Anushka Shetty Opens Up About Struggling with Rare Laughing Disorder

In a past interview, Anushka Shetty shared that she suffers from a rare condition that makes it impossible for her to stop laughing once she starts. “I have a laughing disease. You might think, ‘Is laughing a problem?’ For me, it is. If I start laughing, I can’t stop for 15 to 20 minutes. During comedy scenes, I literally roll on the floor laughing, causing delays in filming many times,” Shetty revealed, according to Indiaglitz.

This condition, known as pseudobulbar affect, was explained by neurologist Dr. Sudhir Kumar. The main symptoms include sudden episodes of uncontrollable laughter or crying, typically lasting 15-20 minutes. These emotional outbursts are often disproportionate to the triggering event, leading to potential embarrassment.

Pseudobulbar affect can result from various neurological conditions such as ALS, MS, brain strokes, brain tumors, or traumatic brain injuries. In some cases, the cause is not clear and may be related to neurotransmitter imbalances. This condition can sometimes be mistaken for psychiatric disorders but is actually a neuropsychiatric condition.

Treatment suggestions include deep, slow breathing during laughing episodes, shifting focus to another topic, and relaxing muscles in the shoulder, neck, and chest areas.