Dr LeCrone
05-31-2006, 11:24 AM
A reader recently made the following request: "My husband's doctor told him that he is either going to have to slow down and take life easier, or suffer the consequences."
As she explained, she said he is on blood pressure medication but gets rather easily upset. The thing that bothers him the most has to wait. He refuses to go to a cafeteria around normal meal time because he perceives the long line as wasted time. He runs many yellow when driving and even a few red ones. He won't go to a movie or sporting event if he thinks he will have to get in a line. He even buys most of the groceries from a convenience store.
His jaw muscles tighten up and his knuckles get white if he thinks something or someone is slowing him down. His doctor has said he needed to get professional help to learn to be more tolerant and patient.
"Do you have any suggestions?" she asked.
Time urgency, sometimes called "hurry sickness," is a disease, a commonplace problem in our society. For many, time is a commodity, and time not spent in hurrying is wasted time. The thought of what did I accomplish today translates into "the more the better" for them.
Techniques are available to help her husband learn to moderate and change his unhealthy responses to waiting in line and to see the difference between that require speed and those that do not.
Strike up a conversation with someone in the line or take along a book or headphones to listen to music.
Become a people watcher. Observing the behavior of those around you can be quite interesting and informative.
Practice relaxation exercises. You don't have to close your eyes, but you will lower your heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory with practice.
Mentally plan a menu, prepare a shopping list, write a poem, or simply visualize yourself doing something you really enjoy.
When driving a car, listen to books on tape available in many video rentals.
Develop an outlook to view time as not being identical in all situations. For instance, getting to work on time is different from waiting in line to see a first run movie. Or, getting your wife to the maternity ward for delivery is not the same demand as driving to the hardware store on Saturday morning. Or rushing to catch a plane may be a necessity, but getting on the first ferry across while on vacation is not.
When in doubt, ask yourself the question: "Is what I am putting myself through worth the effect it is having on me and what it is doing to my health?" Think of hurry sickness as a disease you can prevent.
Copyright c 1996 Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D.
As she explained, she said he is on blood pressure medication but gets rather easily upset. The thing that bothers him the most has to wait. He refuses to go to a cafeteria around normal meal time because he perceives the long line as wasted time. He runs many yellow when driving and even a few red ones. He won't go to a movie or sporting event if he thinks he will have to get in a line. He even buys most of the groceries from a convenience store.
His jaw muscles tighten up and his knuckles get white if he thinks something or someone is slowing him down. His doctor has said he needed to get professional help to learn to be more tolerant and patient.
"Do you have any suggestions?" she asked.
Time urgency, sometimes called "hurry sickness," is a disease, a commonplace problem in our society. For many, time is a commodity, and time not spent in hurrying is wasted time. The thought of what did I accomplish today translates into "the more the better" for them.
Techniques are available to help her husband learn to moderate and change his unhealthy responses to waiting in line and to see the difference between that require speed and those that do not.
Strike up a conversation with someone in the line or take along a book or headphones to listen to music.
Become a people watcher. Observing the behavior of those around you can be quite interesting and informative.
Practice relaxation exercises. You don't have to close your eyes, but you will lower your heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory with practice.
Mentally plan a menu, prepare a shopping list, write a poem, or simply visualize yourself doing something you really enjoy.
When driving a car, listen to books on tape available in many video rentals.
Develop an outlook to view time as not being identical in all situations. For instance, getting to work on time is different from waiting in line to see a first run movie. Or, getting your wife to the maternity ward for delivery is not the same demand as driving to the hardware store on Saturday morning. Or rushing to catch a plane may be a necessity, but getting on the first ferry across while on vacation is not.
When in doubt, ask yourself the question: "Is what I am putting myself through worth the effect it is having on me and what it is doing to my health?" Think of hurry sickness as a disease you can prevent.
Copyright c 1996 Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D.