Diagnosis

I thought I'd start with some things I found on the internet... Annoyingly there is very little humour from sufferers of mental illlness on there at the moment. Hopefully this blogsite will help to change that.

THE 12 WARNING SIGNS OF GOOD HEALTH*

(If several or more appear, you may rarely need to visit a doctor.)

1. Regular flare-ups of a supportive network of friends and family.

2. Chronic positive expectations.

3. Repeated episodes of gratitude and generosity.

4. Increased appetite for physical activity.

5. Marked tendency to identify and express feelings.

6. Compulsion to contribute to society.

7. Lingering sensitivity to the feelings of others.

8. Habitual behaviour related to seeking new challenges.

9. Craving for peak experiences.

10. Tendency to adapt to changing conditions.

11. Feelings of spiritual involvement.

12. Persistent sense of humor.

*Adapted from a posting on a computer bulletin board in Waldport, Oregon, author unidentified. Reprinted in Whole Earth Review (Winter 1994), a compendium of brash thinking and lofty ideas.

Initial Assessments

1. When the new patient was settled comfortably on the couch, the physiatrist began his therapy session, "I'm not aware of your problem," the doctor said. "So perhaps, you should start at the very beginning."

"Of course." replied the patient. "In the beginning, I created the Heavens and the Earth..."

2. "Doctor, doctor, I'm manic-depressive."

"Calm down. Cheer up. Calm down. Cheer up. Calm..."

3. "You can learn alot about paranoids, just by following them around."

4. The Bathtub Test
During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized.
"Well," said the Director, "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub."
"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup.
"No." said the Director, "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?


5. Patient: How do tell if someone is mentally ill?
Dr Quack: They have delusions that they are well.
Patient: What's your condition then?
Dr Quack: Er...!

6. "You say Psycho like it's a bad thing!"

Welcome

Ever had that longing to get away from it all? Ever had that feeling that it's been an age since you last laughed your head off? Well I have, so I decided to start a new blogsite to collect together all the things that make me laugh.

As with all my blogsites, I have no idea what it's going to lead or what will end up being included, but I hope you will enjoy reading.

I also hope you will help me find new things to include, but I won't be including adult humour simply because I don't want to exclude children from reading this.

The reason for the title of this blog is simple... I have had a run in with mental illness and one of the things that has helped me overcome those problems has been my sense of humour. It's not well known, nor generally expected for people with mental health problems to have a sense of humour but they/we do. Admittedly it's difficult to access sometimes but it is there somewhere.

Most of all I want to develop humour from the mentally ill themselves, so please message me with your jokes, and amusing anecdotes. You will be credited for your contribution under any name you wish, but I reserve the right not to include items which I think might offend. 

One of my golden rules in life is never trust anyone who does not laugh at themselves. I have so much material to laugh at myself about it's difficult to know where to begin. People who only laugh at others, but never themselves in my opinion forfeit the right to laugh at others.

Enough waffle, time to begin... now what will be my first 'theme'?