When the news broke of the tragic passing of beloved comedy actor Matthew Perry, the inevitable tributes didn’t focus solely on his comedic talents – his struggles with addiction and mental health also featured prominently, something the man himself would undoubtedly approve of.
Perry wasn’t unique in this. Many comedy icons, Robin Williams and Spike Milligan to name two, are well known for their mental health struggles.
Such talents seem to support the established ‘tears of a clown’ cliché, a concept best illustrated by the old punchline delivered when a depressed patient goes to see a doctor. The concerned physician advises them to see the famous clown Pagliacci to lighten their spirits, only for the patient to reply, “But Doctor, I am Pagliacci".
But why would people so adept at making others laugh be prone to struggle with their own happiness? The workings of the human brain offer some surprisingly logical explanations.
Humans instinctively need to ‘belong’
Humans are extremely social creatures. Our brains experience pleasure when others approve of us, and pain if we’re rejected socially. And low social status is reliably linked to mental health issues, like depression and anxiety.
As establishing cause and effect can be tricky, it’s hard to argue that those with poorer mental health often struggle to gain the approval of others. But one factor fundamentally intertwined with human interaction and acceptance is humour. Making others laugh is a reliable, efficient way to get people to like you.
Logically, this could mean that, to gain acceptance, those with mental health issues are more predisposed to resort to – and become adept at – humour.
A great deal of comedy is derived from observing, and commenting on, the more illogical aspects of human culture and behaviour. Most people are less likely to notice these things, though, because if everyone around you agrees something is normal, our brains tend to just accept it.
It’s those who have an ‘outside’ perspective who’ll have a greater ability to look at something countless people do, and say, “That’s actually funny, and here’s why”.
Read more:
- 7 simple, science-backed ways to better your mental health
- What are the most successful therapies for depression?
- Why does depression make you dream more?
This means it’s the misfits and oddballs – those who have different ways of thinking and behaving, and who aren’t readily accepted by the average person – who’ll logically be more likely to achieve this perspective. If you’ve spent any time at all in the world of comedy, you’ll know such people are very well represented. When you’ve got a group of people with outsider tendencies, it’d be more shocking if mental health issues weren’t common among them.
Poorer mental health, better creativity?
It’s not just the ‘tears of clown’ cliché. There’s also the ‘tortured artist’, a very talented creative type plagued with inner torment and ‘demons'. Vincent van Gogh would be the go-to example, but many prominent artists could have this label fairly applied, from Edvard Munch to Jackson Pollack to Kurt Cobain.
While there are many factors that contribute to someone becoming a 'tortured artist', research suggests that mood disorders and creativity are fundamentally linked.
Why? Perhaps the internal disruption that upsets mood and emotion in the brain extends mechanisms that regulate creative output? Maybe the intense and atypical emotions wrought by a mental health issue compel the individual to find some way to express them by any means necessary? After all, communicating emotions is something our brains are wired to do.
Not every individual who struggles with mental health is a socially awkward introvert. Many can, and do, enthusiastically engage with others. And if you combine that trait with creativity and an ‘alternative’ perspective, you’ve got the fundamentals of a great comedian.
Perhaps most important of all, if you struggle with mental health issues, comedy and humour can help make you feel better. While it may strike the average person as a nightmare scenario, if you’re already feeling shunned and rejected by others, performing comedy in front of an audience can mean you feel appreciated, accepted, and even in control.
These are all things our brains respond positively to, which are hard to come by when enduring mental health problems. You can see how this could prove intoxicating, for those who find the acceptance of others hard to come by.
Unfortunately, unlike ‘normal’ interpersonal relationships, the positive connection between comic and their audience is both transactional and transient – they’d need to keep performing, to maintain it.
And this ‘self-medication’ can manifest in darker ways. After all, the comedy world is often one of late nights in bars and clubs, among others who dwell in similar headspaces. The exposure to drink and drugs is pretty much unavoidable, which explains why so many prominent comedians have grappled with such things.
This doesn’t mean that all comedy performers are social outcasts constantly battling mental health issues. You can be a successful comic without any of these things. But the comedy world is more accepting of such people than most. Indeed, you could say it rewards them.
As a result, you logically would expect to see more clowns who are crying on the inside.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues you can get help by visiting the NHS website or calling 111. Don't struggle alone.
Read more:
