The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1916-12-31
WORRY is ABNORMAL.

WORRY is ABNORMAL.
Here is a bit of sound advice from
the United States Public Health Ser
vice that appeals to the average per-
son. 1t is our custom to drive the
human energies with all the force that
can be marshalled, and we have a
way of measuring a man by the
amount of physical endurance he may
have for the task at hand 1t is more
hours, more to be accomplished, great
er duties to be performed within
given period, all the year, all through
life until the human machine is worn
out and put aside.
This isn't for the lazy, curbstone
idler. 1t is for the man who works
hard and has worries. Read it,
'"The birds build nests for the pro-
lection of their young against the
weather; the foxes dig holes for secur-
ity against foes the squirrels lay by
stores of nuts against the coming of
winter; the dogs bury bones against
the day when bones will be scarce.
These are the manifestations of a
normal protective instinct arising
from an experience of many, many
generations. So far as is known
though, no bird ever tried to build
more nests than his neighbor; no fox
ever fretted because he only had one
hole in which to hide; no squirrel ever
died of anxiety lest he should not lay
by enough nuts for two winters in
stead of for one; and no dog ever
lost any sleep over the fact that he
didn't have enough bones laid aside
to provide for his declining years.
This protective instinct is also pres
ent in the human mind and when prop
erly directed is a great source Of
prosperity both to the individual and
the nation. In order for man to store
up and lay by to gain advancement
either in honor or material things, it
is necessary that he take some fore
thought of the morrow but just so
soon as he carries this beyond the nor
NAL point the mental process becomes
an exaggerated and abnormal fear of
IL, Al
sure to happen in the future unless
means are adopted against them. The
moment that this fear becomes abnor-
NAL or exaggerated it over stimulates
this protective instinct and to no good
purpose because it results in worry
This worry continues long after the
necessity for the normal stimulus of
fear has passed, with the result that
theme is an impairment in mental
power and a dissipation of the nerv-
GUS forces In other words, the men
tai engine has been running idle
and at the same time delivering no
propulsive power In fact, worry is
an abnormal state.
Not all worry is preventable but for
the most part it can be avoided. Most
Cf our fears are never realized, and as
rule, if we meet our troubles day
by day as they come without worry
ing about them before they arrive or
fretting over them after they have
passed, we will find that we have the
strength to rise above them. Worry
undermines the health to a certain
extent 1t really weakenS the mental
forces by firing them out by doing
nothing. Usually the relief from wor-
ry rests with the victim of this unhap-
by habit himself, but sometimes the
I-real causes are not the ones which
seem to explain the condition and we
must go deep into our lives or have
| the assistance of those who are skill
ed in unraveling mental process.
THE best antidote for worrying is
| change of mental occupation, get
ting away from the scenes which pro-
woke worry. exercise in the open air,
good book, pleasant recreation,
or temporary change of occupation.
| As a matter of mental health every
sufferer from this unfortunate condi-
ton over it to himself to discover
some simple means of getting away
J L. I'll, Il Sf,-,,o
to health and peace of mind alike"
SNAKE KILLED ElNE Bird DOG