To learn more about how a sense of humor can be beneficial for our mental health, we got in touch with a couple of experts who were kind enough to share their thoughts on the topic with Bored Panda.
Matt Teal LCSW, CASAC, the practice director at Rochester Counseling Group in Upstate, New York, says it’s absolutely healthy to try to find humor in our mental health struggles.
“Laughter has been shown as a highly effective way to ‘complete the stress cycle’ in the human body,” Matt shared. “It releases tensions and negative thoughts, according to Dr. Emily and Amelia Nagoski.”
“Think about the act of laughing, especially when it comes from the gut,” the therapist continued. “You are throwing your head back, exposing your throat, and closing your eyes. When you do this, the body associates the act with being safe.”
“There is also this phrase called the ‘knowing laugh,’” Matt noted. “It's when you share something that you think is quirky or unique to you and all of the sudden the room erupts because everyone else thought it was ‘just them’ who experienced that same thing. Here’s an example.”
We also got in touch with psychologist, psychotherapist and digital nomad Dr. Sonia Jaeger to hear her thoughts on this topic. She agrees that humor can be a powerful coping t**l when it comes to mental health. “While it shouldn't replace professional support or minimize real struggles, finding humor in our experiences can offer a sense of relief, validation, and connection,” the therapist shared.
“Memes, in particular, have a unique way of capturing complex emotions and experiences in a simple, often humorous format. They can make us feel less alone in our struggles and help us view our challenges from a different, sometimes more compassionate perspective,” Dr. Jaeger explained. “Laughing at a relatable meme can be a small but meaningful way to release tension and feel understood.”
Matt believes memes can certainly be useful in therapy. “I use them to help clients understand their diagnosis, describe a symptom we are treating or even a skill they can use to manage symptoms,” he shared.
“I've also had times where my clients, in trying to explain to me what they are going through, will say there is a meme they saw that relates to it,” the expert continued. “It sometimes even helped us get ‘unstuck’ with how to better verbalize and understand what the person is going through. And it started with sharing a meme.”
Dr. Jaeger also says memes can definitely have a place in therapy.
“They can act as a bridge for communication—especially for clients who find it difficult to articulate their feelings,” she told Bored Panda. “Instead of saying, ‘I don’t know how I feel,’ a client might share a meme that perfectly captures their emotional state. This can spark productive discussions and offer the therapist valuable insight into the client’s inner world.”
When it comes to how to incorporate memes into therapy, Dr. Jaeger noted that there are several ways. “The therapist can bring in a selection of memes that touch on common mental health themes, letting clients choose ones that resonate with them,” she explained.
On the other hand, the client can source memes as well. “Clients can bring memes they've found online that express how they’re feeling or what they’re going through.”
And sometimes, therapists and their clients can work together to create memes. “This creative process can help externalize emotions and promote self-awareness in a non-threatening, humorous way,” Dr. Jaeger says. “When used thoughtfully, memes can help ease into difficult topics, build rapport, and encourage reflection in a way that feels approachable.”
We also asked the experts why it’s so important for people to feel comfortable discussing their mental health struggles, even if they need memes to do so.
“‘A unicycle, car or horse… All that matters is getting there.’ Memes have become part of our world's language and how we communicate,” Matt says. “Millennials and Gen Alphas have and will continue to use this artform as a way to relate and connect with one another. Forming connections and normalizing the human experience is essential for someone's mental health."
“For example, take someone who is feeling depressed and they see this meme,” Matt continued. “It is so funny and relatable that they decide to share it with a friend, loved one, or even their therapist.”
“Now that feeling of sadness has also become a moment of connection, understanding and even laughter that is shared between people. The meme has become a conduit for that person to engage with their world where the moment before they may not have wanted to even be in it,” the therapist says.
Dr. Jaeger noted that it’s essential for people to feel safe and comfortable discussing their mental health because silence often leads to isolation, misunderstanding, and shame. “When someone can’t find the words to explain what they’re experiencing, they might shut down—or worse, believe they’re the only one feeling that way,” she explained.