AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LAUGHTER THERAPY IN ENHANCING MENTAL HEALTH AMONG ADULTS

Mental health is a significant part of the total well-being, and the interest in alternative and non-pharmacological approaches promoting psychological health is increasing. Laughter therapy has become a very easy and viable way of facilitating emotional balance and alleviating stress. The current observational analysis looks at the efficacy of laughter therapy in improving the mental health of adults. The participants that were targeted in the study were adults aged between 22 and 45 years old, who were attending the sessions of laughter therapies regularly. The 25 participants who participated in the study were selected using the purposive sampling method and had been practicing laughter therapy at least a month. The data were gathered in interactive sessions and semi-structured interviews, whereby participants were enabled to give their experiences in terms of emotional and psychological changes after the laughter exercises. Data was coded into a standardized data collection table and the analysis of the data was done through a qualitative thematic analysis technique. The findings showed that a consistent attendance of laughter therapy made a significant contribution to reducing stress, enhancing mood, raising the level of energy, and improving emotional health among the participants. Better socialization and a more positive attitude towards life were also a commonly reported outcome of many respondents. The research concludes that laughter therapy is an affordable, accessible, and useful intervention that can be integrated in the community wellness programs to enhance psychological health and overall quality of life of adults.