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Dr. Mike Gropper explains how humor can combat psychological warfare

“Mankind has one truly powerful weapon: laughter.” – Mark Twain

Since the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on July 31 in Tehran, Israelis have been bombarded with threats and warnings of a violent response.

At the time of this writing, the threatened Iranian attack on Israel has not yet taken place (although a Houthi missile entered central Israeli airspace last week). Our enemies know us well and resort to psychological warfare, expecting its effects to harm us almost as much as bullets and missiles.

In the August 9 issue of The Jerusalem PostColumnist Yaakov Katz wrote: “Ironically, Iran's strategy of tension has caused considerable damage without a single shot being fired. Millions of Israelis live in a state of heightened fear, caught in a relentless cycle of 'will they or won't they?' that amplifies unbearable tension.” Certainly these worries about what will happen are real and frightening. It is the “not knowing” that makes people think the worst, what psychologists call “catastrophic thinking.”

Of course, we do not know what will happen or how the war will end. Nor do we know the true fate of the remaining hostages, especially after the recent tragic and cruel execution of six hostages. How many more will be murdered? How many are still alive? In what conditions are the remaining hostages living?

Hostage-taking in Tel Aviv. August 17, 2024. (Source: DANOR AHARON)

The rejection of Israel's request to allow the Red Cross to visit the hostages and see how they are being treated is another example of how Hamas, Iran's proxy, uses psychological warfare. But Hamas is a murderous terrorist organization whose goal is to sow fear in the hearts and minds of all Israelis.

Relaxation techniques in psychological warfare

IN THE PAST I have written about using relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or mindfulness, exercising, maintaining or changing routines, playing with children or grandchildren, or even having a little wine with dinner.

It is also important to limit media use to prevent vicarious traumatization; after all, the news cycle is fast and today's headlines are often inaccurate. Meeting with friends is important. Reaching out to a friend you have not been in touch with recently is also helpful for both parties. For many, prayer and Torah study are effective coping mechanisms.

Not long ago I wrote about humor as a remedy for war stress. Of course, war and the uncertainty of what the next few days will bring is no laughing matter. However, humor and things that make us smile have been proven to increase our overall well-being and promote both physical and mental health during times of crisis. Now more than ever, we need some laughter in our lives to balance out all the pain and worry we experience.

Norman Cousins ​​​​explained in his book: Anatomy of a disease (1979) why laughter is one of nature's true miracles. Many years ago, Cousins ​​was diagnosed with a terminal illness and his doctors told him he had only a short time to live. Cousins, a believer in holistic medicine, decided to do whatever he could to lift his spirits and hopefully strengthen his immune system enough to beat the illness.

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He got hold of all the humorous books and comedies he could find. After reading the books and watching the movies, his illness disappeared – lo and behold.

His doctors were astonished. To this day, many medical training programs require their students to read Cousins' book to understand the importance of our emotional states in fighting disease.

Some time later, the trend of using humor therapeutically was successfully portrayed in film Patch Adamswith the late Robin Williams in the lead role. The film is based on the true story of a doctor who decided to make medicine more human and to incorporate humor and laughter into the therapeutic care of his patients. And it works.

By helping people see the brighter side of things during difficult times, you can actually give a very valuable gift to your overall health.

Just as our physical immune system protects us from toxins in our environment, our psychological immune system protects us from the toxins created by the psychological stressors we are exposed to. While the physical immune system produces antibodies to protect us from biochemical toxins, the psychological immune system produces neurochemicals to protect us from psychological toxins.

Humor strengthens both our physical and psychological immune systems, reduces the production of stress hormones, helps fight emotional stress, and improves a person's attitude. During difficult times, humor helps maintain the psychological immune system by changing our feelings, thinking, and behavior.

Terrorist groups want to prevent Israelis from living normally and enjoying life. Fear is truly a vicious psychological weapon.

Let's fight back. Don't let fear take over. Laughter can help you cope.

We may not have control over what Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and others will do – but we can control what we expose ourselves to and what helps us feel better during these difficult days. Choosing to remain positive, hopeful and happy every day is a powerful weapon against the forces of evil. Mark Twain really said it best.

For my part, I will continue to watch Seinfeld Repetitions – they make me laugh!

The author is a cognitive behavioral psychotherapist who treats adults, children and couples in Ra'anana and his clinic in Jerusalem. [email protected]; www.facebook.com/drmikegropper



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