Is laughing a stim?

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I've noticed that laughing (for NT's anyway) is an involuntary physical action often invoked by a particular stimulus (in this case, humor). Is it possible that laughing is, in fact, a form of stimming (one that is so common among NT's that it isn't even recognized as such)?

PS: I'm about 95% sure that someone else has hit on this idea before, so I apologize in advance. If that is in fact the case, can someone link to a thread about it?

hi toad

where do you want to take this - need a serious respons
or are you hoping to initiate satirics;
i think i might swing either way - if i dare leave this fence

i like the train of thought though

ok

however you want to take it:
(and is laughter only a response to any humouristic stimulus?)

laughter is generally considered release of tension
(if you will: created - built up by humorous stimulation)

would that fit a steely shoe?

btw:
as stimming would be short for "auto-stimulating",
only expressed involuntary laughter at any&only
self-directed humour (ergo auto-irony) would qualify
for a suitable research stimulus

i wish you luck

They say that laughing is a good medicine.

It ward off diabetes and balanced blood sugar but I am not sure if research are correct.

That's actually not true. I found a really good article on laughter somewhere on the web, but I don't know where it is now. Anyway, it explains that most laughter occurs in response to things that aren't really funny and during less-than-humorous conversation. In fact, most of the laughter is done by the speaker. It seems that laughter is mostly used as a sign of social acceptance, with the roaring guffaw reserved for well-received jokes. Note also that humor does not always invoke laughter, and laughter can be used quite voluntarily to create a certain mood.

Nervous reaction? I've wondered this.

I giggle when I'm really nervous...it can be annoying as heck...but I can't help it.

Oh gods has this predilection gotten me in serious trouble, more than once. Yes, in certain very awkward situations, I've involuntarily laughed, very inappropriately.

For example, years ago I had a co-worker friend who spent a lot of time fretting and stressing about trying to attract the romantic attentions of another co-worker of ours. And I found myself in that all too familiar position of being her confidant. There was a time when she was going on about how she did this blah blah blah, and he didn't react blah blah blah... And I was listening, sympathetically, as always; but I suddenly found myself at such a complete loss as to what I was supposed to tell her, felt so much of her frustrated pain over the situation, felt the sting of awkwardness with the situation, that I just started laughing - out loud.

And it seemed like a very real laugh, like I might have been laughing at her, at her situation, her pain. And the look she got on her face when I did that still haunts me today. Our friendship kind of disappeared after that.

I'm not stupid; but I behave stupidly sometimes, despite myself.

Good fortune,

- Icarus laughs at funerals...

True, but any of us can stim voluntarily as well, we just don't do it... Most people don't laugh voluntarily either unless, like you said, they're trying to create a certain mood. After all, if I voluntarily laughed at a funeral, people would probably shoot me...

I laugh when I think of things I like. They don't even have to be funny in the traditional sense. When I see my cats doing funny things, I laugh.

I don't get along well with someone who has no sense of humor. I relate best to people who know when something is funny, aren't afraid of humor and can laugh at themselves.

I try not to be too serious. I can find something funny in almost anything.

Humor adds years to your life and helps your overall mental health.

It is used to deal with the hard times as well as the light times.

I've laughed at a sacred poetry reading and a funeral. If I get a certain thought in my head, that's it.

When I was younger, it was awful. I'd laugh at all the wrong times.

I simply love to laugh. Everyone from my family has an excellent sense of humor.

equinn