It’s pretty common for us to respond to difficult circumstances with a pithy joke or two. Sometimes we just can’t help ourselves, even when the situation is not generally a laughing matter—like depression. For example, there is an entire subreddit over 300,000 users strong dedicated solely to posting depression memes.

Many of us use this kind of self-deprecation as a way to deal with uncomfortable situations, or simply just to make someone laugh. When it comes to depression, though, should we be rethinking that?

The short answer is: yes! Humor can be a great coping mechanism. It can help you see things from a different perspective and not take yourself too seriously. Maybe you’ve been hosting a pity party for yourself for just a little too long—joking about what you’re going through can help kick you out of that slump and focus on something outside of your depression.

For example: when I was in grad school, I hosted a birthday party for my mental illness. It was turning five, so I threw a kindergarten-themed bash, complete with party hats, coloring books, and a Play-Doh station.

Sometimes, you have to laugh so that you don’t cry.

Humor also gives you a new way to talk about your depression and share your experiences. Making a joke about how you’re feeling makes it “safer” for others to come into your world and understand what you’re going through. With jokes, you can explain how you feel without inviting a larger conversation (if you don’t want to have one), but still clue the other person in on what you are feeling.

When to Dial It Back

While joking about depression can be fine, and even a bit therapeutic, there are certain things to consider before you crack that joke. First, think about how you want other people to perceive you and what you’re going through.

Consistently making light of your depression might teach other people that it’s really not a big deal, which might backfire for you if and when you have a serious episode and need others’ understanding and support. In that case, they might have a difficult time recognizing just how bad things are for you, because you’ve taught them otherwise.

In addition, it’s possible to rely too much on humor. If all you do is make jokes about what you’re going through, that might make it harder to earnestly and honestly discuss your symptoms and the challenges you are facing with a therapist or psychiatrist.

So if you consistently under-report or make light of your experiences, your mental health professional might not be able to help you the way they otherwise could.

In short: humor can be a great way of coping with your depression, but make sure you consider the long-term consequences of consistently making light of your situation. A balance is best—figure out when it serves you best to make jokes and when it’s better to feel (and express) your full feelings.