Love knows no boundaries, nations, religions or factions. It’s as true and sure as death. However, it is also seen that love is not always logical and seems to enjoy its own eccentricities.
Madness on the other hand, may apparently seem to be both a highly frenzied or over excited reaction to a given situation or environment but it too, has its methods. In other words, madness has a discipline and rhythm of its own.
Let’s take the Martha Mitchell effect, for instance. Martha Mitchell, the US Attorney General’s wife during the Nixon administration, had ranted about certain conspiracies going on in the White House to the press just prior to the Watergate Scandal.
She was declared mentally unstable and forced into a psychiatric ward. The then President Nixon’s office repeatedly issued statements on her frenzied behavior and had her forcibly sedated.
Ultimately, however, her claims proved to be right when Watergate broke. Brendan Maher, a Harvard psychologist coined the phrase “Martha Mitchell effect” to describe a situation when someone who is diagnosed incorrectly as delusional, turns out to be eventually right.
However, the relationship between truth and madness is indeed a complicated one. They are thought to be strangers but more often than not, they turn out to be distant cousins.
No matter what, every human being is subject to social, financial, professional and work pressures and reacts differently to each situation. Some may take a stoic Buddha-like approach, some may get temporarily over excited, while some others may crack or even succumb to them. Moreover, there may also be “stuck” beliefs at play which are totally impervious to reality and this usually suggests mental illness.
So, what is it that you need to do to control this frenzied behavior, which others may consider madness?
Have Fun
If you feel that you are over excited, try and divert your mind elsewhere. Take up a challenging game or start playing with the dog. Go bike riding or watch funny movies.
Just have fun. This will calm you down and also distract you from the factors that create the over excitement.
Lack of fun time leads to obesity, criminality and reduced creativity, say researchers. Thus, playtime should be taken as seriously as work time.
Deep Breathing
This helps calm frenzied emotions, too. Deep breathing increases the oxygen supply to the brain and brings back the body’s natural response to relaxation.
Breathe in deeply through the nose, hold for a while and exhale through the mouth. Keep repeating till you feel calmer.
Even visualizing perfectly calm and tranquil landscapes has a positive and soothing effect on a disturbed mind.
Meditation Works Wonders on the Frenzied Mind
Deep meditation calms an over excited mind like nothing else. It reduces stress if practiced properly, enhances focusing abilities, improves concentration in daily chores, while also minimizing irrelevant mental chatter that prevents or reduces productivity.
Sit on a floor cushion or chair comfortably, close your eyes, breathe deeply and focus your attention on your immediate environment.
In your mind’s eye, you may even visualize a dot and focus on it. Should your attention wander, redirect it to the focus point.
Visualize Yourself as Calm and Relaxed
Visualization requires focusing your attention on a place of relaxation that brings about a feeling of calm. This improves motivational sense, enhances physical performance, boosts self-confidence and also gears your brain for success.
Conclusion
In sum, as human beings, we all react differently to varying situations. However, it pays to remember that apparent madness in all its forms, has a method, system or particular discipline to it. It needs to be analyzed first what triggers frenzied or over excited behavior followed by ways and methods to overcome or tackle it.
Written By: Biproarshi Guha
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