The test is soon.
The interview is sooner. The presentation is even sooner. We age each day with the tick of the clock, time keeps moving forward, but what if we don’t live up to the standards of time? While it isn’t an official diagnosis, according to Dictionary.com, the constant fear of time is classified as Chronophobia. Anxiety and stress over being late to a party, appointment, movie, math test can all be symptoms of Chronophobia. People also fear running out of time and dying. According to Dictionary.com, Thanatophobia is an abnormal fear of death. People who experience Thanatophobia or Chronophobia seem to become narrow-minded and miss events such as birthdays, sports games, a simple trip to your favorite restaurant with friends and all that is happening around them, and they begin to focus on their death or the tick of a clock. With that mindset, it is almost impossible to be productive and enjoy fun experiences throughout life. Some Kids and adults are diagnosed with Thanatophobia. As a result, this section of society fears their death date and not fulfilling their goals and having a meaningful life before they die. This group becomes so focused on death that they ultimately forget to live. A study by The National US Medicine Library showed that elderly people had low levels of anxiety concerning time (scoring 4/15 on Templer’s Death Anxiety Scale), but their children scored higher (6.9/15). The Templer’s Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) has been used since 1970, and is used as the most accurate technique for measuring death anxiety according to the Professional Medicine Journal. It is alarming that adolescents waste their youth with the fear of death rather than taking advantage of the time they have to live. According to Fear Of, a website specializing in a variety of fears, the symptoms of Chronophobia may include feeling completely detached from reality, having full blown panic attacks at the thought of passing time, experiencing heart palpitations and dizziness, fainting, sweating excessively,and in general, feeling completely out of control. Although Chronophobia is an actual fear, fearing time may be one of the most unproductive lifestyles and can cause people to miss certain opportunities given throughout a lifetime. By living life with a constant focus on time, those affected by chronophobia lose a chance to experience cheerful moments in life with friends and family, as this fear overwhelms their everyday moments and experiences. Chronophobia can appear among groups of people, especially to those in school and those who are employed. Most people have underwent a point of stress where there is not enough time and wish the clock would freeze. Some cry with frustration or run away from an assignment to avoid their responsibilities. These are all symptoms of Chronophobia. Yet, there is a way around this fear. Hypnotherapy is an therapy which has resulted in positive results and has been approved by American Medical Association to treat various mental disorders. Psychotherapy which is similar to Hypnotherapy as they both communicate with subconscious mind, is a proven therapy for overcoming the fear of the future phobia. An expert practitioner can help the phobic “fix” his/her preconceived notions about time and the future, according to Fear Of. At-home remedies to avoid the fear of time may include yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and Tai Chi etc. A simple deep breathing strategy to keep oneself calm, or finding a zen is a perfect way to realize that this stress is simply just not worth it. Find a hobby, become involved in a sport, use time effectively. Many tend to fear time because it comes with the unknown. The US National Library of Medicine stated, “a basic aspect of anxiety appears to be uncertainty.” Uncertainty links directly to the future, as some fear the uncertainty of a test grade or even more extreme; when they might die which is something we simply just cannot control. Although many cannot help avoiding the concept of time as it keeps pushing forward, for others it is a remedy. A heartbreak, a broken bone, or even time to relax after a chaotic day can all be a remedy to lift people back to their full potential. Time is beneficial when it is used used to relieve stress and better oneself. Death is inevitable; rather than run away from it, make the best of life before it catches you. If you are a couple minutes late to your best friend’s birthday, think to yourself: what is the worst that can happen? Maybe get a joke from your friend. Maybe you miss the birthday song. But I am sure they will save you a cupcake. The saying, “everything happens for a reason” is genuine, and if we live by that statement, rather than base our schedules on the tick of a clock, anxiety will be reduced. Time is never going to stop. These words have been read, and time is still moving. Every breath you take, the time is clicking. Stop being afraid. Take advantage of the time you do have. Say “I love you” and live every moment to the fullest because even though we don't know when time will stop we have the power to live the life we choose. Consume yourself in positive experiences and make life worth it. Control the memories you make, because time will never be controlled. |