Why Memes Might Be More Therapeutic Than You Think…
Anxiety is a lot.
It wakes you up at 3 a.m. to remind you of that weird thing you said in 2009. It turns a group text into a cryptic emotional landmine. It can make even the most accomplished, competent people feel like they’re one badly worded email away from total social collapse.
And what do a lot of us do when we’re anxious?
We…laugh…
Sometimes inappropriately.
Sometimes a little too loudly.
Sometimes at our own expense.
But here’s the kicker: humor doesn’t mean we’re minimizing our anxiety. In fact, we might be doing something incredibly human and surprisingly healthy.
Sooooo… Isn’t Humor Just Avoidance with a Punchline?
Well… sometimes.
That’s the paradox.
As The OCD and Anxiety Center puts it, humor in anxiety management is a bit of a tightrope walk. It can be a shield (numbing, deflecting, avoiding) or a bridge (connecting, softening, expanding perspective). It’s not about the joke — it’s about the intention behind it.
If humor is keeping us from facing uncomfortable emotions, it’s probably a distraction strategy. But if it helps us sit with discomfort more lightly or notice the absurdity of our anxious thoughts without spiraling into shame, then it’s actually a strength.
Humor gives us just enough distance from our inner chaos to say, “Oh, look at that anxious brain of mine — it’s doing the thing again.”
And that, my friend, is gold.
The ACT Approach: You’re Not Broken — You’re Just Human (and Probably Hilarious)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) doesn’t ask us to eliminate anxiety. Trying to do the elimination thing, that’s the trap. That’s what keeps people stuck.
Instead, ACT invites us to respond to anxiety the way we might respond to a scared child or a yappy dog: with curiosity, compassion, and maybe a snack.
This fantastic ACT resource reminds us that anxiety isn’t the enemy — our relationship to it is. Rather than “fixing” it, ACT teaches us to:
Name it: “Ah yes, my brain is offering me the ‘everyone secretly hates me’ thought again.”
Make room for it: Let the feeling be there without trying to wrestle it into submission.
Take values-based action anyway: Like showing up to therapy. Or asking the question. Or hitting “publish” on that blog post even though anxiety says, “What if people think this is dumb?”
ACT doesn’t promise to get rid of your anxiety. But it will help you stop treating it like a fire alarm and more like a weird co-worker who always shows up uninvited but mostly just wants to be acknowledged.
Okay but… Should We Be Making Jokes About Anxiety?
Yes.
No.
Sometimes.
(You didn’t think it’d be a simple answer, did you?)
If humor brings you closer to yourself, helps you breathe a little easier, or lets you connect with others who get it —go for it!
But if it’s keeping you from ever talking about how much your anxiety hurts or convincing you you’re not allowed to ask for support because “you’re the funny one” — it might be time to check in with yourself. (And maybe a therapist.)
What I Tell My Clients
You can laugh and cry in therapy.
You can crack jokes and talk about trauma.
You can be deeply anxious and still show up, again and again, for your life.
Humor isn’t a cure. It’s not a deflection. It’s a coping tool. One of many.
And sometimes, it’s the thing that gets us through the hard stuff just a little more intact.
Need Help Navigating Anxiety (and Maybe Laughing Through It Too)?
In my practice, I help teens and adults navigate anxiety with compassion, humor, evidence-based skills, and absolutely zero judgment. I use tools from ACT, DBT, and CBT — along with a healthy respect for memes, metaphors, and the power of saying, “Yeah, that’s hard.”
Whether you’re a chronic overthinker, a master of worst-case scenarios, or just really, really good at spiraling at inconvenient times — therapy can help.
Schedule a free 25-minute consult here and let’s figure it out together — anxiety, humor, and all.
Because yes, your anxious thoughts are dramatic. But you?
You’re doing your best. And that deserves some support (and maybe a sarcastic meme or two).
