Today we went to the Yuma County Library and I got a library card. Sarah could not get one because she is in fact an illegal alien and is not afforded the rights of those of use who have waited the 14 or so hours in line at the DMV.
The librarian told me that I could check out two items today because I had not been deemed trustworthy to have access to the entire library. Sarah chose "The Truth" by Al Franken and I chose a book that claims to cure anxiety, panic attacks and other problems by reading it. I figured it was worth a try. I started reading the book tonight and discovered 1.) it is not interesting and 2.) it increased my anxiety while reading and 3.) toaught me step by step how to hypervenilate should the need arise.
I am supposed to have a studt partner for the book (this person does not have to have any of the disorders being cured) and Sarah reluctantly said she would do it. I am going to have her read it and see if she thinks it is a bunch og bullhockey and then I will determine how much stock I will put it into reading and following this woman's advice.
So far I have learned that when I feel anxious about something I have to assess the risk in a ratio. For example, there is a 50 percent chance I will faint at this event. But, people with anxiety disorders tend to assess risk on what they THINK will happen not what has happened in the past. So if I say there is a 75% chance I will faint and someone says well how many times have you fainted in the past and I say never then in reality there is a 0-5% percent chance I will faint. The book says that worriers are the worst fortune tellers so I don't really know why they say to assess the risk when it will always be larger than the actual risk.
So I guess my point to all of this is that we are all better off reading fiction rom the library!
2 comments:
Hakuna Matatta! :-)
Did you check this woman's credentials before checking this book out? I feel that I could write a book like that too. Perhaps the book has other uses, like using it as a wedge under a wobbly table. :-) And what kind of library do you have there that you have to prove yourself before you can check out books? It doesn't sound very public. I hope everything is else is going well.
-Sus
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