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Page 73. Reading 2. Norman Cousins' Laughter Therapy

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In the summer of 1964, well-known writer and editor Norman Cousins became very ill.

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His body ached and he felt constantly tired. It was difficult for him to even move around.

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He consulted his physician, who did many tests. Eventually, he was diagnosed as having

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ankylosing spondylitis, a very serious and destructive form of arthritis.

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His doctor told him that he would become immobilized and eventually die from the disease.

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He was told he had only a 1 in 500 chance of survival.

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Despite the diagnosis, Cousins was determined to overcome the disease and survive. He had always

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been interested in medicine and had read the work of organic chemist Hans Selye, The Stress of Life,

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1956. This book discussed the idea of how body chemistry and health can be damaged by emotional

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stress and negative attitudes. Selye's book made Cousins think about the possible benefits

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of positive attitudes and emotions. He thought, if negative emotions produce negative changes in

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the body, wouldn't positive emotions produce positive chemical changes? Is it possible that

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love, hope, faith, laughter, confidence, and the will to live have positive therapeutic value?

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He decided to concentrate on positive emotions as a remedy to heal some of the symptoms of his

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ailment. In addition to his conventional medical treatment, he tried to put himself in situations

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that would elicit positive emotions. Laughter therapy became part of his treatment. He scheduled

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time each day for watching comedy films, reading humorous books, and doing other activities that

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would bring about laughter and positive emotions. Within eight days of starting his laughter therapy

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program, his pain began to decrease and he was able to sleep more easily. His body chemistry

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even improved. Doctors were able to see an improvement in his condition. Within a few

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months' time, he was able to walk wearing a metal brace. Soon after that, he was able to return to

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work. He actually reached complete recovery in a few years. He lived for 26 years after he became

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ill. He died in 1990 at the age of 75. Skeptical readers may question the doctor's preliminary

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diagnosis, but Cousins believed his recovery was the result of a mysterious,

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mind-body interaction. His laughter therapy is a good example of one of the many alternative

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or non-conventional medical treatments people look to today.