Irvin D. Yalom Quotes

You need a good bedside manner with doctors or you will get nowhere.

Only the insecure strive for security.

There's something that really frightens me - and that's fear.

We fear the thing we want the most.

I took a Fear of Flying class, and I always missed the class, because I was always flying.

The basis of optimism is sheer terror.

A lot of people are afraid of heights. Not me, I'm afraid of widths.

Those who love to be feared fear to be loved, and they themselves are more afraid than anyone, for whereas other men fear only them, they fear everyone.

Fear is fear of fear, I think.

I have been working with people on an individual basis for years to help them break habits and deal with anxiety. I've helped people with everything from fears, phobias, and stress right the way through to eczema - anything that is governed by our psyche and inner psychology.

I understand and I don't understand human beings.

If the great thing about the Internet is that it throws wide the doors of discussion to everyone, the bad thing about the Internet is that it throws wide the doors of discussion to everyone.

Anxiety is the fear that one of a pair of opposites might cancel the other. Forever.

Being nervous, first of all, puts you at a distinct disadvantage, and if you've really prepared and if you've really thought through how to start the conversation, things start to fall into place. There are other things I get nervous about, but not that.

We can't socialize the doctors without socializing the patients.

Fear is a survival instinct; fear in its way is a comfort for it means that somewhere hope is alive.

It's okay to be two things at once and a paradox. Everybody is. As humans for survival we like to label things in a split second. It is how we don't implode from anxiety.

The Doctor's Motto: Have patients.

The patient is the nucleus of the health care system.

The preciousness of the moment, which should make it easier to talk, makes it harder.

What you fear most of all is - fear. Very wise.

Don't worry. Worry is useless. I worried anyway

Nervous alarms should always be communicated, that they may be dissipated.

Most good thinking has its origin in fear.

Virtually everything is dangerous if you are afraid.