Laughter is a powerful tool, on one hand, it can be used to lift the spirits of others, to express our emotions and even increase our popularity, and on the other, it can be used to degrade and humiliate.

The simple act of laughing has the ability to convey meaning on an equal level to that of the spoken word. According to some experts – in terms of human development, laughter is the biggest milestone subsequent to crying.

Former stand-up comedian Stephanie Davies is one of the countries leading laughter experts, and founder of Laughology, a one of a kind organisation that teaches public and private sector workers how to enhance their potential using humour and laughter.

According to Davies, the basic difference between humour and laughter is that the former doesn’t always have to be funny and is often used to fit into or to cope with social situations, and the latter is a response.

“A child knows that laughter is positive and learns that actions which get a laugh are positive. He or she will repeat those actions or mimic them from other people and start to develop an awareness of humour based on the reactions of those around them.” Explained Davies.

Considering the fact that laughter has been around since the dawn of humanity – the academic study of laugher and humour is still a very new and relatively unexplored area. However, there is now a growing body of evidence suggesting its benefits on both a personal and social level.

The Cousins experiment

An excellent example of the profound effect of laughter on physical health is the well-documented battle against spinal disease of writer Norman Cousins.

Cousins was given a one in 500 chance of survival back in 1964 and instead of staying in hospital for treatment he opted to check into a hotel where he would administer his own form of treatment – large doses of vitamin C and a regime of positive behaviours involving laughter, love and joy.

Cousins proceeded to watch as much comedy as he could, and found that over time, laughter stimulated certain chemicals in his body that permitted him to sleep for several hours free of pain. After persisting with his unique treatment for some time, his disease went into remission.

Post Cousins experiment and many scientists have made similar discoveries. For example, an experiment carried out at the University of Maryland unveiled that in individuals with bad cardiac health, laughter dilated the inner lining of blood vessels, subsequently stimulating blood flow.

The infectious effect – could laughter benefit your community?

In addition to the personal health benefits of laughter, it would seem the effects could also work on a much wider scale. A project in an underprivileged area of Bradford based upon Davies’ laughology model has promoted resilience within the community and has helped residents to cope during difficult situations.

Davies and her team helped to train the town to become more positively engaged with one another in a bid to make them feel more resilient, more supported and ultimately to have a friendlier community.

“If we laugh we feel better about a situation, if we see something in a different way and find the humour in it we can almost take a mental step back from it and not be so negatively emotionally involved,” said Davies.

View and comment on the original Independent article.

Scientists at Imperial College London have been exploring the possible benefits of taking the Psilocybin Mushroom – better known to party-goers as magic mushrooms or ‘shrooms’.

The hallucinogenic effects of magic mushrooms have been known for thousands of years and even feature in cave paintings dating back to the Mesolithic era. Now research has shown that the fungus might also have anti-depressant properties similar to those of Prozac.

Robin Carhard Harris of the college’s medicine department, said: “We’re not saying go out there and eat magic mushrooms … But… this drug has such a fundamental impact on the brain that it’s got to be meaningful … it’s got to be telling us something about how the brain works.”

The drug is thought to alter two key areas of the brain. The first is called the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), associated with depression, and the second is called the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), which is associated with consciousness and self-identity.

The mushroom is though to suppress mPFC and have a similar effect to other approaches, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

Researchers are assuming a cautious approach to the findings, due to the illegal and dangerous nature of Psilocybin mushroom- the use of which is not recommended.

If you are suffering from depression, you are advised to consider counselling techniques. To find out more about depression and how counselling can help, visit our page on Depression. Alternatively, use our advanced search tool to find a counsellor suitable for your needs.

View and comment on the original Medical News Today article. 

It is thought that approximately 5 to 10% of people who use the internet are clinically addicted. To be addicted, the individual must find it impossible to control their use.

Henrietta Bowden Jones, consultant psychiatrist at Imperial College London and head of the UK’s only internet addiction clinic, said: “I have seen people who stopped attending university lectures, failed their degrees or their marriages broke down because they were unable to emotionally connect with anything outside the game.”

