Is a positive, happy attitude really good medicine?
Many people believe that a happy mental outlook can directly defeat physical disease. In Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient, writer Norman Cousins described his battle with a severe joint ailment called ankylosing spondylitis. Told that his doctors could do no more for him, he checked out of the hospital and spent weeks watching Marx brothers movies and other comedies. Cousins believes that laughter and the positive feelings it aroused in him were vital factors in his recovery.
Centuries earlier, wise observers of the human condition noted a connection between laughter and health. The Book of Proverbs tells us that "a mercy heart doeth good like a medicine."
One researcher reports that the sense of well-being and alertness imparted by laughing 100 times a day is equivalent to that derived from 10 minutes of rowing.
Some doctors remain skeptical. But others agree that laughter eases pain and may help the respiratory system by exercising the lungs. There is also evidence that laughter and other positive emotions can influence the immune system, perhaps by stimulating production of certain hormones. Recognizing the value of humor, some hospitals encourage visits from clowns or provide "laughter rooms," where comic films are shown.
There is a danger, however, in putting so much faith in positive thinking that you blame yourself - or some other person - for not trying hard enough to get well. Marcia Angell, M.D., has written in the New England Journal of Medicine: "In our desire to pay tribute to gallantry and grace in the face of hardship, we sometimes credit these qualities with cures, not realizing that we may also be implying blame when there are reverses. At a time when patients are already burdened by disease, they should not be further burdened by having to accept responsibility for the outcome."
Centuries earlier, wise observers of the human condition noted a connection between laughter and health. The Book of Proverbs tells us that "a mercy heart doeth good like a medicine."
One researcher reports that the sense of well-being and alertness imparted by laughing 100 times a day is equivalent to that derived from 10 minutes of rowing.
Some doctors remain skeptical. But others agree that laughter eases pain and may help the respiratory system by exercising the lungs. There is also evidence that laughter and other positive emotions can influence the immune system, perhaps by stimulating production of certain hormones. Recognizing the value of humor, some hospitals encourage visits from clowns or provide "laughter rooms," where comic films are shown.
There is a danger, however, in putting so much faith in positive thinking that you blame yourself - or some other person - for not trying hard enough to get well. Marcia Angell, M.D., has written in the New England Journal of Medicine: "In our desire to pay tribute to gallantry and grace in the face of hardship, we sometimes credit these qualities with cures, not realizing that we may also be implying blame when there are reverses. At a time when patients are already burdened by disease, they should not be further burdened by having to accept responsibility for the outcome."
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