Coping

Mambo No. 5 is a peppy song...

I've seen a lot of different coping mechanisms that people use.

First, let's define 'coping mechanism' shall we? Otherwise, it's like looking for a Heffalump in a Woozle's stomach without knowing what either is.

A coping mechanism, for me, is anything that can help lower the stress or overall gravitas of a situation. This can come in various different flavors and varieties mind you so don't think that there's only one way to deal with stressors and only one way works.

I've seen coping mechanisms that range from punching things to talking about memes when everyone around them is serious.

Some people talk it out, others sit and cry, others still take a walk, and some curl into a ball to watch Netflix.

Now none of these are bad ways to deal with stress. Each person has their own triggers that bring around the need for coping mechanisms and each person needs their own mechanism.

The next logical question one would ask would be to ask me what my coping mechanism is. For those who didn't ask this question, I give you a cookie that has no cookie. For those who did, stop getting in my head.

My coping mechanism revolves around my grandma. She is...um she's pretty old and she has a coping mechanism to deal with her elevated blood pressure.

It's simple really, comes down to one word. Couldn't be more simple.

Murder.

Actually, the answer was "laughing" but yeah, if you think murder relieves stress I suggest my psychiatrist: a couple bottles (of water) and some sleep.

I completely agree with the idiots that think laughing is the best medicine... because it is.

Laughing is the only thing that can defuse a situation. The number of times that I've been angry at my mom or my grandma for some stupid reasons and the amount of times that the situation was defused by us laughing is staggering.

Why is this then? Why does the simple sound of laughter change us, change me and my, our, moods so much? It is most likely due to our psychology as humans. We crave happiness for ourselves and we always want to get in on the happiness of others. And when we hear laughter, true laughter mind you, we can't help but join in.

Ask yourself, when was the last time that my friends and I were laughing about something stupid and the only reason was that I was with friends? I bet that it was closer in time that you would think.

Now, this isn't to say that I've resorted to laughing like a crazed maniac whenever something happens, either to me or to someone I know. This would let everyone know that I am a crazed maniac and we can't have that happening now can we?

I've taken a different approach, a less orthodox approach to the 'laughter therapy' that I've been talking about. I make jokes and I laugh at them even if nobody else does.

Based on the logic that I gave, that others can relieve stress by laughing with other people they do/don't know, I try to help others and myself by telling jokes. Granted most of the time they are abhorrent jokes, they help me relieve stress.

Anyone that's seen me when I'm near my breaking point can agree with me when I say that I go bonkers with my jokes, I just won't stop. I often drive the people around me mad and more than once I have received threats (I haven't but the story is cooler if I say that).

My jokes are abhorrent but I still make them. Why? Because if I don't the only other thing left for me to do is cry. Why cry when you can laugh right?

Now I don't expect or want you people doing this. This is a mechanism that is only good for a couple types of people. The must-have for this coping mechanism is the will and power to make jokes about yourself. These are the only sort of jokes that work, other than really bad puns, because these aren't told at the expense of someone else. You already know what you're getting yourself into so it's okay.

For me this is really easy but it might not be for others, for those people that can't do it please don't. You might end up hurting someone. And all humour aside, don't make jokes about others unless they are okay with you doing that.

The way I see things being happy also means making others happy as well.

Coping mechanisms are a part of life for everyone. What will be yours? Find out after this commercial break and we'll return in a few weeks to answer questions that aren't this one. Thank you, and good morning!