Humor as a Psychological Defense Mechanism

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They say that laughter is the best medicine. If you’ve ever been having a hard day but then told a good joke or, better yet, caught off guard by something comedic, you can likely attest to how levity can break the spell of gloom.

Interestingly, even nonhumorous laughter, like in laughter yoga, has been correlated to reduced pain, depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep problems (e.g., Uner et al., 2022). This is because laughter, whether humorous or not, triggers the release of endorphins, or “feel-good chemicals,” which not only boost mood but also contribute to relaxation of muscles (e.g., Hajar, 2023). Even better, an increase in endorphins decreases stress hormones, which can be damaging to our immune system (e.g., Alotiby, 2024), and regular laughter has been correlated with improvement in physical ailments (e.g., Oliveira & Arriaga, 2022; Singh et al., 2025).

Aside from the above, humor is also health-related in its role as a psychological defense mechanism.

Psychological defenses

These are subconscious cognitive processes that serve to protect against things that would be too anxiety-provoking to consciously acknowledge, guard against low self-esteem, and loss of self-integration (Cramer, 2008). While the term “defense” can have a negative or pejorative connotation (e.g., “S/he is so defensive!”), everyone has psychological defenses, which begin in childhood as adaptive responses to the world/people around the child. They develop at the intersection of temperament, the nature of stresses suffered early on, defenses modeled by important figures, and the reinforcement effects of using the defense(s) (McWilliams, 2011).

One common defense is withdrawal. On the healthy, “everyday” end of the spectrum, some people retreat into fantasy daydreaming when under stress. On the pathological side, withdrawal can be the foundation for personality disturbance. Personality is one’s way of relating to themselves, others, and the world around them. People who are temperamentally overstimulated and perhaps grew up in an environment with an emotionally cold and intrusive mother (McWilliams in Feinstein, 2022) may retreat more permanently into withdrawal as they age, shaping their general personality. Remaining detached from others ensures stimulation control and that they won’t be engulfed or intruded upon. This is prototypical of the schizoid personality, schizoid meaning there is a schism between their interpersonal behavior and the person’s inner experience. Schizoid people actually fantasize about having healthy relationships, but the fear of vulnerability is too great.

How humor works as a psychological defense

Humor, on the other hand, may be more familiar as a defense than many realize. This doesn’t mean that people with a sharp sense of humor are defensive. Like most things, it depends on the circumstance and the person. Who hasn’t encountered someone that is quick to make light of an awkward situation to ease the tension? Imagine a disagreeable colleague criticizing everyone and storming out of a meeting. Everyone looks around at each other uncomfortably for a minute, then someone says, “You don’t see that every day.” Some chuckles erupt, and the meeting continues. Humor can also help ease socio-political tension and draw people together, something prevalent in stand-up comedy. After 9/11, for example, Robin Williams in his “Live on Broadway” performance joked about how even the toughest New Yorkers were being nice to each other, a comedic reminder of the importance of unity and neighborly support in the face of the national tragedy.

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On the other hand, there are people who chronically use humor, which can be a double-edged sword, like the people I experience who come to rely heavily on withdrawal. Consider children who are disruptive class clowns. The kids I evaluate who exhibit this characteristic oftentimes have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They can be highly restless, struggle to keep still and pay attention, and thus feel marginalized alongside their classmates. They might expel that energy by doing silly things that will get some laughs, boosting their esteem, but nonetheless find themselves in the principal’s office for being too disruptive on other days, lowering their self- image.

Still others’ use of it as a defense is more sophisticated and has payoffs beyond shielding themselves from emotional pain. Many comedians have shared that it was their difficult childhood experiences that led to their successful comedy career. The late comedian Chris Farley, for example, was picked on for being an overweight child (Frommer, n.d.). He figured out that if he made jokes about his weight (imagine the “fat guy in a little coat” scene from Tommy Boy playing out in middle school), others were less likely to do so, and he gained popularity as a funny guy. This preemptive strike humor helped him deal with early bullying and led to his career success. Unfortunately, he self-medicated whatever pain the humor didn’t relieve, and died from an accidental overdose. Nevertheless, his penchant for humor made his life more bearable.

Rethinking the class clown

The next time you encounter someone who can’t seem to take anything seriously or is the rambunctious class clown, think of the paired tragedy and comedy masks of ancient Greek theater, representing the duality of human experience. They just might be protecting themselves from something painful and need someone to take them seriously and help them through what’s going on behind the clown façade. It could be as easy as a probation officer or school counselor asking a kid, “I know you like to make people laugh, but sometimes it seems like you can't stop being silly, and it gets you in trouble. What’s going on inside or in the classroom when you start to feel like clowning around?”

In the meantime, tell some jokes or find some laughter yoga. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

Disclaimer: The material provided in this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any illness in readers or people they know. The information should not replace personalized care or intervention from an individual’s provider or formal supervision if you’re a practitioner or student.