The Healing Heart: Antidotes to Panic and Helplessness

by Norman Cousins

Book Overview

Healing Heart, Antidotes to Panic and Helplessness This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393018164
• ISBN13: 9780393018165
• Release Date: January 1983
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 302 Pages
• Weight: 1.07 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A helping heart

Norman Cousins the legendary editor of 'Saturday Review of Books' presents in this work his philosophy of living with , and overcoming illness. Much of this has to do with the patient's attitude toward himself, his physician, the world as a whole. Cousins again and again emphasizes the importance of having a positive attitude, a hopeful and joyful outlook on life. He especially warns against the dangers of panicing and subjecting oneself to undue stress. He as a highly curious, and also very social person knows many of the major heart- researchers personally. This work also thus tells about his meeting with, and learning from them. He stresses again and again the importance of the physician caring for the patient. He speaks about how many technicians of medicine fail their patients by ignoring their 'human' side. Cousins comes across as an extremely likeable and friendly person, one whose aim is to truly help others. He is also a very good writer, and the work flows and is a pleasurable read. The lessons he teaches here have become 'commonplace truths' though they were less so at the time of his writing. I suspect many readers of this work will come away from it with an improved sense of the proper way to deal with illness.

A must-read for any heart attack survivors or those who know of any

Heard THE HEALING HEART by Norman Cousins (author of ANATOMY OF AN ILLNESS, one of my all-time favorite books). In THE HEALING HEART, he describes his experience as a heart attack survivor, and tells how to both overcome panic and utilize the body's magnificent healing powers . . . as he notes, "Death is not the enemy. Living in constant fear of it is." Furthermore, "Nothing is more essential to the treatment of serious disease than liberating the patient from panic and he notes, "Death is not the enemy. Living in constant fear of it is." Furthermore, "Nothing is more essential to the treatment of serious disease than liberating the patient from panic and foreboding." Toward that end, Cousins strongly advocates--as he did in ANATOMNY OF AN ILLNESS--that "laughter is an antidote to apprehension and panic." One passage, in particular, had me chucking to myself when I was driving home one night . . . he described finding out about a surprise party that was going to be held for him (to celebrate his recovery) . . . so he went to it in disguise, completely fooling those in attendance--including his wife and daughter . . . his thinking, "What better way to celebrate such events than with laughter?" William Conrad's narration greatly added to my enjoyment of this book . . . you'll like it, as well, whether you listen to or read it . . . please do so, particularly if you're a heart attack survivor or know somebody who is.