In the 1600's, physicians believed that the body's health (physical and psychological) was determined by four liquids called humors: blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm. When in balance, the body and mind are in perfect harmony. But, if there is an imbalance between the humors, then there is a dominant temperament that causes abnormal behaviour.

The way we use the term humor today is very different. Patty Wooten, in her Book "Compassionate Laughter" described humor as "A perspective on life- a way of perceiving the world- and a behavior that expresses that perspective." She also explained that "To experience the joy that humor can bring, we must share in the laughter with others." In this section we invite you to explore the weird and wonderful world of humor. We will explain to you how incorporating humor and laughter into your life, will be beneficial to your health.

Different Uses of Humor: healthy vs. unhealthy

Laughing at someone is a form of unhealthy humor.

Most of us have experienced being the "butt" of a joke. We feel embarrassed, humiliated and resentful toward the person who told the joke, and toward all the people who are laughing at the joke (i.e. at us). When humor is used in such a way that feelings of hostility, distress and general negativity are aroused, it is called caustic humor (e.g. putting someone down or excluding them using humor). Children and teenagers often use this judgmental, hurtful humor though it can also be seen in adults.

In contrast to caustic humor, there is compassionate humor. Compassionate humor helps to bridge gaps between people, break tension, provide hope and increase positivity in a situation. It is this type of humor that is accepting, mature and healing, and beneficial to our health.