Our human bodies have been around for about 300,000 years. The majority of this evolution has been outside cities and little cement buildings, in colorful landscapes, fully exposed to elements and other creatures. We are made to move around, to look for food, to take care of each other and our land.
One of the most detrimental experiences for a human mind is that of being idle. Not having anything to do. This is not bad when it’s part of a vacation or on a weekend, since that usually compensates for over-stimulation and over-work.
In my therapy practice I often see this idle madness when people lose their jobs, are over-qualified for what they’re doing or have just retired. We underestimate the toll of these factors on their mental well-being. Not being employed or being in a job that is below one’s intellectual capacity will eventually make a person paranoid and frightful. Or it will shut them down completely.
Most often I see this in young people who are between school/university and finding work. Especially if they are intelligent and curious by nature, they come to me with panic attacks, all sorts of frightening thoughts and anxiety. Yes, there is always some pre-existing situation, I’ll grant you that. However the immediate shift that occurs when they finally get employed, and especially if it’s on their intellectual level, is phenomenal. It’s like a different person walks into the office. We can then work on underlying issues, but it now becomes a much more pleasant process, geared towards self-development, rather than one of keeping the monsters out from under the bed at night.
In my first job ever, as a computer engineer in a company working with government contracts, my very kind and experienced boss told me one thing to remember: Whenever there is a network or something doesn’t work always check the hardware first. (This was a looooong time ago, technology was not as sophisticated as it is now!). I try and remember this advice in all other parts of life, including mental well-being. So in the case of being idle, or what we sometimes refer to as ‘bored’, checking the hardware means to check the life that is happening. What is the person doing in their day, are they satisfying their mental and physical needs? Before we start the deeper examination, we check if the basic life parts are working. Many times it’s an easier fix than we realize.
