by Michael Corthell
Hurry Sickness or the Fear of Not Having Enough Time
By definition, hurry sickness is “a behavior pattern characterized by continual rushing and anxiousness; an overwhelming and continual sense of urgency.”''There is always a bit of fear where there is a bit of hurry. When you hurry to the train you are in fear that you may be left, and with that comes fear of other possibilities consequent on your being left. When you hurry to the party, to the meeting of a person by appointment, you are in fear of some ill or damage resulting from not being in time...''- Prentice Mulford, ''Thoughts are Things'' (1889)
As if that isn’t bad enough, it’s also defined as “A malaise in which a person feels chronically short of time, and so tends to perform every task faster and to get flustered when encountering any kind of delay.” Sound familiar? Read the Full Article
What do you fear most?
Looking at your life now what is it that you fear? What is it you are trying to avoid? What are you running from? Your job and its responsibilities? Your marriage and home life? Your poor health? Your bad eating habits? Your lack of exercise? Your small bank account? Your laziness? or Your past?
Most of this running away behavior is about avoiding anxiety or 'feeling bad'. I'd call it 'normal' ―at least the desire to escape bad feelings. Running from problems, running from life is self-sabotage and that kind of problem-solving can bite you in the butt almost all of the time. How can you ''stand and face''? How can you gird yourself against that feeling of scared unease we call anxiety?
Let's face it. Standing up to and facing your fear and anxiety is hard but it is the only good way to get the life you want and for some, to survive. That was one of the lessons in The Stand. Giving a talk in front of a group of people for example, is at the very least, a 'butterflies moment' but most often creates severe anxiety. When you force yourself to make it through those types of situations, however difficult, you'll see that everything most often will turn out okay, even if you made a mistake or two. Even if was extremely painful, the next time you have to give a speech or presentation the pain will be less severe. Eventually, the fear may completely disappear.
Accentuate the positive. Fear and anxiety can force us to notice and remember negative events, which in turn reinforces our sense that the world is a dangerous and scary place. We can work to change that by purposely being mindful of what is positive—the happiness we feel when we see friends, the joy of a sunny day, the beauty in nature, the fun of a trip, the humor in almost any situation.
A positive mindset broadens our perspective—we literally have a wider field of view, which gives us more options. And the more we practice positivity, the more it accumulates, creating an inner strength that allows us to function well even in difficult times.
Overcoming anxiety is a very personal process. We all need to find out what works best for us personally. It is also very important to remember that overcoming avoidance behavior takes practice.
Lastly, please note that none of us is perfect. It can be very difficult to face our fears. Fears of failure and fear of loss. But we all need to, we have to, not only stand and fight the fears and anxieties that cripple our progress in life, but we also have to develop the drive and determination to keep trying―to never ever give in or give up.
We are hard-wired to shrink away from the things that scare us – to fight, flee or freeze in the face of danger. That’s a good thing, but anxiety is about perceived danger, which is different from actual danger. When we act based solely on nervous feelings, our worlds can become very small. Our desperate attempt to avoid discomfort and uncertainty fuels anxiety and avoidance locks it in place. Yet we can take back control. We can learn to face our fears rather than run from them.
Dr. Dawn Huebner believes we can all be taught to overcome fear and anxiety. In this engaging talk, she explains how anyone, at any age, can conquer debilitating fear. A clinical psychologist in private practice, she treats children with a variety of emotional, behavioral, and developmental concerns.
Huebner is the author of “The What To Do Guides for Kids” series, which not only reflects her beliefs about empowerment but also provides practical advice for parents and children. Her personal journey as a parent, however, led Huebner on a quest to find ways of using cognitive-behavioral therapy as an approach. With simple language and humor, she presents sophisticated concepts in a way easily understood by everyone. These concepts, in book form, have been translated and sold in 12 different languages worldwide. Learn more about Dr. Dawn Huebner at http://bit.ly/1CcwlV5.
''I need to stop fantasizing about running away to some
other life and start figuring out the one I have.''
