TIME’S UP!: How Time Anxiety and FOND (Fear of Not Doing (enough)) can wreak havoc on your body
TIME’S UP!: How Time Anxiety and FOND (Fear of Not Doing (enough)) can wreak havoc on your body
By James E. “Jed” Foster, Jr., MA, LMFT
Time anxiety. You know the feeling. Anxiety crops up as you’re running late (or think you’re running late); or, you find yourself getting irritated as one activity goes longer than expected and encroaches on the time set aside for the next activity. Is the clock ticking in the back of your mind? Maybe you start feeling dread or guilt that time spent “doing nothing” has kept you from doing something really important.
The acronym FOND (fear of not doing) has cropped up recently next to its cousin FOMO (fear of missing out). Both can drive anxiety and lead to irritability, anger, and even erratic behavior. For example, driving recklessly to “make up for lost time” could put yourself and others at risk…and for what, and few minutes? These struggles are real, and they probably served us at some point in life; but when the anxiety crosses a line and starts triggering the stress response in our bodies, we may want to take a look at ourselves and challenge the beliefs that are driving behaviors and reactions that don’t fit the situation (and therefore look irrational to anyone nearby).
How does one know that the stress response is being triggered? Here are a few signs: raised heart rate, shallow breathing, tension in the core and other areas of the body, sweating, and – as anyone with IBS knows – trouble in the gut. Diarrhea flare ups, constipation, acid reflux, and nausea are just a few of the ways the gut can react (surprisingly quickly) to the stress response. So what can be done to change our relationship with anxiety to slow down the stress response (this side of a time machine) and help us free us from the race against the clock??? Get present. Relax. Easier said than done, I know. For some more background and coping strategies, check out this recent article by Marissa Gainsburg in Women’s Health on time anxiety and how it affects our lives:
https://apple.news/AiWIOJuHqRr6ULbNBwtRA6g
Jed is a licensed psychotherapist that continues to be both amazed by and drawn to the mind-body connection. Check in on his blogs and video logs for news, information, tips, and commentary on topics related to – but not limited to – the mind-gut connection, behavioral therapy, gut-directed hypnotherapy, weight management, positive psychology, stress reduction, anxiety, depression, overall well-being, and anything else he feels patients will benefit from learning. Jed is actively accepting new patients. Call 224.407.4400 today and begin your journey to better health and enhanced overall well-being.