'Laughter is the best medicine': 33 Laughs That Will Guide You On Your Inner Journey to a Happy Brain This Weekend (November 6, 2026)

Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor

Nov 6, 2026 7:45 AM EST

What happens when you pause your menty b to scroll through memes? Contrary to popular belief, it can actually be a huge help for your mental health! That's right, that meme you just forwarded to your bestie because it made your smirk and think, "omg that is so us," maybe have just changed your brain chemistry, in a good way.

We are not talking about the Sisyphus-esque trend of doomscrolling. That is a vice too hard to control, because there is no end. Your "for you" page was designed to keep you on there for as long as possible. However, that isn't the memes' fault. These silly little images on the internet with witty remarks scrolled across them are actually helpful, if you know how to use them. I've said this many times before, but it's worth pushing as much as possible: These finite lists of memes are important! They give you that quick hit of dopamine that you seek when you start to scroll, but then it ends. You get what you came for, and then you must go and continue on with your life. It's all about balance, bestie!

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via imovercrying
As a professional meme gatherer, like a woodsman gathering berries, I know firsthand the positive effects that memes can provide. They give you happiness even in your darkest moments. Then there are some that just make you feel less alone, like, “Oh, someone else feels this same way, and they even made me laugh about it!” And, of course, there is the element of dissociation, which is sometimes needed to give your brain a little break.
Psychologists have tested this and, though the reputation of doomscrolling makes everyone think memes are bad, they proved the opposite.
The internet is full of dark and scary places that could do negative things to someone on their inner healing path. However, if you find a relatable listicle *cough*like this one*cough* and have a quick scroll, it might actually do wonders for your journey. Just a quick pick-me-up, a mental protein snack, to keep you going and growing.
“Most psychiatrically vulnerable individuals report positive experiences when engaging with such memes. More specifically, they are perceived to facilitate a humorous take on a negative experience and situation, and the perception of peer-support through social bonds with others experiencing similar symptoms,” say psychologists Umair Akram and Jennifer Drabble after studying the effects of dark-humored memes on those struggling with their mental health.
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So, if you are feeling out of control or especially down, well, we hope you will reach out to your therapist first and foremost. However, if you can't reach them right away, a little brain break can do wonders. That's the power of memes! Don't get wrapped up in the scary news headlines, and don't start comparing yourself to your friends and influencers on social media. Just allow yourself to feel joy and laughter in LOLs through a quick and finite scroll of curated memes. Have memes helped you? If you are on this site, they most likely already have, and we are happy to provide you with as much help, aka memes, as we can! But remember, everybody's therapy journey is different, and not everybody heals the same way. We are humans, and emotions are not linear, so one day you might feel progress and the next you feel worse than before. But nothing is forever, and you deserve to LOL.
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