Narrated
till now…
Pramod
started getting problems while driving after he experienced a nasty turbulence
during a flight journey. He was referred to a psychiatrist by his doctor. The
psychiatrist discusses with him in detail and asks him to meet her after three days…
Narration
continues…
“Coming
from office?” Dr. Maya asked.
“Yes
doctor. That’s why I am in formal attire” he replied.
She
again started looking at the reports and there was silence for almost five
minutes.
“Everything
is OK with me doctor?” he questioned.
She
looked at him and smiled. She said “Have you observed my table today? “
“You
have arranged things very well”
“Of
course I had to. You were coming to meet me” she laughed.
“Did
you sleep well during the last couple of days?”
“I
think so. I was sleeping better and woke up on time”
“To
tell you the truth I had written vitamin tablets. They have no control over
your sleep. It is you who slept better. It was your mind which conditioned you
to sleep better because you were under the impression that the tablet was to
aid you in sleeping” she said.
“I
have analyzed the case and feel that there is nothing seriously wrong anywhere.
You do not need any medical intervention. This has got to do with your mindset
issues”
Pramod
looked amused and said “How can it be so simple doctor? I feel confused while
driving up on a bridge and feel like getting out of the car each and every
time. You are saying that it is simple mindset issue?”
She
smiled again and said “Let me explain to you.
The
problem is that you feel strange while driving on a bridge and feel like coming
out of the car and you say this started happening after that nasty turbulence.
Isn’t it?”
“Yes”
“The
uneasiness is only a manifestation of something else that is happening. It has
got to do with your mind. Even though you feel you cannot drive you continue
and reach your destination because you cannot come out as you are in traffic.
Let
us go point by point and start discussing about your disturbed sleep. Believe
me whenever you get up in the middle of night and find it difficult to go back
to sleep again, you are under stress. Your day time stress shows in the night.
You start remembering the problems you face and though you know you cannot
solve them in the middle of the night, you keep pondering over them.
Next
interesting point is the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). IBS is a lifestyle
disease and of late is common in middle aged professionals. Untimely intake of
food, intake of junk food, stress and late night sleep will induce IBS. Though we can
control it by medication, the best solution would be returning to a healthy and
normal lifestyle.”
Pramod
raised his finger indicating that he had a point to make.
“Yes
please ask” she said.
He
continued “I agree with you that lifestyle induces stress and IBS but I have
been having these things for the past two to three years. Why suddenly I have
problems now? Though a frequent flyer why I am unable to cope up after that
particular turbulence?”
She
smiled again and said “This is the big problem with you professionals. I take
many training sessions for company executives and professional. I see the same
pattern of behavior. You do not listen completely to what the other person is
saying”
“I
listened to you and so I am asking you” he said.
“You
have listened to me to question but have not listened to me to understand.
Please carefully listen to what I say and start questioning once I complete.
You will miss the rhythm and this will break the flow and hence your
understanding.”
Pramod
smiled and with folded hands said “OK doctor please continue. I shall listen
carefully”
She
laughed and continued “You were not comfortable with the shabby arrangement of
things on my table. You could have neglected it but you could not. You are used
to arranging things in an orderly manner and you get turned off if things are
not in proper place. Am I right?”
“Perfect
and correct” he replied.
She
continued “It is not wrong to expect things to be in proper place or arranging
things properly. In fact it is good. As they say cleanliness and orderliness are
next to Godliness. The issue comes when you become obsessed with it. Yesterday
I spoke to Susan and asked her about your obsession with keeping things in
order. She told me that you are very fussy about it. This is OCPD”
She
paused and drank water from the glass.
Pramod
asked “What is OCPD?”
She
replied “It is Obsessive–compulsive
personality disorder. The person will be concerned about orderliness,
perfectionism and gives excessive attention to details.
I asked you about playing tennis in an open
ground and you gave the answer I expected. You are predictable.
You
mentioned that you cannot play tennis without a net and a court. If you think
about it you will realize that your focus is not on the game but on the
boundaries that are needed for the game.
This
is reflection of your approach to life. I had a detailed discussion about this with
Susan and learnt many things about you. You have a habit of arranging every
activity in a properly manner. You decide on time deadlines and very
efficiently split the activity into smaller parts and plan to execute the same.
It is good as long as you do not get obsessed with the plan you have made. Many
times it so happens that things do not go in the manner you plan and the
delayed time schedules turn you off. This adds up to stress.
Each
person can take external pressures to the extent he can afford. The moment it exceeds,
it manifests as stress. This has happened in your case.
A
third person may feel that linking your issues with driving to the nasty
turbulence, to various habits you have and the way you think is not logical. Believe me things work that
way. I handle many cases of mental stress and cases wherein people are driven
to extreme steps. At first we do not get the correct answer for
their behavior but after probing into related and unrelated issues we come to a
logical conclusion.
In this case also the chronology of events and your personality made me
conclude that you can help yourself better”
She
looked at Pramod and said “You have anything to say?”
He
replied “while some handle more pressure easily, why I am not able to do so?”
She
replied “Mr.Kulkarni each one is unique and different.
Let
us talk of how to provide a solution to this. These issues can be treated by
medication and meditation. I would like you to think of the second option.
I
strongly recommend you to join a good meditation course and practice breathing
exercises.”
“How
will this help me?”
“Good
question” she said and continued “By meditating you give time to yourself. You
spend those moments in solitary silence and start looking inward.
Breathing
exercises help in pumping more oxygen into the body. The cells in the body get
more quantity of oxygen and this helps.
Also
as every emotion of ours is linked to pattern of breathing, having a control
over breathing will help.”
“How
is it so?” he said.
She
continued “When you are angry or upset, you will be breathing faster and in
shorter spans. When you are relaxed and happy your breathing will be slow and
you tend to take longer breaths. By practicing pranayama and other breathing
exercises you can have a control over your emotions.”
Pramod
looked happy and there was a glow on his face. He realized that he himself was
the cause of all the problems he was facing and the solution should come from within.
Dr.
Maya continued “Mr. Kulkarni it is only a beginning. Just by joining a
meditation course you will not be able to overcome all the hurdles you face.
You will definitely be in the right direction. I am prescribing some tablets and on taking
them in the night after dinner you will have a relaxed sleep. There is no other
medicine required for the time being. Please join a good meditation course like
‘Towards better living’ and take control of your life. Believe me these are not
vitamin tablets. You will definitely get good sleep” saying so she laughed.
Pramod
too had a hearty laugh and after shaking hands with Dr. Maya stepped out of the
room.
