You've probably heard countless warnings about the dangers of negative emotions. Stress, anger, and depression can sap your immune system, encourage heart trouble, and slow your recovery from almost any illness. But how often do you hear the positive side of the story? Research consistently shows that positive emotions, including love, humor, and hope, may help your body fend off disease. As Bernie Siegel, M.D., wrote in his book Peace, Love and Healing,
"Feelings are chemical; they can kill or cure."
Norman Cousins, an editor of the Saturday Review, didn't feel particularly mirthful when he was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a crippling form of arthritis. But as he described in his 1979 book The Anatomy of an Illness, humor was definitely part of his recovery plan. Soon after the diagnosis, Cousins vowed to tackle his disease with confidence and laughter. He set up a movie projector in his hospital room and frequently watched Marx Brothers movies and classic episodes of "Candid Camera."
(On the downside, his constant laughter bothered some of the neighboring patients.) In between reels, he stayed upbeat and relaxed. Over a period of months, he regained motion in his joints and felt the pain disappear. He eventually made a nearly full recovery from his "incurable" disease. Cousins went on to help establish a department at the University of California at Los Angeles medical school that investigates the connection between illness and the mind.