The press has recently reported a number of tragic cases related to internet addiction. A young man from Sheffield, who’d been accepted into the University of Leicester, died of a blood clot after spending up to 12 hours a day playing his Xbox. In the US, a toddler starved to death while her mother was busy playing online games for hours at a time.

With the rise of increasingly sophisticated games, we can expect to hear more stories like this. Henrietta Bowden Jones was careful to differentiate between real, detrimental internet addiction, and our naturally increasing exposure to internet attributed to the changing face of communication and work tools.

Researchers in China scanned the brains of 17 young people diagnosed with internet addiction disorder and compared them with MRI scans from 16 non-addicted adolescents. The results revealed an impairment of white matter fibres in the brain that connect to regions associated with attention span, decision making, emotional processing and cognitive control.

Similar impairments have been observed in other forms of addiction, such as alcohol and cocaine abuse.

If you would like help dealing with an internet addiction or any other form of addiction, you may benefit from seeing a counsellor specialising in this subject. For more information, please visit our Addictions page. Alternatively, search for a counsellor according to location, specialism, method or keyword. 

View and comment on the original Independent article. 

The UK has enjoyed almost a decade of falling divorce rates but, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the numbers are once more on the rise.  

In only one year, the number of couples filing for divorce has increased by almost 5%- a large enough percentage to warrant an explanation.

What is it about the new decade that’s caused so many spouses to give up on their marriages?

According to  government statisticians, the mounting divorce rate can be attributed to the recession.

It’s true, there’s nothing romantic about mounting debts, service cuts and wide-spread redundancies. It seems the effects of the recession on middle-class people has, as divorce lawyer Marilyn Stowe explains, put pressure on marriages.

Ms Stowe says: Its hard to pay school fees. There’s higher tax. That puts pressure on people. They are more likely to become candidates for divorce.”

If you are suffering from marital problems and would like to find out more about how counselling could help, please visit our Relationship Issues page. To find a counsellor, visit the Counselling Directory home page and type your postcode into the search box. 

View and comment on the original Telegraph article. 

Whereas the effect of the financial crisis on the UK economy remains obvious, the true extent of its effect on us – socially, individually and culturally – is only just beginning to unravel.

One impact the recession has on our lives is clear: increased stress. Whether you’re worrying about an unsecure job, a lack of money or a struggling relationship, the recession probably plays a part, however big or small.

Stress can cause a number of other health related problems, both physical and psychological, from chest pains, palpitations, constipation and diarrhoea, to anger, snappiness, depression and sleeplessness.

The Great British Sleep Survey, commissioned by the ‘Sleepio’ organisation, has recently released results suggesting that over half the nation has difficulty sleeping on a regular basis, otherwise known as insomnia.

The study, which interviewed 11,129 adults at the beginning of this year, found that women are 3 times more likely to suffer from insomnia than men, with 75% of women admitting to sleeping problems compared to only 25% of men.

Professor Colin Espie of Glasgo University, who co-founded ‘Sleepio’, said: “Living with poor sleep and its consequences is not only very common, but it is in all likelihood degrading Britain’s health. This is not a trivial matter. It’s time for the NHS to pay attention to the scientific evidence that persistent poor sleep elevates the risk of developing new illnesses”.

Evidence suggests that lack of sleep can have a severe impact on individual health, causing a range of illnesses from diabetes to depression.

The Great British Sleep survey showed that:

• 55% of those having trouble sleeping were having relationship difficulties
• 77% were having problems with concentration
• 64% were less productive at work
• 83% were having trouble with their mood
• 93% reported lower energy levels

All of these factors suggest that it is in the government’s interest to invest more resources into tackling sleeplessness – its social impact is clear.

Professor Epsie believes the NHS should invest money in making Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) more widely available for those suffering from sleeplessness.

CBT is proven as an effective treatment for insomnia. To find out more about CBT, please visit our Therapies page. Alternatively, use the search tool to find a counsellor specialising in CBT near you. 

View and comment on the original Guardian article.

Workers in Britain’s capital feel the pressure mount as the recession continues.

According to Dr Andrew Parker, consultant psychiatrist at Capio Nightingale Hospital in Marleybone, London, there has been a noticeable increase in city workers seeking help for work-related stress over the last few years.

