Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by emotions that you were completely paralyzed? Fear, anxiety, embarrassment – as if they drowned you to the point where you didn’t know what to do. Maybe you withdrew into yourself. Maybe you tried to suppress it. Or perhaps you simply pretended nothing was happening.
What if there were a simple tool to step out of it all – and even with a smile?
It may sound strange, but the answer can be surprisingly simple: fake laughter.
Not sarcastic laughter. Not the kind that hides pain. But conscious, strong, playful, liberating laughter – especially when you least expect it.
What Is Fake Laughter and Why Does It Work?
Fake laughter is a technique where you deliberately trigger loud laughter, even if nothing feels funny in the moment. You laugh at your emotions, your problems, or your uncomfortable situations on purpose.
It’s not about mockery. It’s not about belittling yourself. It’s about acknowledging that something is weighing on you – and instead of fighting it, responding with lightness. This disrupts the emotion, changes its rhythm, and often releases it. Your brain registers it, and your body responds.
You may be surprised that this “fake” laughter quickly turns into genuine release. Sometimes even into real laughter. And with that comes inner relief.
Why Does Laughter Relieve Tension?
Laughter is a natural way for the body and mind to release stress. It triggers chemical processes that lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and increase endorphins (the happiness hormones). Even fake laughter has a similar effect.
Usually, we wait for something funny to laugh at. This technique flips the process – first you laugh, and then your mood changes.
How to Do It? Three Simple Steps:
- Acknowledge what’s bothering you
Close your eyes or pause for a moment. Silently name what’s troubling you, what you fear, or what embarrasses you. - Start laughing
Say out loud, strongly: “Ha ha ha! Hahaha!” Does it sound silly? Yes. But that’s the magic. By laughing despite what you feel, you change the entire dynamic of the emotion. - Repeat and observe the change
Keep laughing for a minute or two. Notice what shifts in your body. You may feel lightness, release, or even tears. And that’s perfectly fine.
You can use this technique anytime. While walking, in the shower, or before an important conversation.
When Does Fake Laughter Help the Most?
- When you feel embarrassed
Made a mistake? Said something you didn’t mean? Laugh. Not because you “like” it, but because you know the situation doesn’t have to control you. - When you feel smaller than you are
If self-criticism or doubt creeps in – answer with laughter. It’s not about denying pain, but shifting its energy. - When you feel anxious about the future
Laughter helps bring you back into your body. Into the present. From your head into your breath.
It’s Not About Being “Positive at Any Cost”
Some people resist this technique because they think “pretending to laugh” means ignoring reality. But the opposite is true. Fake laughter is not escape – it’s acceptance. You’re saying: “This emotion is here, and I know how to deal with it.”
It’s an act of self-love, not denial.
Laughter as a Complement to Deeper Work
Fake laughter can be part of a broader emotional practice. For example, in Faster EFT, which connects body, mind, and subconscious, laughter often naturally arises as a side effect of release.
Laughter has not only psychological effects – but biological ones too. Your body literally begins to feel different.
Sometimes we need to cry. Sometimes we need silence. And sometimes, it’s enough to laugh – even if it starts out “fake.”
Laughter is a natural language of the body. And this simple tool is always available. It doesn’t require experience, special equipment, or a “good mood.” Just a little courage to be playful for a moment.
Try it. And watch how even heavy emotions dissolve like mist in the sun.
If you want more techniques to help you work with yourself consciously and calmly, you’ll find them in the store.