The Gift of Laughter: Finding Light in Recovery

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“At this juncture, his A.A. sponsor usually laughs.”

— Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 26

Before recovery, laughter can feel like a knife.

For many of us, addiction stole more than just our health and our relationships—it took our joy. The passage from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions reminds us that in the depths of addiction, even laughter can feel like an attack. When we’re drowning in self-pity, shame, and anger, the sound of someone else’s joy can feel like a direct insult.

I know that feeling.

There was a time when I didn’t laugh—not really. Maybe a hollow chuckle here and there, but nothing genuine. Back then, I was too busy numbing, running, or fighting battles that weren’t meant to be fought alone. Any laughter around me felt like it was at my expense, even if it wasn’t. I was stuck in survival mode, locked in a cycle where self-pity and anger kept me from seeing the humor in life.

By the end of my drinking, not even alcohol could force a drunken giggle out of me.

But then came recovery.

At first, it was uncomfortable. My old ways were being challenged. My ego took hit after hit. When my sponsor called me out on my self-pity, I wanted to get defensive. But over time, something shifted—I started laughing at myself. I stopped taking everything so seriously.

That’s the real lesson here: laughter is part of healing.

Recovery is serious work, no doubt. But it’s also about balance. We have to learn to let go, to laugh, to find the absurdity in the things we used to do. If we don’t, we stay stuck in the same heavy energy that kept us sick.

I think about the people who helped me along the way—the ones who cracked jokes at just the right time, who laughed with me instead of at me, who showed me that I didn’t have to be so damn hard on myself. That’s something I try to pass on to others now.

So today, I challenge you: Don’t take yourself too seriously.

• Laugh at the ridiculous moments.

• Let go of the heaviness that isn’t serving you.

• Find joy in the process, even on the hard days.

Because laughter, just like recovery, is a gift.

Your Turn:

Have you experienced moments in recovery where laughter helped you heal? Drop a comment or submit your story to FaceThyFear. You never know who might need to hear it.

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