"Once I Start, I Can't Stop"... Female Actress's Confession, Filming Halted

Indian Actress Anushka Shetty Confesses to Laughter Disorder
"Filming Stopped Multiple Times Due to Laughter"
Neurologist: "Relaxed and Slow Breathing Helps"

Famous Indian actress Anushka Shetty (42) confessed that she suffers from a rare condition that makes it impossible to stop laughing once she starts.

On the 24th (local time), according to the Times of India and others, Shetty recently said in an interview, "I have a laughing disorder. You might wonder, 'Is laughing really a problem?' but for me, it is." She continued, "Once I start laughing, I can't stop for 15 to 20 minutes. Even when watching funny scenes or during filming, I literally roll on the floor laughing, causing multiple interruptions in shooting."

Indian actress Anushka Shetty. [Image source=Instagram]

The symptoms Shetty experiences are similar to a condition called 'pseudobulbar affect' or 'pathologic laughing.' However, it has not been confirmed whether she has been officially diagnosed with this disorder. This symptom also appears in the movie Joker. The protagonist Arthur Fleck (played by Joaquin Phoenix) bursts into laughter at inappropriate times and places because he suffers from this condition.

Pseudobulbar affect is a neurological disorder characterized by an inability to control laughter or crying. It can cause confusion not only for the individual experiencing emotional outbursts but also for those around them. This condition can occur when areas of the prefrontal cortex responsible for emotional regulation are damaged due to various neurological diseases such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or traumatic brain injury. Pseudobulbar affect is often difficult to diagnose independently because its symptoms frequently overlap with those of other mental health disorders.

Neurologist Sudhir Kumar explained, "Pathologic laughing can be mistaken for mood disorders such as mania or depression," adding, "Pathologic laughing episodes last only a few minutes, whereas mood disorders present symptoms throughout the day." He further noted, "Since the symptoms are emotional and related to brain dysfunction, it is considered a neuropsychiatric disorder."

Kumar said, "When symptoms occur, deep, slow, and relaxed breathing can help," and "Relaxing the muscles around the shoulders, neck, and chest is also beneficial." He added that medication treatment through consultation with a doctor is also possible.