With the looming threat of financial crisis, redundancy and sector cuts, job security is today at an all time low.

Employers are especially feeling the strain, with many finding themselves in difficult situations like having to make redundancies, or being forced to hold onto information they can’t talk about.

For one senior banking executive, referred to here as Don, anxiety got the better of him. Between 2007 and 2008, the executive got no more than 2 hours sleep a night. After a year of running entirely on caffeine and adrenaline, the 60 year old finally decided to seek help from his GP, who advised him to take time off work.

Contrary to GP advice, the Centre for Mental Health has claimed that taking time off work serves only to heighten the problem.

Don said: “Unfortunately, when I stopped [working] I became what would be characterised as depressed – anti-social, exhausted and fed up. There are many like me in the City, for whom work is life – it’s your hobby, it’s your interest. The removal of work was traumatic. Your life crumbles and suddenly you lose your route to recovery. A lot of people in my situation commit suicide.”

Often, depression can slip by unnoticed for many years. Many high-powered professionals possess certain personality traits – such as being obsessive, perfectionist or highly driven- which can lead to them losing touch with their own bodies’ needs.

There is still a huge stigma surrounding mental health issues, with many city workers remaining sceptical about therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or counselling. This can cause workers to ignore their symptoms, and to power on with work tasks regardless.

In an attempt to address the mounting mental health problem, Dr Andrew Parker has announced plans to open a specialist stress and post-traumatic stress disorder clinic dealing specifically with stressed workers.

Managers are encouraged to look out for signs of stress in their workforce. Symptoms can include social isolation, impatience, irritability, poor concentration and heavy drinking.

After consulting a psychiatrist, which allowed him to offload his anxieties about the financial crisis, Don has now left his job as a senior banking executive job. Now, as an independent consultant, he claims to be ‘absolutely fine’.

If you are experiencing stress in the workplace, you may wish to consult a counsellor. Visit our homepage and use the search tool to find a counsellor working in your area.  

View and comment on the original London Evening Standard article.

The NHS has given £50,000 to charity Ark to help people with Asperger’s find love.

As the online-dating stigma fades and singles-clubs and speed-dating becomes all the rage, the modern dating scene is changing – and upping its expectations too.

The world of dating has become a formidable place for the many singles looking for love today. With so many potentials out there clamouring for attention, the pressure is on for everyone to sell themselves in a maximum of 200 words on the web, or 2 minutes of frantic speed-dating conversation.

Once a date is successfully landed, there’s still the stilted conversation, the awkward silences, the embarrassments, the misunderstandings and the rejections to negotiate.  Even after the date, there’s the evaluation- did they like me? Should I text them? Will they text me? What did I do wrong? and so on.

Dating is difficult for many people, but it is especially so for those suffering from Asperger’s syndrome.

Asperger’s is a condition whereby sufferers find it difficult to empathise with others, read social cues or understand facial expressions and body language. This, understandably, puts dating on a whole new plane of difficulty.

Mark Savage from Berkshire is on a mission to find love. The 30-year-old Asperger’s sufferer has been on 2 dates, both of which he has described as ‘draining and stressful’.

Savage tried dating unsuccessfully as a teenager, but soon gave up to concentrate on his A-levels in psychology, biology, sociology and media studies.

Because of his condition, he finds it difficult to judge people or immediately respond to social cues. This can make it difficult for him to know when someone is joking, or understand comic techniques such as sarcasm or irony.

Savage says: ”People with Asperger’s, we don’t chat or gossip. We can seem rather dry. Dating takes us out of our comfort zones, so it would be good to have help with that.”

A recent survey showed that the vast majority of the 105 people with autism and Asperger’s asked, would like to meet a partner. Ark Charity, who conducted the study, has managed to persuade the NHS to donate £50,000 towards a project helping people with autism and Asperger’s syndrome find partners.

The new scheme has been named the ‘Umbrella project’ and sees the oraganisation of social events such as a weekly clubbing night for people with learning disabilities in Bracknell.

The events aim to help people with Asperger’s find new friends or potential partners, and to also help boost their confidence and self-esteem. Surveys suggest that the main reason why people with Asperger’s find it difficult to maintain a social life is because they face social prejudice and stigma, wich knocks their confidence .

