They say that laughter is the best medicine. While some may feel that this old adage may be overused, it has endured the years because there is truth to it. Laughter is truly good for the soul. It lifts you up at your lowest and reminds you that there is still so much hope.
This is what people need – a good dose of laughter. Standup comedians are there to give them the much-needed relief to the cruelties of the world. In fact, these artists have even inspired many to follow in their footsteps and try it out on their own.
The UK’s public health services have started to see the significance of comedy and have officially prescribed stand-up comedy classes to men at risk of suicide. These are men that are victims of mental trauma or depression. They saw just how important it was after they observed the pilot program saw that it had been extremely successful.
While stand-up is not as simple as it seems, this has been quite an affective avenue. Yes, speaking in front of an audience can be one of the hardest and scariest things someone can do, but entertainment through humor is also one of the most innate ways a person is able to process past trauma.
While social activists have fought for decades and fought some topics to be banned altogether, British comedian Angie Belcher has proven to them that those who are willing to explore their personal history through comedy often makes them “stronger and more resilient.”
Belcher is the pioneer behind Comedy on Referral. This is a six-week course for trauma survivors in Bristol that has become the fortunate recipient of the National Health Service (NHS) funding. They are now looking into expanding their programs to London to help men who are at risk of suicide.
Belcher, who describes herself on Twitter as a “Comedian in Residence,” also founded AFTERMIRTH Comedy Club, a club that celebrates parenthood and helps fight post-natal depression with the help of standup comedy.
She explained Comedy on Referral to the Guardian, and why this can be powerful when it comes to changing the trauma survivors’ mentalities, and in essence, even their lives. “My course for trauma victims encourages them to process their trauma in a different way, so they can change who the victim is and choose the narrative. They can actually go right down into ‘This is what I was thinking and then this thing happened to me’,” said Belcher.
“This enables survivors to consciously use comedy to change their perspective of their experiences, but it also puts them in a physically powerful position because being on stage is very powerful,” she added.
Just very recently, the North West London Integrated Care System, which is the bigger partner of the various NHS trusts, rewarded Belcher’s efforts. They provided her with a grant. It is with hope and optimism and through this, they will be able to lower the British suicide rate by as much as 10 percent. And while they admittedly haven’t done anything like this in the past, they very much look forward to see what the future holds. They’re hopeful and optimistic with everything that’s come to pass.
A total of 20 men who are over the age of 18 years old and who have had suicidal episodes are currently enrolled with Belcher’s program. She works hand in hand with psychologists to make sure that they don’t step beyond the boundaries between what’s funny and what can be triggering. This is to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
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