The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-04-09

Right in our very respectable neigh,
bothood there lives q woman who Is
cruelty abused slave. No, not q
slave III the old sense, nor a slave In
the new sense Of white slaves" nor
even a slave TO her husband ar chill.
dren This woman is simply what !
call an obsesslon slave, That is:
she's the unhappy and torturedeyassal
and victim OF the obsessions which
she herself sets up as masters over
herself.
Do l fall to make myself clear!
well, suppose / become concrete. This
woman has a very kind and devoted
husband. He is occasionally called
away on business trips and. on the
last trip, his customary bl.weekly let
ter failed to come on one occasion. His
wife at once become obsessed Of the
idea that he did not love her any long
er. she brooded over this idea,
aniassed evidence to prove it, became
absolutely convinced Of 1t, and in the
few days in which she did not hear
from him, actually worried herself al
most silk. At the end Of the week two
letters came together; the first had
been missent by the postal authorl'
ties. we had told her,al the time
that something like this was the cause
of the delay, but she was SO COM
nletely under the domination OF her
obsesslons that she could not use her
reason or her common sense.
So much for one example OF her
slavery. she has other obsessions on
many other1subjects, aud ] find her in
the enslaved state lady jften.
This woman is an exaggerated case
of obsession slavery, but think .
great many OF US suffer in lesser de.
gree from this mental disease, For
that is what it is, We allow an idea
to take possession of us and we be-
come absolutely incapable OF using
reason on the subject And that Is
not healthy or normal We get an
idea that we are going to lose our pc.
sition; that some dear one nc longer
loves us; that we are losing our men
tai keenness, or our grip on business
or our ability in some direction; thai
people dislike us or regard US with
aversion; and we beginto hunt fof
evidence to support this idea. Ana IN
this kind OF hunting one is always
srre Of bagglug plenty OF game
BY and by something happens to
completely disprove Our fears our
employer gives us an unasked raise;
the loved one offers some unusual and
unmistakable proof OF affection; vel
demonstrate our mental power or our
grip ION business or our talent, III
some way indisputable even 70 our
selves; or we are brought face toI
face with some unexpected proof Of
our popularity; and then we say III
never be SO foolish again And we
are not-until the next time.
What's the cure for this common
disease? Well the best cure, as for
all diseases, is prevention, Cure it
before you have it. Don't let yourself
get into this habit OF mind When you
find yourself brooding over anything
like this. take your mind "by the
scruff OF the neck as Arnold Bennett
says, and put it on some other sub,
iect. Do this hundred times, If nee
assary. You will never regret the eff
tort.
But what If the disease is already
startcd?" some unhappy victim asks.
Well, then, administer the same treat ,
nent, only more OF it. Furthermore,
when you have found that one OF
.hese obsessions was utterly foolish.
write down that fact and keep the doc
lment where you can see 1t when the
lext attack starts. Don't let your at
acks get under way. Nip them Ii
he bud. Again, don't give yourself
line to brood Keep busy working
md playing and being happy When
,ou feel an attack coming on, go out
nto Gods serene outdoors and try
o obsorb some OF itS serenity. Take
long walk; try to get your body
healthy and your mind will set some
# the benefit. 0o and call on some
.heerHul friend who will give you the
.ontagion Of his optimism, or visit
omc one less fortunate than you
whose real troubles will shame your
imaginary ones.
7Ga G77-.11--