1 of 13

Write now Article Tools

Dear Dr. Ursa,

I think I have TMS - Too Much Syndrome. Is there a quiz I can take to be sure?

Harried in Hamilton

Dear Harried,

Get a grip! There is no such thing as TMS. You, and you alone, are driving yourself crazy.

Get a garbage bag. Fill it with stuff you don't want and have no foreseeable use for in the next 90 days. Take it to the dump NOW.

Clean out your e-mail archives. Throw out obsolete mail, magazines you were going to read some day, old boxes you were keeping "just in case." Start a "give-away" box of things to donate to charity at the earliest opportunity.

If you don't have the heart to throw out some of those boxes, fill them with junk that is lying around your living quarters. Seal and label them: TIME CAPSULE. Select a different date for each box to be opened so you don't get overwhelmed later. Opening one box can be fun. Opening a dozen of them is a recipe for disaster.

Cancel all appointments that are not essential to your survival.

Schedule a Designated Day Off. Put a hold on all responsibilities for 24 hours. Tell other people that you will not be available for anything. ("Sorry - DDO. Nothing I can do about it." No need to explain what a DDO is - let their imagination run riot. ) If you can afford it, check into a nice motel in a town you like and don't tell anyone where you are. Notice that the sun still rises in the morning. That might encourage you to move on to a Scheduled Nervous Break-Down. An SNBD is essentially the same as a DDO, but it can last anywhere from two days to a year.

Develop tunnel vision. Pick one problem, however small, and solve it.

As much as possible, stop spending time with people you don't like, people who depress you, and people who demand more than they give.

Talk to a friend. Don't weep and wail about why all this overwhelming chaos is happening to you. Brainstorm ways of changing it.

Ask questions. IS THIS MY IDEA, OR SOMEONE ELSE'S? WHAT IS THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN? WHO HAS THE MOST TO GAIN?

If it is beyond your power to control something, leave it alone.

Join Helium and offer other people all the good advice you are not using yourself.

Dear Dr. Ursa,

I'm going crazy here. It seems that all I'm doing these days is spending money and yelling at people. This happens every year as Christmas approaches. I always promise myself that I won't let things get out of hand next year, but here I am again and it's the same thing.

- Screaming in Seattle

Dear Screaming,

1. Cancel all your appointments for the day. Lock yourself in

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Satire: Stress?
We want to hear your view. Write now!