Tom Waits Quotes

I'd rather have a full bottle in front of me than a full frontal lobotomy.

If you want to live a life free of regret, there is an option open to you. It's called a lobotomy.

What I should have been, you see, is a neurologist.

Nothing defines the quality of life in a community more clearly than people who regard themselves, or whom the consensus chooses to regard, as mentally unwell.

There are a lot of studies that suggest a higher rate of creativity in bipolars than the general population.

Yes, I've been trepanned. That's quite an interesting experience, especially for my brain surgeon, who saw my thoughts flying around in my brain.

All my life, I had this idea that if I could unravel the mystery that was my mother, then I could help save her. But it didn't really work. We were close, but she struggled with mental illness and alcoholism, and it was rough at times.

Depression can seem worse than terminal cancer, because most cancer patients feel loved and they have hope and self-esteem.

Lithium prevents my seductive but disastrous highs, diminishes my depressions, clears out the wool and webbing from my disordered thinking, slows me down, gentles me out, keeps me from ruining my career and relationships, keeps me out of a hospital, alive, and makes psychotherapy possible.

I am really interested in eccentric minds. It's rather like being fascinated by how cars work. It's really boring if your car works all the time. But as soon as something happens, you get the bonnet up. If someone has an abnormal or dysfunctional state of mind, you get the bonnet up.

About one third of the people who are on the streets are mentally ill.

The country will be on a straight whisky basis, and in these days of unrest, it is dangerous to have steady beer drinkers switch to whisky.

Beer would be a great help in fighting off the mental depression which afflicts great multitudes.

The federal government has lost its way and largely ignored the needs of people with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar illness.

Before operating on a patient's brain... I must first understand his mind: his identity, his values, what makes his life worth living, and what devastation makes it reasonable to let that life end.

Mental illness is real, and I got them. I don't know if it's the multiple concussions or the lifestyle choices.

The increased calls on law enforcement to respond to substance abuse and mental health issues in their communities have added pressure on law enforcement and highlight the need to also invest in our health system and social services.

When times are good, people drink. When times are bad, people drink.

Everyone knows someone who is struggling with a mental health issue, whether it's depression, trauma or substance abuse. It affects everyone, so we all have a stake in making sure good treatment is available.

Mental health can improve overall well-being and prevent other illnesses. And since mental health problems have a serious economic impact on vulnerable communities, making them a priority can save lives and markedly improve people's quality of life.

The war on drugs is very, very real, and the war on helping people with mental illness is very, very real.

Our people work more, earn more, spend more. Here they work less, gain less, and spend less, but they are happy! That's what I think. Also, I haven't seen people here drink much, unlike Kerala, where it's almost like bread and coffee for them!

While all doctors treat diseases, neurosurgeons' work is the crucible of identity. Every operation on the brain is, by necessity, a manipulation of the substance of our selves.

Part of her doing suicide intervention is my caseworker has to mix me another gin and tonic.

Wouldn't it be terrible if I quoted some reliable statistics which prove that more people are driven insane through religious hysteria than by drinking alcohol.