Comedy is used by a lot of people for the same purpose they use parties and mind altering drugs - to turn up the volume in their lives and drown out the thoughts they don't want to think about. If you are laughing it's easier to ignore those depressing thoughts.
There are a LOT of stand-up comics who talk about dealing with depression...
But after the laughter is over, you need more jokes. You can't laugh at the same ones you have already heard, and you gotta keep those things you don't want to think about at bay somehow.
Exactly.
In essence, what you seem to be saying is that comedy is a useless anti-depressant in that it never really cures one's depression. The only real cure for depression is found in Christ, and, specifically, in the "helmet of salvation" (Ephesians 6:17) which Paul elsewhere likened to "the hope of salvation," or to the hope of eternal life in the kingdom to come.
1 Thessalonians 5:8
"But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation."
In fact, it is this "helmet of salvation" which sustained Jesus during his incarnation.
Isaiah 59:16-18
"And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence."
That was prophesied in relation to Christ who, like us, needed a breastplate of righteousness and a helmet of salvation during his time here on earth. In other words, Jesus needed to cling to promises in scripture which pertained to his own hope of being raised from the dead in order to overcome.
Here is one example of what I am saying:
Psalm 16:8-11
"I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth:
my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
Again, it was Christ's hope in the resurrection of the dead which sustained him during his incarnation, and this same hope is what needs to sustain us as well. Without such a hope, depression of some sort is inevitable.
At a previous job of mine, there were several people who would literally come to me every day while begging me to make them laugh. I obliged them with my humor, which they thought was hilarious, but did I actually help them? In retrospect, no, I did not. I mean, they came to me daily for a good laugh because they were unhappy or depressed, and even though I made them laugh daily, they had to come back to me the next day for another dose of laughter to sustain them. What I should have done was preach to them the hope of eternal life in Christ. Of course, that might have turned some or all of them away, but if I had done so, and if they had embraced what I might have told them, then they could have found true peace of mind or genuine hope for their souls.
Humor has its uses. In my current situation I can't really go anywhere whenever I want, so there is little to do but listen to stand-up comedians on youtube and play video games. Comedy is one of the best ways I know to pass the time.
I hope that you do not take this the wrong way, but I believe that some of your time could be better spent doing exactly what you have been doing here today. In other words, by trying to explain life to people, even if it is only over the internet, and how to overcome it through Christ. I mean, you seem to have a good knowledge of the word of God, and that could be used to truly help some people. In fact, I presently spend the bulk of my "free time" trying to minister to people online, and I definitely have seen some genuine and positive results.
Continue to plant seed.
Water it when you can.
And then sit back and watch as God brings the increase as only he can.
Again, please do not take this the wrong way. My intent is not to either criticize or judge you. Instead, my intent is always to gently push others towards doing that which is of eternal value. Hopefully, you understand.