Picture it: You’re driving down the street, minding your own business, when all of a sudden, WHAM! You’re hit by a truck, but not killed.
You survive the wreck, but not without injuries. While in a daze, you wonder how you’re going to tell your wife about your newscrewup. You feel a bit awkward explaining to her that the road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions — especially since you were on your way to the doctor’s office to get checked out. Now what? You need a way to write a sick joke to impress your friends and maybe glean a chuckle or two from your wife when she’s feeling extra kind.
If this sounds like you, then congratulations! You’re dealing with a phenomenon known as “sick humor.”
For decades, people have been employing comic relief through humor. But what exactly is sick humor?
Lending some credence to the stereotype, traditional humor can be defined as an easy or lighthearted joke. Thus, a “sick” joke is one that is meant to portray a darker side or situation.
In other words, it’s a quirk of nature that makes us want to laugh when things aren’t going well in our lives. Studies suggest that traditional humor is as effective as it is because it provides an escape from our troubles. When we laugh, it not only feels good, but it also distracts us from our problems for a little while.
Of course, there are many different kinds of sicknesses and ailments that can inspire funny anecdotes. So a good chuckle writer will have their pick of topics to expound on. Here are just some of the most notable ones:
Cancer
From the sublime to the ridiculous, you’ll find nearly all possible permutations of cancer. From “skin cancer” and “metastatic melanoma” to “gastric tumors” and “uterine cancer,” you’ll never run out of topical material to work with when it comes to this disease. Of course, you don’t need to limit yourself to using your own cancer as a source of humor. You can also draw inspiration from famous sufferers like Elizabeth Taylor and George Clooney. While they battled the disease with dignity, you can use their celebrity to create a comedy goldmine.
Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most tragic and debilitating conditions. It’s a disease that slowly saps a person’s mental faculties, leaving them unable to care for themselves. For some, it’s a temporary state. For others, like those who have suffered from the disease for many years, it’s a permanent condition. The symptoms and effects of Alzheimer’s can be comical, especially in the earlier stages. People with early-stage Alzheimer’s often have trouble remembering things. They also have great difficulty in keeping track of their physical health. These problems can lead to a lot of laughter and good jokes, especially if you’re clever enough to juxtapose these funny anecdotes with the more serious facts about Alzheimer’s.
Parkinson’s
Though it affects nearly every organ in the body, Parkinson’s Disease affects the mind in particular ways. The disease causes a person’s mental faculties to deteriorate, resulting in a variety of mental issues, including delusions, hallucinations, and depression. In terms of comedy, these symptoms can make for some pretty funny anecdotes if you can get the facts and the context right. For example, people with Parkinson’s often experience “free floating anxiety,” which is a serious psychological condition that causes a person to feel nervous and on edge, even in the absence of real danger. It’s also frequently seen in those who have suffered from the disease for a long time. So if you want to write some really sick jokes, go for it! Just remember to do your research and use your brain.
Multiple Sclerosis
Like Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis is caused by a defect in the brain. However, in multiple sclerosis, the mental defects are more severe and widespread. People with MS often suffer from problems with muscle control and coordination. The symptoms of MS can be very funny, especially when observed from the side (like when someone with MS does a cartwheel or does a dance, for example). But the best part of multiple sclerosis for humorists is that it provides a wide variety of topics to work with. You don’t need to be limited to individuals with MS, as you can include everything from brain tumors to paralysis. Plus, you can write about all of these things in the context of jokes, so it’s like getting paid to laugh.
Heart Disease
Heart disease is, by far, the number-one killer of both men and women in the U.S. Like cancer, heart disease is a disease that can inspire some very funny anecdotes. Heart disease can cause a variety of problems, from arrhythmias and heart attacks to mitral valve prolapse and aortic stenosis. When it comes to heart disease and humor, it’s all about context. For example, you can write a joke about someone who has a heart attack and dies. But if it’s a case of someone with mitral valve prolapse who finds themselves unable to walk due to a heart defect, then it becomes a completely different story and you’ve got yourself an entirely new set of jokes.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a group of diseases that affect how your body handles sugar. If you’re unfamiliar, the body does not produce insulin, which is necessary for the proper functioning of the cells in the body. If you have diabetes, you’ll need to take insulin or other medications to regulate your blood sugar levels, which can range from extremely high to low. Because of this, you’ll have to pay close attention to your blood sugar levels and keep a careful check on how you’re doing. This disease can also lend itself to some very funny anecdotes. For example, you can write about individuals with diabetes who experience issues with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which is a condition that can cause lightheadedness, anxiety, and irritability. Because of this, you should always carry some sugar with you wherever you go. It’s the “solution” for everything!
Arthritis
Arthritis is an inflammation or injury of the joints. Like heart disease, arthritis can cause a variety of problems, from mild to severe depending on the type and which joints are involved. Individuals with arthritis may experience extreme pain and stiffness, particularly in the morning, which can make getting out of bed difficult. This is why it’s best to write about arthritis during the day, when the pain is at its worst, or at least kept at bay by medication. During these times, you’ll find individuals with arthritis much more bearable and easier to relate to. Just remember: the pain can interfere with your ability to perform everyday tasks, so it’s important that you find a way to keep your mind active during these times. Aside from simply keeping your pain at bay, you should also look into the possibility of medication and therapy to help you function more comfortably.
HIV/AIDS
Many people are not aware that HIV/AIDS stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. In 2016, there were an estimated 650,000 new cases of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Although people with HIV/AIDS can live happy and normal lives, the disease continues to be a serious issue. Because of this, it’s essential that you pay close attention to what is said and how it is said, especially when writing about HIV/AIDS. While many people with HIV/AIDS are happy to be referred to as “the plague,” you must keep in mind that certain words and phrases can be offensive. For example, people with HIV/AIDS cannot “catch” AIDS, and the disease cannot be cured. So when using either of these phrases, you could end up in serious legal trouble.
Other
Other diseases that can inspire funny anecdotes include: