Laughter-The Best Medicine!
By: Beth McHugh 2006
In the 1960s, Norman Cousins, the then editor of the Saturday Review discharged himself from hospital, locked himself in a hotel room, and proceeded to watch Marx Brothers movies and Candid Camera episodes. Cured, he wrote a book on the incident, became a household name in doing so, and his experience has been studied and debated by medical researchers ever since.
Scientists have speculated for decades on the link between laughter and health, citing endorphins and other biological pathways to explain the effect. The bottom line is that we all know we feel better after a good laugh. So while the medicos get busy researching the hows and whys, we’ll just get laughing.
Here are some gems on the topic of mental illness, shrinks, and people in general. Enjoy!
Insanity is just a state of mind. Alan Alda
I said to my psychiatrist: ‘I keep thinking I’m a dog.’ He told me to get off his couch. Rodney Dangerfield
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change. Anon
Normal is just a cycle on the washing machine. Whoopi Goldberg
He has turned his life around. He used to be depressed and miserable. Now he’s miserable and depressed. John McClenahan
One out of four people is mentally unbalanced. Think of your three best friends. If they seem all right then you’re the one. Slappy White
Of all the things I’ve ever lost, I miss my mind the most. Mark Twain
I went to the doctor the other day and he said I was a paranoid schizophrenic—well, he didn’t actually say it, but we know what he was thinking. Lily Savage
I’ve been married seven times—all to women named Brenda. It’s just a coincidence. The psychiatrists can make anything they like of that, but as my mom, Brenda, used to say… Otis Lee Crenshaw
Being in therapy is great. I spend an hour just talking about myself. It’s kinda like being the guy on a date. Caroline Rhea
A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. A woman must do what he can’t. Rhonda Hansome
Always look out for number one and be careful not to step in number two. Rodney Dangerfield
People who live in glass houses might as well answer the door. Morey Amsterdam
Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the hell happened. Cora Harvey Armstrong
A male gynecologist is like an auto mechanic who never owned a car. Carrie Snow
Never be afraid to try something new. Noah was an amateur; the Titanic was built by professionals. James Prentice
Inside me lives a skinny woman crying to get out. But I can usually shut the bitch up with cookies. Anon
Every time I close the door on reality, it comes in through the windows. Jennifer Unlimited
I refuse to think of them as chin hairs. I think of them as stray eyebrows. Jannette Barber
Whatever women do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Fortunately this is not difficult. Charlotte Whitton
I try to take life one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once. Jennifer Unlimited
When women are depressed they eat or go out shopping. Men invade another country. Elayne Boosler
I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man, I keep his house. Zsa Zsa Gabor
I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine a marriage and a career. Gloria Steinem
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission. Eleanor Roosevelt
For sincere advice and the correct time, call any number at random at 3 am. Steve Martin
“Conversation” is when three women stand on a corner talking. “Gossip” is when one of them leaves. Herb Shriner
My neighbor asked if he could use my lawnmower and I told him of course he could, so long as he didn't take it out of my garden. Eric Morecambe
All publicity is good, except your own obituary notice. Brendan Behan
Times are bad. Children no longer obey their parents and everyone is writing a book. Cicero, circa 43 B.C.
When he said we were trying to make a fool of him, I could only murmur that the Creator had beaten us to it. Ilka Chase
If you’re going out of your mind, I suggest you pack light. It’s a short trip. Anne Robinson
When you said you went to university, presumably it was to be studied by others. Anne Robinson
Better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt. Mark Twain
A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kickboxing. Emo Philips
The first piece of luggage on the airport carousel never belongs to anyone. George Roberts
A man goes to the doctor with a strawberry growing out of his head. The doctor says, “I’ll give you some cream to put on that.” Tommy Cooper
I just got the bill for my operation. Now I know why those guys wear masks. Jim Boren