Genuine question: what would you prefer people around you do when you have a Pseudobulbar affect episode (is that what they're called?)? What's the best way someone could react in your opinion?
Yeah i call them PA episodes. Idrk if theres an actual term for it but it's what i call them
They aren't visible online because they're a physical expression of incorrect or disproportionate emotion
If you see someone randomly laughing or sobbing, just wait it out. Don't try and laugh along or point it out too much
Remember that this IS NOT VOLUNTARY. Someone might be laughing hysterically but they are terrified. Someone might be sobbing but they feel really happy. Sometimes you just sob but you don't actually feel a damn thing but you're stuck there sobbing as if the world is ending until your brain and body get a grip
It can also be that someone reacts disproportionately to a stimulus, e.g. seeing something mildly funny online but laughing uncontrollably for an entire minute. Don't make fun of them
Make sure they're physically safe of course. Most episodes only last a few seconds or a minute or so but they can still be exhausting so it's nice to have a glass of water if i've just spent 40 seconds crying
If you're with the person/know them, you can explain to strangers who are probably staring that it's none of their fucking business and to piss off. Or that the person is okay, they just need a minute, if you want to be more diplomatic
If you're a stranger, generally leave them alone unless you're genuinely concerned for their safety, and if they tell you they're fine, believe them
Don't assume just because we're laughing or crying that we actually feel happy or sad
Don't assume just because we are displaying genuine emotion that it's actually PA and not real emotion. We can still get genuinely upset or find things genuinely funny
PA is literally just an outward laugh or cry or anger. I cannot stress this enough. PA is a disproportionate or random or inappropriate outburst of laughter or crying or anger. It is not linked to mood, and if it is, it's disproportionate and not a reflection of how the person actually feels
It's also really embarassing so please don't make jokes unless the person says it's okay
Pseudobulbar affect (PBA), or emotional incontinence, is a type of affect disorder connected to neurological conditions. It is characterized by brief, intense, uncontrollable episodes of crying or laughing. The affect is triggered by emotionally trivial or neutral stimuli that are not necessarily related to the emotional state.
out of curiousity- as someone who tends to giggle / laugh in stressful situations (ex. being grabbed, getting yelled at)- whats the science behind that? I find it frustrating sometimes cus then ppl never take me seriously- (apologies for a tiny rant here but like for example once my mom got hurt it was nothing life threatening she just banged her toe and i started giggling and couldnt really stop it and she got mad and thought i didnt care coughs)
also this blog is SO COOL like what?? also you seem super smart and pls remember me when you become some famous person hehe
Okay first of all, thank you !! And i will absolutely remember you >:D
second of all, this is actually very common especially in people who have suffered trauma or use humor to cope with intense emotions! (even i do this actually lmao)
so! Without further ado,
Why do Some People Laugh at Bad Times?
Summary: the science behind laughing, why laughter is triggered instead of a “normal” response, and ways to help it
Laughing when you’re expected to respond differently is actually extremely common, especially when the brain is trying to process something it doesn’t really know how to.
This is a phenomenon known as incongruent laughter (also known as inappropriate laughter but I don’t really like using that term since it’s unnecessarily harsh) and it’s essentially where instead of reacting in a way that other people would accept as a “normal” you laugh instead.
Before delving into that though, how does laughter even work?
Well, the short answer is that when you laugh it releases happy chemicals.
The long answer is that by laughing, your body releases endorphins (one of the feel good chemicals) which in turns causes a decrease in stress, lower heart rate, and lower blood pressure. In fact, according to a study conducted in 2017, laughter can even release natural opioids (painkillers) that can increase your pain tolerance.
It’s also been found that laughter isn’t even usually triggered by actual jokes or humor, but moreso triggered by socializing, which would explain why you find this specifically to be an issue around other people. This study talks more about social interactions and how they trigger laughter if you’re interested !
Now, onto what you’re here for, the simple answer is that you laugh on instinct so your brain can release those chemicals that lower stress.
The most common causes of incongruent laughter are:
-Anxiety (for example making a joke to cope with/deflect how you feel)
-PTSD/trauma
-Psychosis
-Apathy
It sounds like for you specifically, anxiety is the most likely cause here, but you know yourself best.
Incongruent laughter can also be a symptom of pseudobulbar affect, which is a neurological condition where you experience uncontrollable fits of laughter, and you can read more on it here !
