Suddenly Feel Like Laughing At the Worst Possible Moment? Here’s Why!

Everybody needs a good laugh once in a while. However, it can sometimes come at the most unfortunate times to the embarrassment of you and those around you. Let’s take a look at why you suddenly feel like laughing at the worst possible moment.

Neurodevelopment delay

Scientifically speaking, a neurodevelopment delay such as OCD is the most likely reason people laugh at the wrong moments. Cognitively, they haven’t developed the right response to emotional events. While others might be taking a situation with utmost seriousness, the person simply doesn’t realize this. It may or may not be their fault. But ultimately, laughter ensues when it really should be a moment of silence. 

A person with a neurodevelopment delay will likely face this issue over and over again. Although it’s easy to diagnose at the doctor’s office, curing the delay takes years of therapy and training. Over time, you can reduce the frequency of random laughter. There have even been cases where people have conditioned themselves to laugh at certain moments. As you might imagine, it’s better to err on the side of no laughter when dealing with sensitive topics.

Misunderstanding the context

Similarly, you might burst out laughing when you don’t truly understand the context of a situation. Maybe you join in the conversation midway through. Perhaps you don’t know the speaker as well as you should. When you hear the latest news, you aren’t completely up-to-date with the topic. This can lead to a misunderstanding where you think something is funny when it really isn’t. The bad thing is, sometimes the story can be hilarious in your mind. There’s really not much you can do except regain your composure and make sure you’re on the same page about the conversation.

Deflecting emotions

Bursting out laughing in a particular situation can be a sign of deflecting emotions. Suppose you hear something so unusual that you simply don’t know how to react. Your emotions are confused, and your body might resort to laughter as a response. This is a common coping mechanism, albeit out of place. 

People around you might be taking the news to heart, and laughing at this moment isn’t ideal. It’s really a matter of anticipating the shock value and not being surprised by it. This isn’t to say that you must actively need to think about the best response. But consider turning down your laughter if you feel it coming on.

Changing the mood

One of the simplest reasons is that you just want to lighten up the mood. Maybe one of your friends is very stressed out and is complaining about his or her job. To lighten up the mood, you throw out a quick chuckle and hope that others join in. Your intentions are good, but you may need to make sure that everybody in the room is aware of what you’re trying to do. 

It can be good to have sympathy for the person as well. Nevertheless, this type of laughter really isn’t at the worst possible moment when you think about it. You’re trying to console your friend without saying a word, which may or may not work.

Boredom

As crazy as it may sound, laughing out of sheer boredom is a thing. If it’s been a long day at work, you might want a hearty laugh just to mix things up. However, you’re still at the office and need to remain professional. It’s not ideal, but we can definitely see why you want a quick chuckle. 

As with other causes, it’s always good to know why you’re so tempted to laugh. It’s certainly better than random laughing without any rhyme or reason. Don’t worry; science has your back. You probably aren’t losing your mind after all.

Laughing at the worst possible moment is an experience that we’ve all shared. It’s uncomfortable for you and can often lead to an awkward situation. Take the funniness outside where you can laugh at loud as you want.