What a Relief????

I heard an interesting talk show on radio this week. The host was talking about tests that had been done on people to establish the participants’ level of fear. The test involved electrical shocks. (glad I was not involved with that one) One group new what to expect while the other group new something painful would happen, during the test, but were not sure of when it would happen. Overwhelmingly the participants who were unsure of when the pain would hit were more nervous and apprehensive than the other group.

Reminds me of a neighbor who, one late, but warm, autumn day was doing some yard work. I suggested to him that it was a good thing that it was not -40. His response was interesting. He said he kind of wished it was because then he would not dread it any more.

A friend dropped into my office this week. She was happy, she was relieved and in a better mood then I had seen for awhile. Seems that for some time she had been concerned that she might have Attention Deficit Disorder. This was based on a certain amount of self diagnosis but worrisome none the less. Through a referral from her doctor she was able to see a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist confirmed what she had been thinking. But, he also told her that it was not something to be overly concerned with and suggested to her that she should continue with the coping skills she already used and gave her a few other tips. Bottom line. When she had confirmation of what she had been concerned about she felt a lot of relief.

Reminds me of when I would not open mail because I was afraid of what I might find. Of particular concern were the monthly onslaught of bills. And yet, when I did finally open them I felt relief because I knew for sure what the bad news was. Sounds bizarre.

There is a lesson here. Often times we try to hide from the realities of life. It may be a health concern, a financial concern, worried about the future, or others. We work ourselves into a real dither. The lesson is simple. There is help. There is hope. There are resources available for most any problem you might think you have. The key is to avail yourself of those resources. And remember. You are not alone. Make it a good one.