We’ve all heard the phrase, “Laughter is the best medicine.” But how many of us have truly experienced what this means?

I was first diagnosed with major depression twenty-five years ago. Through a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy, the proper meds and my sense of humor, I have been hospital-free for the past seventeen years. I am stable to the point where I was able to write a book about a year's worth of experiences navigating through the self-help industry. It took five years, but my comic memoir Hide & Seek: How I Laughed at Depression, Conquered My Fears and Found Happiness is being published this month by Kunati Books.

My family and I are visiting my parents this week, and I noticed a lot of cute "jokes" around the house, in the form of refrigerator magnets, pot holders, small plaques on bookcases and hanging on walls, that all have a similar message. Here is just a sampling: "I love to cook with wine...sometimes I even put it in the food." "Beer: so much more than a breakfast drink." ...and my favorite... "The problem with the world is everyone is a few drinks behind me."