In terms of treatment, a lot of people who find incongruent laughter to be disruptive and unpleasant may seek out therapy to deal with the core issue (anxiety, PTSD, psychosis, apathy, etc.) but also you don’t really HAVE to treat it if you don’t want to. You’re just “the giggle at a funeral” as Hozier would say.
I hope this helps! If you need clarification on anything feel free to let me know !
Is it just me or does Tyrian have PBA (pseudobulbar affect). It involves pathological bouts of laughter and/or crying, especially in stressful situations.
He often bursts out laughing when experiencing distress, such as when he disappointed Salem (dissolving into maniacal laughter while taking his self-anger out on a Grimm) and when he dislocated his thumb to escape cuffs (laughing in response to pain instead of crying out). This also happens during some of his more difficult battles (Tyrian vs Qrow, Robin, and Clover).
So I know it's been said that teachers use the heads up 7up game at the beginning of the year to find the cheaters of the class.
At my school, there was another game that usually happened around the same time of year as the heads up 7up game. I think it was called the laughing game.
How it worked was kids faced off in pairs and would try to make each other laugh. Those who failed to keep from laughing would lose the game, and the next student in line would face the winner.
Teachers had us played this almost as much as the heads up 7up game.
A common comorbid with autism is pseudobulbar affect, which is uncontrollable crying or laughing.
This means I had no chance to have any success in that game, and all my classmates were aware of how little I could control my laughter, which they used against me all the time.
I don't know what purpose that game served, but for me, it only served to facilitate more cruelty.
No wayyyyyy I can't believe you have pseudobulba too! And you like My Hero Academia! I don't mean to be rude but I'm happy there's someone in the same boat as me ❣❣❣❣❣
I saw you have fits too. Don't they suck? If I start laughing too hard I can't stop and I can't breathe and it's happened in public and the looks I got ☠
Sorry. I'm super excited I found you. I don't know if you take requests but if you do please can you do headcanons for Kaminari reacting to finding out his crush has PBA?
Thank you and stay safe 💙💚💛💜
Oh what, no way! Hello to you too! And I’m sorry to hear that about the fits. I don’t think I’ve had a public one yet so I’m sorry you’ve had to go through that.
And absolutely. Of course! I haven’t written for Kaminari in aaaaaages so this was good fun.
Okay, just a bit of information for anyone not in the know before we get started: Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA) sufferers can’t regulate their emotional responses. They cry and laugh easily or without triggers and at inappropriate times. It doesn’t necessarily reflect how they actually feel. PBA sufferers are used to hearing the phrases “ugh, why are you crying again?” / “it wasn’t that funny” / “look how red your face has gone!” They can suffer fits of uncontrollable maniacal laughter or tears that last from a few minutes up to a few hours. It’s incurable, embarrassing, unpredictable and mostly uncontrollable.
Kaminari reacting to finding out his crush has PBA!
At first he thinks nothing of you laughing at everything he says in class. He knows he’s hilarious. He’s glad you think so too.
Actually, it’s the fact you always laugh at his jokes that really makes him take notice of you.
But over time, he starts feeling uneasy. It’s not just his jokes… you laugh with everyone.
He starts to wonder if he imagined your interest in him from how much you’re flirting with everyone – tittering at the slightest thing, pressing your knuckles to your lips in amusement.
He has all these feelings and doesn’t know what to do with them.
He distances himself, realising he might have fabricated the delusion that you like him.
A few days later, he hears you laughing as you knock on his bedroom door in Height’s Alliance. When he opens it, he finds you wheezing and laughing with tears streaming down your face.
He has no idea what’s going on. At first he thinks you might be mocking him but when you clutch your chest and say through gasped breaths that you need help, he realises something’s wrong.
“What can I do?” he asks.
You tell him you need to sit down, that you don’t want to be on your own. You tell him to hold you upright and to remind you to keep breathing.
Alarm is his first reaction but he takes you over to his bed, sits you down then when you crease over laughing in a maniacal way, he remembers your request and pulls you up, wrapping an arm around your shoulders to keep you in place.
Tears continue streaming down your face but you’re laughing like something possessed.
What the heck is going on?
You start gasping like you can’t catch your breath. In-in-in. But you keep laughing.
He holds you tighter. He’s right beside you, hip to hip, his arm pulling you into his side.
“Breathe. Come on. Deep breaths. In. Out.”
He takes slow, deliberate breaths and asks you to mimic him. You start to respond. You’re shaky and it takes a few attempts but you copy him. You snigger and splutter, your chest spasming as you hold down your laughter.
