Stress of Daily Living
Have you ever observed how your mind stays so busy, even when you are supposed to be resting?
Let's say, you are home after work. Finally, time to relax and unwind. But do you?
If you observe, you will find that your mind is not resting at all. It is busy.
"Why did I have to put up with that ungrateful customer? That nasty person on the phone was so rude. My boss is getting more demanding.What if I end up losing my job like my friend did? How will I pay my mortgage? I may end up losing my house! I may not be able to send my children to college. What if I end up having a health problem?"
Then you turn on the T.V. and find that some famous person died of breast cancer. Her doctor did not diagnose her cancer until it was too late. "What if I have breast cancer that my doctor missed?" You go on the internet and read all about breast cancer. You realize that you have most of the risk factors for breast cancer.
In the meantime, your teenager son tells you that you don't understand him at all and he wants to be left alone. Your husband tells you the overall financial picture doesn't look good at all. "We have to cancel the family vacation we've been planning for months."
You browse through your email and find a lot of spam and junk mail. "These people are so unethical, greedy and pushy. Our government should have stricter fines for these people!"
In the meantime, the telephone rings. Neither your son or husband bother to pick up the phone. "Why I am the only one in this house who answers the phone?" You pick up the phone and find it's a recorded message. It makes you so furious.
Finally, it's bedtime. You toss and turn for hours. Sleep is far away. "I have to get up early to go to work. I need at least a few hours of sleep or I'll be tired all day long tomorrow." Finally, you go to the medicine cabinet and find the sleeping pill that your doctor reluctantly gave you last time, warning you about its side-effects, including potential for habit formation. "I don't care about side-effects. Right now, I need some sleep."
On the surface, you are a successful person, but inside you feel agitated, stressed out and anxious. You consider this the "stress of daily living," as if it was an essential part of life... or is it? Just because everyone around you is in the same boat of the "stress of daily living," you don't have to succumb to this stress. Is it possible to live a stress-free life while continuing to live in the civilized world? Isn't it worthwhile to explore this question? Only you can answer this question.
This was written by Sarfraz Zaidi, MD, FACE. Dr. Zaidi specializes in
Diabetes,
Endocrinology
and Metabolism.
Dr. Zaidi is an assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCLA and Director of the Jamila Diabetes and Endocrine Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, California.
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