Rx: Humor

Laugh Your Way Through The Chaos

The third rule of chronic illness is:

If you can't laugh at yourself, you better at least pretend you're filming a blooper reel, because otherwise it's just you crying in a pharmacy parking lot eating Smarties.

There’s no user manual for living with a chronic illness. If there were, it’d probably be written on the back of a napkin, half-covered in coffee stains, with a tiny disclaimer that says: “Side effects may include swearing, misplacing your keys, and finding raisins in random places.”

Chronic illness isn’t about waiting to die. It’s about surviving each day and doing it in a way that’s actually yours.

Whether you’re dealing with ADHD, Type 1 Diabetes, Parkinson’s, or any other chronic condition — the real battle isn’t the body. It’s the story.

At first, you think you’ll fight it with willpower, doctors' visits, and organizing your life with a color-coded schedule. But here’s the truth: You’re not fighting the illness. You’re fighting for the right to tell your own damn story.

And humor? That’s your weapon.

I have ADHD. Which means my brain is a thousand browser tabs open, half of them frozen, three playing music I can’t find, and one buying a used kayak at 3am.

I also have Type 1 Diabetes. That means I run a 24/7 pancreas startup out of my bloodstream. The employee of the month? A juice box. Again.

And you know what? It’s hilarious.

It’s hilarious if you make it be.

Here’s the survival trick: Laugh first, and you own the story.

You laugh at yourself, before anyone else gets to. You laugh before the pity, before the diagnosis, before the “poor you” looks.

Self-deprecating humor isn’t giving up. It’s taking control.

When my blood sugar crashes mid-conversation and I start saying things like, “Sorry, my brain is on a nap. It’ll come back soon, I hope,” I laugh. Not because it’s fun. But because it keeps me in charge.

When my ADHD sends me into a five-hour search for something I don’t even need, instead of spiraling, I laugh.

People sometimes call it "bravery" when you laugh through chronic illness. But honestly? I’m just tired. Tired of fighting with the disease. Tired of people assuming I need saving. Tired of explaining the same thing for the 100th time. I don’t need bravery. I need sarcasm, and a nap, and a snack that doesn’t involve blood sugar spikes.

Chronic illness isn’t about being perfect. It’s about staying in the boat. It’s about getting through today without letting it break you.

And humor? That’s the paddle. It’s how you steer, even when the current’s rough.

Science Break: For the Nerds and the Skeptics

If you’re the type who needs some proof beyond my jokes, scroll down for the science. If not, you’ve reached the end. Thanks for reading — and don’t forget your snack.

1. Laughter Reduces Cortisol: A 2009 study found that laughter reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, which helps with blood sugar control and immune function. Source: PubMed - Cortisol Reduction by Humor

2. Pain Tolerance and Humor: Humor increases pain tolerance, as shown by multiple studies, which is especially useful when your disease decides to throw you a curveball. Source: National Institutes of Health - Humor and Pain Tolerance

3. Cognitive Flexibility in ADHD: Researchers found that humor helps with cognitive flexibility, which is crucial for ADHD patients to stay adaptive. Source: PubMed - Cognitive Flexibility and Humor in ADHD

4. Self-Deprecating Humor for Resilience: Self-deprecating humor is linked to better emotional resilience, especially for people managing chronic diseases. Source: National Institutes of Health - Humor and Emotional Resilience

5. Humor and T1D: Positive emotional coping (like humor) is associated with better long-term health outcomes in T1D patients. Source: PubMed - Emotional Coping and T1D

That’s it. Laugh through the fight. Steer your own canoe. And remember, humor is the prescription you can take all day, every day.