Download Acquired Amusement Deficiency Syndrome (AADS): Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment and more Study notes Creative writing in PDF only on Docsity!
Treatment options All forms of AADS are serious if they affect your abilityto function in life the way you would like to. Carefulattention to determining the source of inner conflict,strained emotions, and behavioral changes is critical foraddressing the development of AADS and highlightingtreatment options.There is no sure way to prevent any disorder. Peopleinherit tendencies toward certain disorders, and if youthink AADS runs in your family, you are more likely tobe a candidate. However, there are steps you can take tomake AADS less likely. The most helpful thing to do islearn the set of skills required for a sense of humor.McGhee (2001) recommends:
Adjust your attitude. Make it a point to try tobe in tune to your reactions in situations andyour overall attitude. Try to adjust yourattitude by focusing on the positive aspects ina negative situation.
Try Optimism. Change your thinking to see atleast one positive aspect in every situation.
Sensitize yourself to seeing humor in everydaylife. Go to the zoo and watch the animals playor observe silly children’s play.
Use humor in a social setting. Practice tellingjokes or funny stories. Try to memorize ahumorous poem or short story. Keep in mindappropriate humor that unites people and nothumor that makes fun of people or dividespeople.
Find humor in the midst of stress and negativefeelings. Think about a humorous person andask yourself what she or he would do in thissituation.
Learn to express your humor; go ahead andchuckle or have a good belly laugh.
Remember that we are created in God’s imageand we have the capacity to produce andappreciate humor, and the capability to laugh.Ask God to show you the humor in life.
If these initial steps do not provide relief from the painof AADS, other options are available. Consider thesesteps as well:
Rent funny movies
Watch humorous TV shows
Browse humorous websites:http://www.bellylaughter.com/
Keep a humor journal and jot down funnythings you observe throughout the day
Keep humorous cartoon clippings with you
Keep in mind the healthy benefits of a goodbelly laugh
Sign up on a webserver that sends you a joke aday:
http://www.digital-laughter.com
Although AADS is common, you can take steps to
prevent it and recover from it. You can find joy, hope,
and humor again.
If you are in doubt about where to turn for assistance,
please feel free to call the Regent University
Psychological Services Center at (757) 226-4488.
Resources: McGhee, P. E. (2001).
Health, Humor, and the Amuse
system: Humor as survivor training
nd
Ed.). Dubuque,
Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brochure author: Melissa A. Jenkins-Fernandez, M.A.
Series Editor: La Trelle D. Jackson, Ph.D.&
Mary Beth Covert, M.A.
Published by: Regent University Psychological Services Center, 1000 Regent University Dr, CRB - 188, Virginia
Beach, VA 23464
Help for
Acquired Amusement
Deficiency Syndrome
(AADS)
(AADS)
Regent University
Psychological Services Center
1000 Regent University DriveClassroom Building Suite 188
Virginia Beach, VA
Most people are familiar with the notion that laughter isa good medicine. In fact laughter has been referred to as“internal jogging” by Dr. Fry (1986), a physician whohas studied the physiological affects of laughter for over3 decades. Dr. Fry found that the physiological effectsof 20 seconds of hearty laughter provides the heart aworkout equivalent to three minutes of hard rowing.Once laughter ceases there is a period of relaxation thatcan last for 45 minutes and one may notice a drop inblood pressure, pulse rate, and muscle tension belownormal. Noted author, Norman Cousins attributed his1:500 chance of recovery from a painful collagen diseaseto prescriptive bouts of hearty laughter. By forming apartnership with his doctor, taking massive does ofvitamin C, and engaging in hearty bell laughter, he fullyrecovered from his disease and dedicated his life toteaching others the importance of having humor in theirlives.Obviously, throughout the course of one’s life there aretimes when it is healthy to take matters seriously andrespond to events in a serious manner. However, somepeople apply this serious demeanor across all situationsand at all times. If you feel like you are prone to beserious all of the time orhave somehow lost yoursense of humor, it ispossible that you mightbe suffering from AADS
—Acquired
Amusement DeficiencySyndrome, according topsychologist PaulMcGhee. For a quickscreening, take a fewseconds and read thecartoon to the right:If you did not find this amusing, that does notnecessarily mean that you have AADS. You might havea great sense of humor, but this cartoon did not suit yourhumor style. In fact, people’s senses of humor are highlyidiosyncratic. What you may think is hilarious anotherperson might think is humorless. However, if you arehaving difficulty regaining your sense of humor, or areonly able to approach life in a humorless fashion, youmight consider whether you have AADS.
AADS is not an actual diagnosable disorder, but it is away of describing a common condition that many peopleexperience after various setbacks and drawbacks in life.Unfortunately, AADS is known to insidiously erodeone’s capacity to feel the joyfulness of life. In manyinstances, people do not realize that they have lost theability to find humor and joy in life. Symptoms McGhee (2001) maps out the symptoms of AADS in hisbook “
Health, Healing, and the Amuse System.”
The
following are some symptoms of AADS. Review theareas and determine how you compare with thedescriptors.
Persistent seriousness
Persistent soreness about almost everything
Difficulty swallowing humor
Emotional constipation
Prone to making mountains out of molehills
Preferred bed time reading is the “
Annual
Report
Spending hours on the weekend working to getahead of competition is your idea of fun
Cannot remember the last time you had a goodbelly laugh
If you have several of these symptoms, you may be inneed of an attitude adjustment. McGhee reminds us thatjust like when your spine is misaligned every movementcreates discomfort, losing your sense of humor has asimilar impact in you’re your outlook. When yourdemeanor has been misaligned, it is hard to make roomfor joyous emotions. What causes this problem? Often times when people experience events in life thatare sad, painful, disheartening, and shameful the lastthing on their mind is humor and laughter. For somepeople, however, they appear to find the positive side
(e.g., the glass is half empty) or the humor in anysituation. Those people appear to laugh themselves outof a bad mood. For others, they are only able to focus onthe negative side (e.g., the glass is half full) or thehumorlessness in a situation.It seems that people are “wired” in their genes torespond to these events in either a positive or negativeframework, and of course there are some individuals inthe middle of these extremes. Because there are manyinfluences that can impact one’s mental health, it isimportant to monitor one’s lifestyle and health practices.The good news is that if you would like to regain yoursense of humor, you can reintroduce humor back in yourlife. You do not have to be doomed to see the glass ashalf empty. What about Christians? Everyone feels differently as to what is consideredappropriate humor and what is considered inappropriatehumor. For example, inappropriate, or maladaptivehumor might be laughing at a person’s misfortunes orlaughing at someone’s mistakes. Appropriate humor, oradaptive humor is being able to laugh at your ownmistakes and laugh
with
people
not
at
them. Many
people believe that Jesus laughed with people and arecomforted by the image of Jesus laughing with children.These are some verses that maybring joy and laugher to yourheart as you read them:
Jesus: “These things
have I spoken untoyou, that my joymight remain in you,and that your joymight be full” (John15:11 NIV).
Solomon: “A cheerful
heart is a goodmedicine, but adowncast spirit driesup the bones” (Proverbs 17:22 NIV).
“Blessed are the people that know the joyful
sound” (Psalms 89:15 NIV).
