Friday, October 19, 2007

If Laughter is the Best Medicine, Does That Make Satire an Enema?

© UnknownFollowing a tradition I began last week, Fridays will now feature links to outside content. That either makes me a sharing boy, as my mother would say, or incredibly lazy. You decide.

Today I'd like to point you to a few links that tickled my funny bone. The first was shared with me by Dr. Bonkers from the Bonkers Institute for Nearly Genuine Research. What an honor it was to receive email from such a prestigious individual. Although some might say he is certifiably insane, I can only vouch that he is certifiably funny. Be sure you have not taken a drink of anything when you peruse over such gems as Schizophrenia Treatment in Seven Easy Steps. Unless it's a drink of Windex, you'll be scrubbing at your monitor. (For this plug I hope to receive a free certificate, helping me beat my brother to be the first Dr. Cootey)

If you believe that medications are a gift from God and that the only hope you have lies within the cryptic scrawlings of your shrink's signature on your latest prescription, you may not find the Institutes work humorous. Also, if you take yourself too seriously. Or if you belong to the Defend Cho Seung-Hui Fan Club (Read the comments. Oh, I just know I'm going to take heat for this one, just like I did when I poked fun of Double Depression. Guys, remember. I cope with humor. It's my shtick.)

The other link I found was from that great cultural pillar of satire, The Onion. Titled simply, FDA Approves Sale Of Prescription Placebo, I thought it was a perfect companion to my article the other day on Placebo Therapy. Although many articles in The Onion are simply silly or in poor taste, I think they got it right with this one.

Lastly, just in case you believe I don't take this subject matter seriously, I want to share with you, hot off the presses, this juicy tidbit: Depression Not Good For Your Health. I used to be depressed and sick all the time. Violently ill for days. I caught everything. Then I learned to manage my Depression with will power, cheek, humor, and attitude. Now I'm not down for the count anymore. Coincidence? You be the judge.

Have a great weekend.





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