Currently the events have 40-50 attendees but organisers are hoping to attract more.

To find out more about Ark or to read and comment on the original article, please visit the BBC. 

This week the Welsh Government is set to release a White Paper outlining plans to introduce a presumed consent organ donation law by 2015.

The new legislation will mean that anyone in Wales who does not wish to donate their organs upon death, will need to sign an ‘opt-out’ register.

The BBC Wales Politics show has been informed that the planned system will be ‘soft’, meaning that family members will still be consulted after a person’s death.

Currently in Wales, as in England, people who wish to donate one or more organs are required to join the NHS organ donor register and specify which organs they would like to donate.

Whereas supporters of the proposed plans believe it will help save lives, opponents believe it will kill off trust in the health care system.

Presumed consent may have a negative impact on people who want to feel good about their decision to help save lives. The legislation is in effect a claim over an individual’s own body – an automatic right of ownership that many people will not feel comfortable with. 

Roy Thomas, chairman of the Kidney Wales Foundation, says the new plans: “will solve a lot of issues for people who are waiting for a transplant. We are losing one person each week here in Wales and that’s a huge amount of people who are dying and we need to give them hope.”

Presumed donation is thought to increase the number of organs available for transplantation by up to 30%.

If you are currently waiting for, or recovering from an organ transplant, you may wish to consult a counsellor to discuss the changes occurring in your life. Please visit our homepage and use the search tool to find a counsellor working near you. 

View and comment on the original BBC article here.   

A Sheffield hospital hopes to help 10 morbidly obese teenagers lose weight by fitting them with gastric balloons.

The procedure, which involves inflating the stomach to simulate a feeling of fullness, has proven effective on adults. There have been few studies examining the effects of the gastric balloon on young people, however, and the procedure has never been carried out in the UK.

The teenagers chosen for the possible trial all weigh between 14 and 20 stone (85kg-127kg) and have failed at other weight-loss methods.

The procedure is not, according to Dr Neil Wright, consultant paediatrician and obesity specialist: “a quick fix as the lifestyle advice and support is very important in helping young people to lose weight and giving them the information they need in the future to manage a healthy lifestyle”.

If the proposal is approved by the hospital’s ethics committee, the trial would last for 2 years.

Participants would be recruited through GP referrals, hospital consultants and for those who request referrals.

Lisa Beardsmore, whose son is overweight, disagrees with the proposed gastric balloon trials. She believes children should be encouraged to eat a healthy, balanced diet and that such drastic measures are unnecessary.

If your child is suffering from obesity and any resulting issues like bullying or depression, you may wish to consult a counsellor. If you would like to find out how counselling could help your child, please visit our factsheet about child related issues. If you would like to find a counsellor near you, please visit our homepage and use the search tool.

View and comment on the original BBC article here.

According to new research by the Independent Schools Health Education Unit, 4% of 12 to 13 year olds claimed they drank over 28 units every week.

The results were taken from 83,724 young people across 1,100 UK primary and secondary schools.

Each pupil was asked more than 100 health-related questions about their school, home and social activities.

Despite the alarming amount that some children claimed to drink, the good news is that most children showed no interest whatsoever in drinking or getting drunk. In fact, compared with previous surveys, the number of children drinking more than 10 units a week is decreasing.

Simon Antrobus, chief executive of drug and alcohol rehabilitation charity ‘Addaction’, said:

“Children who drink at younger ages are the ones who need help most. We also know that children whose parents misuse alcohol are more likely to develop their own problems later in life.”

Aside from alcohol, almost half of all 14 to 15 year olds asked admitted to have tried cigarettes in the past and 5% of 10 to 11 year olds admitted to smoking- a small yet alarming statistic.

The Department of Health has in recent days doubled the maximum fine for under-age alcohol sales to £20,000 and increased the length of punishment served by those who sell alcohol to under 18s to 48hours.

If you suspect your child has a problem with drinking and you would like to address the problem, you may wish to consider some form of counselling. For more information, please feel free to take a look at our factsheets on child related issues or addictions.