― Holly Black
It is common to run or want to run from problems. We call it avoidance of discomfort, or escapism. In its very light form, escapism is simply going to the movies or reading a book. We often 'run away' from life by sleeping and playing. Some of us drown ourselves in work. Some get lost in addiction, such as binge eating, smoking, alcohol, and other drugs. And some of us actually run away from our homes. Some find a 'geographic cure' by moving to a new city, state, or country.other life and start figuring out the one I have.''
― Holly Black
Most of this running away behavior is about avoiding anxiety or 'feeling bad'. I'd call it 'normal' ―at least the desire to escape bad feelings. Running from problems, running from life is self-sabotage and that kind of problem-solving can bite you in the butt almost all of the time. How can you ''stand and face''? How can you gird yourself against that feeling of scared unease we call anxiety?
How do I conquer my anxiety?
The first step is understanding. It always is, isn't it? Let's look at negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement, in the matter of anxiety, is simply avoidance. Every time you try to accomplish something, but you let the fear take control of you and you back away, you are 'avoiding' and thus negatively reinforcing yourself. You are sabotaging your goals just so you don't have to experience that fear and anxiety. The more you avoid anxious situations, the more likely you are to avoid future anxiety-inducing situations. It becomes routine. It becomes a negative habit because things don't get done.Let's face it. Standing up to and facing your fear and anxiety is hard but it is the only good way to get the life you want and for some, to survive. That was one of the lessons in The Stand. Giving a talk in front of a group of people for example, is at the very least, a 'butterflies moment' but most often creates severe anxiety. When you force yourself to make it through those types of situations, however difficult, you'll see that everything most often will turn out okay, even if you made a mistake or two. Even if was extremely painful, the next time you have to give a speech or presentation the pain will be less severe. Eventually, the fear may completely disappear.
Accentuate the positive. Fear and anxiety can force us to notice and remember negative events, which in turn reinforces our sense that the world is a dangerous and scary place. We can work to change that by purposely being mindful of what is positive—the happiness we feel when we see friends, the joy of a sunny day, the beauty in nature, the fun of a trip, the humor in almost any situation.
A positive mindset broadens our perspective—we literally have a wider field of view, which gives us more options. And the more we practice positivity, the more it accumulates, creating an inner strength that allows us to function well even in difficult times.
Overcoming anxiety is a very personal process. We all need to find out what works best for us personally. It is also very important to remember that overcoming avoidance behavior takes practice.
Lastly, please note that none of us is perfect. It can be very difficult to face our fears. Fears of failure and fear of loss. But we all need to, we have to, not only stand and fight the fears and anxieties that cripple our progress in life, but we also have to develop the drive and determination to keep trying―to never ever give in or give up.
_______________
Rethinking anxiety: Learning to face fear | Dawn Huebner
We are hard-wired to shrink away from the things that scare us – to fight, flee or freeze in the face of danger. That’s a good thing, but anxiety is about perceived danger, which is different from actual danger. When we act based solely on nervous feelings, our worlds can become very small. Our desperate attempt to avoid discomfort and uncertainty fuels anxiety and avoidance locks it in place. Yet we can take back control. We can learn to face our fears rather than run from them.
Dr. Dawn Huebner believes we can all be taught to overcome fear and anxiety. In this engaging talk, she explains how anyone, at any age, can conquer debilitating fear. A clinical psychologist in private practice, she treats children with a variety of emotional, behavioral, and developmental concerns.
Huebner is the author of “The What To Do Guides for Kids” series, which not only reflects her beliefs about empowerment but also provides practical advice for parents and children. Her personal journey as a parent, however, led Huebner on a quest to find ways of using cognitive-behavioral therapy as an approach. With simple language and humor, she presents sophisticated concepts in a way easily understood by everyone. These concepts, in book form, have been translated and sold in 12 different languages worldwide. Learn more about Dr. Dawn Huebner at http://bit.ly/1CcwlV5.
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