Health & Humour

When does having a sense of humour become a way of avoiding a problem?

I've noticed that as soon as I open up, expose myself, make myself vulnerable, reveal the inner pain, I will inevitably make a joke. Granted, this is a method of breaking up the seriousness of the situation. I believe firmly that humour is a good thing. But humour must be used wisely, intelligently. It should not be abused to distract, to dismiss, to shift attention away from the problem(s) at hand.

But how do I know when it's too much? How can I tell when I'm using it to help me and when I'm using it to diffuse the situation, distract the person to whom I revealed myself?

I suspect that because I'm even mulling over this question and reflecting is answer enough. I do tend to reveal myself, to open up--only to quickly shy away from the issues.

I dismiss my problems.
I dismiss myself.

And that, I think we all know, is quite a problem...