Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-03
Thoughts With Burrs.

I am one of the army OF teachers
NTH a 1Ieur1Sthentc inclination or fra
ton brought on probably By q some
tUh1t deficient nervous system urd the
erGcttng duties of the classroom
Symptoms are the di6use annoying
pains in the upper part OF the head
NTH that extremely irritating pressure
lasting day IN and day out for weeks at
q time, but neUer strong enough to keep
one quake at night, or to Keep one from
dragging through days work. Also,
Developing q frdtton, tDteT lotU in 71eTUe
force, and q chance remark of an I'M
pleasant nature Is made. For example,
friend once said that cats Uould eat
dead people-dn immediate Aversion to
cats. Some one said that teachers of
mathematics 1Dere inclined to be pc
cuIidT and unusual and I formed
an immediate aversion to the subject
Which teach. Other examples could
be gtDen. hare neuer oiUen in to
these foolish GUeTsionS. I 1OiH continue
to teach ntdthenaGticS-Gnd to touch
cats. Am I on the right track? or
should some other factor be considered?
Is there real hope that these frdttons
trtH be conquered IN time? As you tueu
krotD, they don't help one In ones work
the least bit.
AN APPRECTATIVE READER.
Reply.
This is a clear-cut letter, reflects a
precide mind; the writer is presumably
good teacher of mathematics, yet has
troubled mind, no less. BY way Of
approach, note that these obsessions, or
fixed ideas, as the French call them.
or thoughts that stick like burrs and
won't let go, are apt to occur in neuras-
thenic cases. Exhaustion feelings, head
pains and tensions, fears and anxieties
the next place. The weakened, neu-
rasthenic mind is open. to them, yet
recognizes their irrationality, won't be
controlled by them and remains
affected despite the resistance.
A superstition in minds generally ra-
tional may have similar psychology.
When the obsesSion has motor aspect,
it is no less characteristic-perh
more so. 1t may make you touch every
fence paling or touch wood when you
say you haven't had a cold this year,
or make you avoid peacock feathers. or
what mental habit have you that sticks
like burr to your otherwise sensible
mind?
The pure type Of fixed ideas, to
which you give more attention than you
shoulder they are often worth none
at all-remains in the field of ideas
or notions that you should dismiss, but
which get an emotional hold on you,
typically with the cling of fear that
disturbs your peace of mind.
You know that there's really moth
ing to be done about it and dismiss
1t. But, somehow, that idea has burrs
or tentacles that have attached them
selves to your critical cells and won't
easily be shaken off. Why? We know
no other why than that your mind
being of that bent, and in a fatiguec
condition, is good sticking ground fol
thoughts with burrs. See how irrele-
want as well as relevant they may
be: "Cats eat dead people" is the
thought; aversion to cats the conSe'
quence of the burr. Irrelevant nom
sense, pure and simple. "MatherlaticI
teachers are peculiar" Consequence
aversion to mathematics. Quite per.
sonal and relevant, only equally non
Sensical. II it weren't these notions
it would be other ideas no more con-
sequential that, somehow, get so flxa'
tive that they stick.
Such sticky thoughts are mental OBJ
sessions. Kept within these limits
they are just impediments; but II tne1
grow and lead to brooding, or develop
into a grievance, they become serious
In neurasthenic cases they rarely do so
What this shows about the norma
flow of thought is plain. We should b
free to roam in thought as We Will. Civ
each it's proper attention and pass or
The obsessed mind can't do so. Yet b
an effort the disturbing thought Is dis
missed. The mathematics teacher goe
on with the lesson, but at a cost. II
clears his mind and goes to sleep, bu
not always easily. What's the remedy
A rested mind. Get more rest, bette
physical condition, avoid straining worl
and the burrs dry away. When they q
the pains and the tensions also 60