The use of irony and humor in psychotherapy

Irony is a serious thing: It is a great human resource, despite the fact that Freud I have labeled her as a Defense mechanism.

Lately, its importance has been reassessed in therapy, and this element has been considered as a facilitating resource for the construction of the therapeutic relationship.

The role of humor in psychotherapy

Humor stimulates laughter and, as we know, physiological stimulation through laughter has a number of benefits to health. It is associated with a stress reduction, and it also appears to increase pain tolerance.

But, in addition to this, laughter also helps us have a satisfying emotional experience. It not only induces us to states of intense physiological activation. If a person is angry or sad and starts to laugh at a humorous comment made by someone close to her, her mood will change instantly and she will go from anger and the sadness to a more pleasant sensation, even if only for a moment.

That is why irony, as part of humor, can be a powerful weapon to combat bad moods and sadness.

In fact, recent research by the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor has highlighted the positivity of therapeutic humor, defining it: “a intervention that promotes health and well-being through the stimulation, discovery, expression and appreciation of incongruities and absurd situations of the lifetime. These interventions can be used to improve health or be used as a complementary treatment of illnesses either to heal or face physical, mental, emotional, social or social difficulties spiritual ”.

What is irony for in psychotherapy?

Irony is an excellent therapeutic toolBecause the fact of being able to laugh at something that is oppressing us, even for just a moment, is a bit like decompressing the accumulated tension.

The basic functions of irony in psychotherapy are these:

1. It is adaptive

It represents an adaptive and effective coping strategy to contrast painful mental states, offering an alternative view of critical events. Through an ironic intervention, which leads to a modification of the rigid vision of a problem, the therapist can teach ironic aspects of an event helping the patient to live it with greater detachment and lightness and teaching to adaptively manage negative emotions.

2. Increases the ability to cope with problems

Increases the “problem solving” capacity. As Borcherdt says, "If we can laugh at a problem, it is solved." Most situations, also the most difficult ones, have an ironic side, but living certain negative emotions prevents us from perceiving the funny side of them. Over time, the decrease in the intensity of negative emotions puts the critical and painful aspect in the background, allowing the comic side to be appreciated.

3. Increase optimism

It works as a mediator between positive emotions and a humorous comment, which can lead to confidence, optimism and happiness. In addition, irony allows us to express certain feelings that are experienced in an intense way. This expression occurs in a controlled and safe manner. The irony also allows to express emotions and feelings otherwise they would have remained silent.

4. Improves the patient-therapist relationship

Helps increase the therapeutic alliance, helping to establish and maintain positive therapeutic relationship. During a psychotherapy session, a humorous comment made by the therapist can help the communication between him and her. the patient, also reducing the resistance to the sessions, since it leads to a more relaxed and open conversation.

5. Helps improve self-esteem

Facilitates increase self-esteemLaughing at oneself represents a useful mechanism for the patient to reach self-acceptance and acceptance of her defects. Those who have the ability to laugh at themselves have a higher level of well-being, since they develop fewer depressive symptoms and increase their tolerance for negative emotions.

Indications for the proper use of irony in psychotherapy

It must be borne in mind that humor and irony should be used as a complement that allows recovery processes to be easier and more fluid, and not as something that is used simply because "it's fun", as this could disrupt the dynamics of the psychotherapy. It is used as a way of interpreting events that cause discomfort in a more adaptive way.

In addition, it must be remembered that irony and humor must be used once the therapeutic link has already been established and It has been consolidated as such, at the moment in which the patient can also use it in their comments towards the psychologist or psychologist. If not, comments of this type may be taken as disrespectful or professional seriousness, which would seriously damage the progress of therapy.