TOW #21: Neurasthenia: The Disease of Living Too Fast

During the turn of the century, as industrialization brought people to the bustling cities and typical gender roles began to fade, a disease known as neurasthenia was created to explain what today we would classify as work related stress. However, according to turn of the century physicians, the rigors of modern living reduced the "nervous energy" of a person and made them lethargic, achy, or generally in a state of malaise. The "cure" for neurasthenia was to (at least for men) take an extended vacation to the great outdoors. In an article for magazine, The Atlantic, author Julie Beck establishes how neurasthenia was complete rubbish used to establish rights of the privileged. However, the heart of neurasthenia as it relates to the American theme of overworking oneself still holds true today, and there is still some merit to slowing down every once in a while.

When neurasthenia was in vogue, Americans were just beginning their indsutrial, enterprising spirit. Today, we uphold this spirit as much as ever as we delve deeper into our jobs, seemingly never leaving a screen or our phones. As our level if work related stress increases to the point of insanity, the need for a break is ever important. The average American works a steady job five days a week, and often brings this job home with them, constantly being connected to social media, email, etc. While this constant connection may be a good thing in terms of increasing our productivity and the ease with which we carry out every day tasks, it also can be exhausting as we are in constant connection with those around us. This increase in our stress levels thus precipitates the need for a mental break, as was the cure for neurasthenia back in the day. Today, rather than taking month long excursions to dude ranches in Wyoming like Teddy Roosevelt did to cure his neurasthenia, it is necessary that we slow down from our stress in other ways. Taking a few hours away from our screens each day, or designating a day each week to get outside and away from our work and technology may behoove us more than we think. Taking up a yoga class, going for a walk in the woods, or simply taking a well deserved nap could provide the respite necessary to cure us of our modern day neurasthenia. 

TOW 20- IRB

The psychological ramifications of cancer to caregivers and loved ones of those who have passed away are often burdensome and life altering. Dave Eggers' Pulitzer Prize nominated book A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius takes a look at these ramifications in a manic, confused, daydreamy way. While the narrator of the non-fiction account shrouds his pain in irony and humor, it is obvious that those who have lost loved ones to cancer suffer from psychological effects much deeper than just loss.

In his book, Eggers, who is also the narrator, skips directly from the death of his parents (both to unrelated cancers and within months of each other) to months later where he acts as the sole caregiver of his young brother Toph. The situation would seem to be a very hard one for a young adult to deal with, being handed so much responsibility in such a short time, but Eggers seems completely unfazed and rather happy about the whole situation. He describes their situation as "collecting on what's coming to us, each day we're being paid back for what is owed, what we deserve, with interest". Eggers initial description of his situation seems selfish and relaxed, but soon one can see that he is really just unstable. His manic attitude shifts his thoughts immediately from "Should I lighten my hair? Does that whitening toothpase really work?" to "Maybe I'm already sick. It's already growing inside me. A tapeworm. AIDS. I have to get started, have to get started soon because I will die before thirty". His thoughts about the mundane easily shift into a slippery slope of unjustified death and despair that shows his mental instability. Thus Eggers psyche is not just affected by sadness and loss, but his entire mechanism of sane thinking has been rocked by the events which have transpired, and the situation he finds himself in. 

Cancer often lingers long after it takes the life of someone, and that is shown poignantly in A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. While many people may pretend to be unfazed by their loss, the truth is that cancer can greatly rattle those it affects for life.