Quotes About Norman Cousins

Norman Cousins observed that "the great tragedy of life is not death but what we allow to die inside of us while we live.

In his well-known book The Anatomy of an Illness, Norman Cousins described how he overcame one of these autoimmune disorders, ankylosing spondylitis (a form of rheumatoid arthritis), by recognizing that it was emotionally induced and introducing a kind of humor therapy plus vitamin C.

The most costly disease is not cancer or coronaries. The most costly disease is boredom - costly for both individual and society.

The health benefits, both mental and physical, of humor are well documented. A good laugh can diffuse tension, relieve stress, and release endorphins into your system, which act as a natural mood elevator. In Norman Cousin's book, Anatomy of an Illness, Cousin's describes the regimen he followed to overcome a serious debilitating disease he was suffering from. It included large doses of laughter and humor. Published in 1976, his book has been widely accepted by the medical community.

Placebos," Dr. Shapiro has written in the American Journal of Psychotherapy, "can have profound effects on organic illness, including incurable malignancies.