Oh yeah, I thought of one other thing I wanted to say about humor.
We have to avoid getting perfectionistic about humor. It may seem odd that perfectionism can affect using humor, but we shouldn't be surprised. Perfectionism can infiltrate any area of our lives.
What I'm referring to at the moment is how my clients often feel they "aren't allowed" to see humor in anything, or to be funny themselves (Ari, your comment made me think about this- the way you say you don't even recognize that you are funny), since their lives "aren't perfect." It's like they think that only if everything is one's life is "just right" can we appreciate the humor in things.
It reminds me of how clients tell me they don't feel they can "have a life" until they are "thin enough," how they feel everything they may want to do has to be put on hold until they can be the "right weight."
It's the same with humor. People with eating disorders can fall into thinking they "shouldn't" get to laugh, shouldn't get to enjoy humor, since they're lives aren't perfect. They'll say, "when I'm thin I can be funny."
This false belief leads many people to try to conceal their sense of humor from themselves and the world, and it leads them to feel badly or ashamed that they have a sense of humor.
But, the truth is, humor is an innate gift that we get to have. We simply have it, and it's ok for us to enjoy it. Regardless of anything that's happening in our lives, what we weigh, or what grade we got on our last chemistry test.
Oh yeah, I thought of one other thing I wanted to say about humor.
We have to avoid getting perfectionistic about humor. It may seem odd that perfectionism can affect using humor, but we shouldn't be surprised. Perfectionism can infiltrate any area of our lives.
What I'm referring to at the moment is how my clients often feel they "aren't allowed" to see humor in anything, or to be funny themselves (Ari, your comment made me think about this- the way you say you don't even recognize that you are funny), since their lives "aren't perfect." It's like they think that only if everything is one's life is "just right" can we appreciate the humor in things.
It reminds me of how clients tell me they don't feel they can "have a life" until they are "thin enough," how they feel everything they may want to do has to be put on hold until they can be the "right weight."
It's the same with humor. People with eating disorders can fall into thinking they "shouldn't" get to laugh, shouldn't get to enjoy humor, since they're lives aren't perfect. They'll say, "when I'm thin I can be funny."
This false belief leads many people to try to conceal their sense of humor from themselves and the world, and it leads them to feel badly or ashamed that they have a sense of humor.
But, the truth is, humor is an innate gift that we get to have. We simply have it, and it's ok for us to enjoy it. Regardless of anything that's happening in our lives, what we weigh, or what grade we got on our last chemistry test.