Nerves and Common Sense   By: Annie Payson Call (1853-1940)

BY

ANNIE PAYSON CALL

Author of "Power Through Repose," "As a Matter of Course," "The Freedom of Life," etc.

NEW AND ENLARGED EDITION

MANY of these articles first appeared in "The Ladies' Home Journal," and I am glad to take this opportunity of thanking Mr. Edward Bok the editor for his very helpful and suggestive titles.

ANNIE PAYSON CALL.

CONTENTS

I. HABIT AND NERVOUS STRAIN II. HOW WOMEN CAN KEEP FROM BEING NERVOUS III. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW I AM RUSHED" IV. "WHY DOES MRS. SMITH GET ON MY NERVES?" V. THE TRYING MEMBER OF THE FAMILY VI. IRRITABLE HUSBANDS VII. QUIET vs. CHRONIC EXCITEMENT VIII. THE TIRED EMPHASIS IX. HOW TO BE ILL AND GET WELL X. IS PHYSICAL CULTURE GOOD FOR GIRLS? XI. WORKING RESTFULLY XII. IMAGINARY VACATIONS XIII. THE WOMAN AT THE NEXT DESK XIV. TELEPHONES AND TELEPHONING XV. DON'T TALK XVI. "WHY FUSS SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT I EAT?" XVII. TAKE CARE OF YOUR STOMACH XVIII. ABOUT FACES XIX. ABOUT VOICES XX. ABOUT FRIGHTS XXI. CONTRARINESS XXII. HOW TO SEW EASILY XXIII. DO NOT HURRY XXIV. THE CARE OF AN INVALID XXV. THE HABIT OF ILLNESS XXVI. WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES ME SO NERVOUS? XXVII. POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFORT XXVIII. HUMAN DUST XXIX. PLAIN EVERY DAY COMMON SENSE XXX. A SUMMING UP

CHAPTER I

Habit and Nervous Strain

PEOPLE form habits which cause nervous strain. When these habits have fixed themselves for long enough upon their victims, the nerves give way and severe depression or some other form of nervous prostration is the result. If such an illness turns the attention to its cause, and so starts the sufferer toward a radical change from habits which cause nervous strain to habits which bring nervous strength, then the illness can be the beginning of better and permanent health. If, however, there simply is an enforced rest, without any intelligent understanding of the trouble, the invalid gets "well" only to drag out a miserable existence or to get very ill again.

Although any nervous suffering is worth while if it is the means of teaching us how to avoid nervous strain, it certainly is far preferable to avoid the strain without the extreme pain of a nervous breakdown.

To point out many of these pernicious habits and to suggest a practical remedy for each and all of them is the aim of this book, and for that reason common examples in various phases of every day life are used as illustrations.

When there is no organic trouble there can be no doubt that defects of character, inherited or acquired, are at the root of all nervous illness. If this can once be generally recognized and acknowledged, especially by the sufferers themselves, we are in a fair way toward eliminating such illness entirely.

The trouble is people suffer from mortification and an unwillingness to look their bad habits in the face. They have not learned that humiliation can be wholesome, sound, and healthy, and so they keep themselves in a mess of a fog because they will not face the shame necessary to get out of it. They would rather be ill and suffering, and believe themselves to have strong characters than to look the weakness of their characters in the face, own up to them like men, and come out into open fresh air with healthy nerves which will gain in strength as they live.

Any intelligent man or woman who thinks a bit for himself can see the stupidity of this mistaken choice at a glance, and seeing it will act against it and thus do so much toward bringing light to all nervously prostrated humanity.