Trying to lighten the mood, he grins.
“Come on, even I know I’m not that funny.”
You chuckle in response, which quickly launches into an entirely new round of maniacal laughter.
“Please,” you beg through wheezes. “Please don’t make me laugh.”
He apologises.
Some twenty minutes later, which seems like an eternity to both you and Kaminari, your laughter starts to shift into tears.
It alarms Kaminari much more than the laughter ever could.
He asks if he did something to upset you but you tell him, tears pouring down your face as you wail, that it’s okay. It’s a good thing. You’re not actually sad. It means the fit is nearly over.
All the same, you ask him to hug you. You beg him, like you expect him to refuse.
He is more than lost by this point, but if you want him to hug you then he will hug you. He’ll shift on the bed then pull you into him, wrapping both arms around you so you’re firm against his body.
And his breath will catch when you wrap your arms around him, burying your face into the side of his neck as you wail.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” He asks, feeling his gut wrenching as your tears pool onto his shoulder. He hates seeing you this way.
But you tell him over and over that you’re fine. That it will be over soon.
Unsure of what else he can do, he strokes the back of your hair in what he hopes is a soothing manner. Though your sobbing gets louder, he hears you say thank you.
And then, finally, eventually, you stop. You leave your face pressed into the side of his neck. You take long, slow breaths. You sniff. You sigh. Then you pull back.
Your eyes are puffy. The tears are still dribbling off your chin but you crack a smile.
“I’m sorry, Kaminari. Thank you.”
You explain that you suffer from PBA, then explain what PBA is when he looks completely bewildered.
Finally, everything makes sense.
Kaminari feels like an ass for assuming you were flirting with everyone by laughing all the time.
He also feels shot down, realising he really did imagine you liking him when you kept laughing at his jokes.
Wanting to clear the air, he explains his mistake but tells you that if you ever have another fit, you can come and find him, wherever he is, and he will ease you through it again. Even if it takes hours, he is absolutely happy to sit with you so you don’t have to be alone.
Then his heart nearly bursts when you tell him that he didn’t just imagine you liking him. You really do, and the fact he didn’t put you down or make fun about your fit only solidifies how much you like him.
You hold his hand and smile, then cough and chuckle awkwardly, telling him that your ribs feel sore.
He asks if you’re okay, squeezing your hand.
You tell him it’s common for you to strain your chest during a fit and that it hurts a little to breathe now, so he asks if you want to stay in his room a while longer.
He beams when you say yes please.
So he settles at the top of his bed, resting against the headboard as you nestle into his side. But before he has chance to say much of anything, he notices you falling asleep. Guess it took a lot out of you.
He strokes your hair to soothe you, basking in the glow of knowing you came to him before anyone else when you were in trouble.
Well, you might not find him as funny as he first thought you did, but he much prefers the thought of you relying on him anyway.
He smiles, hearing you drift off to sleep while you’re tucked up against him, then leans his head back and settles into place for the night. The stiffness he’ll feel tomorrow is absolutely worth it so long as he can stay by your side right now.
I'm honestly really thankful for the movie Joker introducing the concept of psuedobulbar affect to a wide audience, even if it's tied to a villain. The very concept is hard for some people to grasp, having both never heard of or seen it in person.
For those who don't know, pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is "a condition that's characterized by episodes of sudden uncontrollable and inappropriate laughing or crying."
With the top movie being obvious, the second best didn’t start out that way. But actually shocked and surprised almost everyone in its path.
Todd Phillips makes his best movie since the first Hangover by giving a realistic take on Batman’s biggest threat.
1981, Gotham Clown for hire and aspiring comedian Arthur Fleck is trying to keep his life in control thanks to caring for his mother and his disorder that makes him laugh at almost any time without warning.
When a series of events cause him to begin a downhill spiral, he begins to embrace his mental issues into fuel for a revolution against those who’ve held them down for so long.
Joaquin Phoenix owns everything here with the best portrayal of Joker since Heath 11 years earlier.
Even the support is rich with standouts Zazie Beets and Deniro as the talk show host who would inadvertently set everything in motion.
It may not be part of any connection to any movie universe, but while Marvel shines with its MCU, DC can shine doing more solo based connections with a single focus.
And seeing the Joker be born so realistically is one of those moments.
Especially the bathroom scene.
Sum 22: He started a Joke, as The infamous villain comes to life so vividly real. Stair dance and all.
