggle to identify or name their emotions (known as alexithymia). So again, seek out a neuroaffirming therapist who has a good understanding of this.
7. Move to a private location when you start to laugh.
If you feel the giggles coming on, excuse yourself to go to the bathroom or wherever. Just leave the room as soon as possible so you don’t descend into laughter in front of everyone. Once there, laugh to your heart’s content.
Get it all out of your system.
This method works best when you know your triggers and are able to recognize the signs of laughter bubbling up inside you. The earlier you notice the signs, the sooner you can make a quick getaway to save yourself from embarrassment.
8. Cover up your laughter with a cough.
Sometimes the laughter sneaks up on you. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re struggling to keep your face straight.
In situations like this, cover up your laughter with a cough. Not only will this mask your amusement, but it will also take your mind off what is causing you to laugh so you can give a convincing performance. Bend over, cover your face, and pat your chest, all while trying to get your “cough” under control.
You should note that the cough gives you only a few seconds to get yourself together. So you need to be sure that will be enough time for you to get things under control. Thankfully, though, you can easily upgrade to a coughing fit, which will give you the opportunity to leave the room so you can gather yourself in private.
9. Write it down.
If you have an upcoming situation that you know will trigger you, take along a small notepad and pen with you. When you feel as if you’re about to laugh, act like you’re taking notes and write some affirmations on the notepad like “I am in control of my laughter and will release it later in private.” Write it over and over until you feel in control of your emotions.
Or if you prefer, you could actually take notes of what is being said. Not only will this save you from embarrassment, but you’ll also appear to be actively listening to what is being said.
10. Use deep breathing exercises.
One of the best things about deep breathing exercises is that no one needs to know that you’re doing them. It helps center you, control your emotions, and relax anxiety that overstimulates your nervous system and brain.
Below is a breathing exercise that you can try while seated:
With this exercise, you match how long you breathe in with how long you breathe out. Over time, you can increase how long you’re able to breathe in and out at a time.
– Sit comfortably on the floor or in a chair.
– Breathe in through your nose. As you do it, count to five.
– Breathe out through your nose to the count of five.
– Repeat several times.
Once you feel comfortable with breaths that last five counts, increase how long you breathe in and breathe out. You can work up to breaths that last up to 10 counts.
11. Try quiet meditation.
Quiet meditation, also known as Vipassana, is used to calm the mind and enhance concentration. When you practice quiet meditation, you turn inward where you are forced to confront uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.
Doing this for a prolonged period or repeatedly helps you to better process and manage your negative thoughts. It also teaches you how to stop reacting to negative situations or in negative circumstances.
The goal of silent meditation is for you to gain insight into the true nature of reality. In silence, you can examine your perception of situations or circumstances. The name “Vipassana” means to see things how they truly are and to not let talking, noise, or other forms of communication distract you from that or get in the way.
To practice silent meditation, you need to focus your attention on your breath. Every time your mind shifts its focus away from your breath or you get lost in thought, simply and gently bring your attention back to your breath.
Repeat this again and again until your session is over.
12. Apologize for your laughter, if you feel it’s necessary and appropriate.
If you were unable to contain your laughter and let it slip out during an improper time, you can apologize to the host of the social gathering or meeting if it will make you feel better.
Shortly after the incident, explain to them your difficulties with handling stressful or emotionally charged situations. Tell them you’re sorry if your reaction hurt or offended them.
If you are upfront about your difficulties, most people will understand.
If you’ve been struggling with laughing in serious situations, you’ve probably suffered a lot of guilt and embarrassment from it. You are not the only person to suffer this challenge. It’s not because you are insensitive and do not understand human emotions.
If the laughter is not because of a medical condition, it is likely the result of your body kicking into defense mode to protect you from hurt and pain. Laughter is our weapon against suffering and despair. Even when we don’t want to, our bodies switch into defensive mode to protect us against a perceived attack.
While it may be annoying to experience in the moment, it is actually pretty amazing when you think about how our bodies look after us, even when we don’t realize that we need it.
