Is Rush Disease Real?
Do you always multitask around the clock and feel pressured or anxious about any delay? Are you one of those people who while answering an email is talking on the phone and serving children? If this is your case, it is likely that you suffer from the disease of haste.
This condition has not been listed as a distinctive clinical condition. However, cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman coined the term to refer to a pattern of behavior present in type A personalities, which are characterized by the urgency of time and impatience.
In general terms, they defined the disease of haste as a chronic and incessant struggle to achieve more and more things in less time. People with this condition tend to multitask in a hurry, try to save as much time as possible, and feel irritable when they are delayed.
Characteristics of rush disease
Feelings of urgency, anxiety, worry, and stress are always present in rush disease . This converges because they are busy people and they feel that time is not enough to carry out all the responsibilities.
However, one must be careful with this claim. If we assume that being efficient is living fast, performing various tasks a day, it is likely that we do not realize that something is wrong.
Another characteristic is the need to be doing other things while waiting. Well, they feel that the time that passes in these moments is not productive. In this way, they look for activities to do in these periods.
Other signs of rush disease may include the following:
- Perform constant mental calculations to see if another task can be accomplished. If you notice some free time in your agendas, you tend to fill it with more responsibilities.
- There is irritability when setbacks occur.
- Review your to-do list to make sure nothing has been overlooked.
- Speeding to avoid wasting time.
- Go from one queue to another because it feels a little shorter. Whether in traffic, the supermarket or another establishment.
- Sleep with your clothes on to save time the next morning.
- Need to do the earrings faster and faster, even when there is no reason to be in a hurry.
What causes it?
This condition is usually an expression of unprocessed internal conflicts that produce anguish in the person. In this way, cluttering up tasks is a way of coping or escaping.
Consequently, behind the disease of haste, there is likely to be a fear of failure, a need for approval, or an inability to set limits. However, each person is a world and the specific causes will depend on the individual constitution.
For their part, technological advances, designed to make our lives easier, have contributed to less free time. It seems counterintuitive, but it is. Thanks to these time-saving tools (clothes dryers, dishwashers, microwaves, mobile phones) we create an illusion and take on more responsibilities than we can handle.
With this we do not want to discredit the value of these new technologies. On the contrary, the important thing is to realize that these devices do not make our time infinite and that we will always have a limit. The ideal is to know how to recognize it.
Possible consequences of rush disease
The chronicity of the rush can have serious consequences for the general well-being of the person. The most common are those that we will explain now.
Physical
Being constantly in a rush keeps us from focusing on self-care. We even begin to neglect necessary and healthy habits, such as hydration, diet, physical activity and good rest.
These practices are the best tool to combat stress and anxiety. If we neglect them we will begin to notice insomnia, problems in the immune system, fatigue, headaches and digestive problems.
Also, living under constant stress increases your chances of suffering from high blood pressure. One study found that traits associated with type A personalities (urgency of time and impatience) produce an increased risk of hypertension.
Mental
Believing that you don’t have enough time to fulfill responsibilities creates a lot of stress and anxiety. On the other hand, being always worried about starting the next task on the list causes problems to concentrate on the activity that is being done in the present.
In turn, paying little attention to the task implies spending more time than stipulated and doing poor quality work. This leads to more stress, feelings of inadequacy, failure, low self-esteem, irritability, or anger.
Social
When the mind is thinking about the pending issues and how to make the time last longer, we stop listening and paying attention to our partner, friends or family. We also stopped meeting with our loved ones.
On the other hand, the emotional exhaustion produced by the rush prevents being a source of emotional support or physical affection for those close to them. All these circumstances or similar events end up deteriorating relationships.
How can you fight the disease of haste?
There are ways to approach the disease of haste and not let it consume us. These tips can help you. Concentrate on them and try to apply them to your particularity.
Learn to say no
Many people get caught up in the rush sickness because they don’t know how to set limits and say “no . ” They often think that refusing bothers their loved ones or creates conflict at work.
But in the end it ends up being detrimental, since they are accelerated by lack of time and do poor quality work. Setting limits is healthy.
Practice mindfulness
The mindfulness or mindfulness helps focus our minds on things that are happening in the present. Consequently, it is a very useful skill that you can develop when trying to control haste. Ideally, make it part of your routine.
Try to extend mindfulness to all aspects of your life. That is, don’t just meditate for a few minutes a day and then go back to your busy lifestyle. It is important that you reflect and be present during most of your actions.
Seek support
Having support figures helps to combat anguish and worries. Talk about your situation with your loved ones and co-workers. In them you can find the support you need to get ahead.
Likewise, psychotherapeutic assistance is always a good option to achieve effective and lasting results. A mental health specialist will provide you with the necessary tools to overcome this condition.
Focus on your personal care
Take care of your body and its needs, no matter how busy you are. Without a healthy diet, quality sleep, water, physical exercise and company, your health will deteriorate. You will appreciate investing time in this care, since you will have more energy.
Do activities of your liking
In addition to the basics of self-care, take time to do activities that you enjoy. This will help balance your lifestyle, offering enjoyment, relaxation, and tranquility.
Identify those things that give you stability
We all have zones that provide us with stability. These can be objects, people, ideas, or places.
For example, the home, the hug of the couple or talking with a friend. Identify what situations make you feel good and go to them when you feel like you can’t take it anymore. It is a good way to disconnect and recover.
Be positive
It’s easy to get alienated with negative thoughts when we are overloaded and in a rush. Therefore, a positive outlook can help you feel more motivated.
To do this, identify these thoughts when they come to your mind and try to change them for realistic and positive alternatives.
When to see a professional?
The intervention of a professional is always pertinent. However, there are cases that require it more urgently than others.
These are people whose health has been severely compromised. Either because of the emotional ravages (stress, irritability, anxiety) or because of recklessness that endangers your life or that of others (such as driving at high speeds or having recurring attacks of anger).
Rush sickness can be confused with productivity and go unnoticed. It is important to recognize if we ourselves or a loved one may be suffering from this condition. If so, solutions must be put in place. This could avoid severe consequences in the future.
