'Laughter is the best medicine': 21 Laughs That Will Guide You On Your Inner Journey to a Happy Brain This Weekend (October 9, 2026)

Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor

Oct 11, 2026 2:00 PM EDT

What do therapists think of memes?

Laughter is the best medicine, emotionally. We all know that; it's a saying that goes back, with some even saying a version of it can be found in the bible. Laughing isn't going to cure cancer, but having a stress-positive attitude has proven to help. Being joyful and laughing helps encourage the production of natural chemicals in the body that help you with whatever you are trying to cure. So, why wouldn't memes be a helpful medical tool in that sense? Even therapists can see benefits in the use of memes! It's a fine balance, because you don't want to get stuck in the unhealthy doomscroll of it all, but encouraging LOLs is healthy.

Some therapists have said memes are an important "social currency," and that is important for human connection. Loneliness can very much so cause your body and mental health to deteriorate. It's a very serious concern for many humans out there in the world. Memes are a perfect way to seek a light connection with someone, whether you know them in real life or not. It encourages conversation and feeling seen. As someone who is constantly online and scrolling through memes, I can almost guarantee you that whatever low you are feeling, there is a meme already out there on the web about it. You might be sitting in your dark room all alone with tears in your eyes, thinking no one else in the world could possibly feel the way you do right now. And the BAM, your algorithm algos, and there comes along a meme with your EXACT sentiments. Now, you don't feel so alone, because this meme is proof that you are most definitely NOT alone in your plights.

A road to happiness and better mental health starts with laughter. Then It usually leads to a therapist. Why not combine the two? I know my therapist appreciates a meme about my current state of mind…

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via imovercrying
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via brokenpoet_21
One of the first times I shared a meme with my therapist, I was a little nervous. I sent it and then felt kind of silly. She is, after all, a medical professional I pay to help me improve my mental health; not a bestie in the group chat who will say, “exactly!” to whatever I send them. Luckily, my therapist is a good one. She took me five years to find, but once I did, I've stuck with her ever since. It's important for me, during my mental health journey, to talk to someone who gets my sense of humor. Getting a LOL in response to the meme I sent was exactly what I needed. Was she also psychoanalyzing me about it and relating it to all the lore I've spilled during our sessions? Yes, definitely. But at least I can trust her to use it for my best interest and not for evil! Having sent a vulnerable meme to a crush and then they use it against you; now that is using memes for evil.
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via imovercrying
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via brokenpoet_21
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via 4ngelfru1tcake
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via @seattleiminyou
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via wtfvideos
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via looneytwones
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via @mistererickson
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via leaestheticvibe
I could truly scroll through delulu memes all day. In fact, I do; it is my job. I am a professional meme scroller. So I am well-educated in the art form of memes. It's an important one in today's society too! Some of us would never open up about our deepest feelings if it weren't for memes. These silly little internet humor images and videos are more than just LOLs and giggles. They provide a lighthearted way to express yourself. You don't need to overthink it and get scared to share who you are, because it truly is not all that serious. Life should never be taken so seriously all the time. You must embrace any moment where you can have joy and laughter, even if it's just for a few seconds.
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via justgirlstherapy
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via thatgirlrise
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via iohlongjohnson
I feel lucky that I am able to laugh at myself, and I have a therapist who can laugh with me (not at me!). I have truly learned a lot about myself through memes and have grown from it. Plus, you always know who to reach out to and check in on when they start overflowing the bestie group chat with memes. That tends to be me, and I'm truly blessed to have friends who know that and always have my back. Even when I'm joking about my own demise constantly.
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via leaestheticvibe