I Haven’t Laughed In a Long Time
The dangers of de-sensitization and it’s effects on mental health
Recently, I realized I was using fake laughter when talking to family and friends. My face felt odd. Not a lot of things seem to amuse me. Not even the jokes that used to make me laugh.
I mean the uncontrollable laughter where you can hardly breathe.
If you are experiencing the same problem, it could be due to desensitization.
Definition of desensitization
A treatment or process that diminishes emotional responsiveness to a negative, aversive or positive stimulus after repeated exposure to it. — Mary Cover Jones (1897–1987)
Some of the reasons you are unable to laugh like before
As your age ripens, you have seen, done and heard most of the things around you. Hence, in simpler terms, nothing surprises you anymore.
There is something else in work here. It’s called ‘empathy.’ After a few years, coupled with internal and external affectors, empathy can be de-sensitized.
As happiness are contagious, so do depression and sadness. Well, all is not lost. You can regain ‘empathy’ by striving towards it.
