In a remarkable blend of performance art and therapy, a pioneering program led by a Canadian counselor and stand-up comic is showing the world how humor can change lives for people with mental health challenges. The Stand Up For Mental Health™ (SMH) initiative, founded by a counselor and comedian with lived experience of bipolar disorder, teaches stand-up comedy skills to individuals living with mental health issues, equipping them with newfound confidence and resilience through the healing power of laughter (Psychology Today).
The relevance of this approach resonates in Thailand, where mental health struggles are gaining more open public discussion but stigma and access barriers remain persistent. As the country continues to grapple with rising stress, depression, and anxiety rates—especially among the young and urban populations—innovative outreach and peer-led empowerment models provide timely lessons for the Thai context.
The SMH program, already recognized by mental health organizations across the world for its impact, operates using a simple yet powerful methodology: participants join virtual classes, learn joke-writing and comedic performance skills, and eventually take to the stage in front of a live audience. Far from trivializing mental illness, the program helps comics and their audiences explore the realities of living with conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia—dispelling myths, fighting stigma, and shining a light on recovery stories often left untold.
A classic example highlighted by the program’s founder involves a participant who, after being diagnosed with schizophrenia and spending months in psychiatric care, found a sense of purpose and motivation by joining the comedy workshops. Over the next several years, not only did this individual perform hundreds of shows, but also began leading public education and outreach efforts, using humor as a tool to humanize mental illness and share hope (Psychology Today).
The concept of “laughter as medicine” is supported by a growing body of global research. Studies have shown that laughter therapy—which can range from watching funny videos to participating in interactive humor workshops—helps reduce depression, anxiety, and stress, while also fostering social connection (PubMed). In the UK, the National Health Service has gone so far as to prescribe comedy shows or workshops as a prescription for depression, a move that reflects the increasing acceptance of holistic approaches within mainstream health systems. Even if direct evidence for measurable symptom reduction varies, most experts agree that humor can play a key role in promoting overall well-being and recovery.
What sets initiatives like SMH apart is the focus on participant-led storytelling. Rather than being passive recipients of care, individuals are empowered to create and share their personal narratives through comedy, reframing mental health challenges as sources of resilience rather than shame. According to the counselor-comedian at the heart of SMH, “Our comedy puts a human face to the issue of mental health. Our audiences see people on stage who are funny, likable, and intelligent. And we’re not making light of a serious issue; we’re telling our recovery stories through comedy, which is a completely different thing.”
For Thailand, where mental health care coverage and social acceptance for seeking help can be uneven, the SMH experience offers important insights. Comedy and play have deep roots in traditional Thai culture, from temple festivals to slapstick dramatics in Likay and comedic TV skits. Harnessing such cultural assets for supportive, stigma-busting programs could strengthen Thailand’s mental health support ecosystem—especially for young people and families seeking alternatives to conventional talk therapy or medicalized care.
One of Bangkok’s top psychiatrists from a leading mental health hospital notes that humor therapy, while not a replacement for clinical treatments, can augment recovery, especially when it fosters social inclusion and combats isolation. “Incorporating humor into group or community-based mental health programs can reduce stigma and help participants regain a sense of agency in their recovery,” the psychiatrist explains.
While some critics argue that joking about mental illness risks trivializing deeply personal suffering, proponents counter that responsible, peer-led comedic storytelling instead reclaims the narrative from a place of strength. As the founder of SMH puts it, “Joking about mental health is one of the most life-affirming ways of dealing with what is an incredibly painful condition. If we weren’t able to joke about it at all, we’d really have problems.”
Looking ahead, the cross-cultural spread of humor-as-therapy models is likely to accelerate. The continued popularity of online comedy, improvisation workshops, and stand-up storytelling—especially in the wake of the pandemic’s social isolation—reflects a global hunger for connection, belonging, and open discussion of mental health. In Thailand, where digital platforms like YouTube and TikTok already play a growing role in mental health self-help, future initiatives could blend digital outreach with community comedy workshops, reducing isolation for vulnerable groups such as university students, LGBTQ+ youth, and people with chronic conditions.
To those interested in incorporating humor into their own wellness routines, experts recommend small steps: watch a short comedy clip daily; attend a live comedy show when possible; try joke-writing as a journaling exercise; or join a humor club or workshop. Even simply sharing funny stories among friends and family can create moments of relief and connection that buffer against stress.
In summary, the SMH experience powerfully demonstrates that combining creativity and comedy with mental health support can unlock healing potential in ways traditional therapies sometimes miss. By celebrating vulnerability and laughter together, participants and audiences alike rediscover the joy and resilience that humor brings—and offer a compelling example for mental health reformers everywhere, including those in Thailand.
Interested readers can learn more about the healing power of humor and mental health initiatives at Psychology Today and explore local groups or online resources to begin their own laughter-led journey.