Anatomy of an Illness
Norman Cousins
a review by Denise Waldron
"Hope, love, will to live, humor, confidence,
great expectations, cheerfulness, all these, I be
lieve have therapeutic value." These characteris
tics are all prescribed by Norman Cousins, adjunct
professor of Psychiatry and Blobehavioral Sciences
at the USC School of Medicine, for a treatment he
calls "Laughter therapy".
In h1s book. Anatomy of an Illness, Cousins
examines the use of the mind In the treating of an
Illness. He draws h1s conclusions on the subject
from h1s own personal experience of a life threat
ening heart attack and research done with other
patients with similar medical experiences.
Cousins uses laughter as the bases of h1s
treatment. He thinks of laughter as a form of
Internal Jogging. He reconmends a person begin
slow, but try to achieve good, solid laughter for
at least five minutes a day and build up from
there.
The benefits Include Increased blood circula
tion, pulse rate, exercise for heart and lungs, re
lease of tensions and anxieties, plus just good -
old fashioned fun.
Cousins has correlated this therapy In researc
being done on the Type A (high stress characteris
tics) and Type B (low stress characteristics) types
of personalities. Cousins was not surprised to
discover that many of the characteristics of laugh
ter therapy were found 1n the personality type of
the low stress person.
So the next time you feel sick or blue, go a
head and laugh. It's good for your health!
Wt'.LLUt.jJ
Ardell. Oonald B. High Level Wellne^-L-An AUe£na
tlve to Doctors. Drugs and Disease. New York.
Bantam, 1979.
Ardell, Donald B. 14 Days to a Wellness Lifestyle.
Mill Valley: Whatever Press, 1982.
** Cousins, Norman. Anatomy of an Illness, w. w.
Norton & Co., 1979.
** Cousins, Norman. Human Options^ ,
** Farquhar, John W. The American Way of Life l^ged
Not Be Hazardous to Your Health. New York.
Norton, 1978. c
** Ferguson, Tom. Medical Self Care: Access to Self
HelD ToolsT New York: Simon and Schuster,
1980,
Peter, Laurence and Dana, Bill. The Laughter
Prescription.
** Ryan, Regina Sara and Travis, John W. The Well
ness Workbook. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed
Press, 1981.
** Books are available 1n the Health Education Cen
ter (located between the pharmacy and Area B In
the Student Health Center). Books may be checked
out for two weeks.
Film - "DISEASE CONCEPT OF ALCOHOLISM/DRUG ABUSE
Thursday, May 16
11:30 - 12:30
12:30 - 1:30
Room 101 EMU
(Ho charge - Bring sack lunch)
Representatives of various alcohol/drug
treatment centers will be available.
Sponsored by University
Task Force on Alcoholism
ASSAULT PREVENT ION
Safety whistles are on sale for .60< at
the Student Health Center's front desk.
Health 1s a precious thing... the only thmq
Indeed that deserves to be pursued at the expense
not only of time, sweat, labor, worldly goods, but
of life Itself; since without health life becomes
a hurdon and our affliction.
— Montaigne
Peer Health Advising
V/c can help >«»u
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//Optimize
Peer health advisers uie sludenis helping students
Tliey have U.iiiKil lo help vou develop and
mainlaili a he.illhv lifestyle Peer Health Advr -is
specialize in die following aieas
• Sirens Managerimnil
• Stop Smoking
• Nut i il ion
• Httnesi»'l wertise
• Wei. |t»: I .sm s
• Diftii Conti ol Intoimeli./ii
• Drue* and Alcohol
Call: 686-4456
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