Addicted to Urgency: Rehab for the Individual and Social Pathology of the Hyperkinetic Society

by Katherine Elmer, Clinical Herbalist (2015)

Are you addicted to urgency? This was a question posed at a leadership training I attended roughly 10 years ago, embedded in a “Cosmo-quiz” type questionnaire. The quiz was a farce in my case, because I already knew the answer. It included statements such as- I spend my day reacting and moving from one unexpected or pressing event to the next. I feel frustrated at the end of the day or week realizing my most important tasks are still undone. I feel guilty when I am taking time off or relaxing. Sound familiar? Addiction is defined as a strong and harmful need to regularly have or do something. (1) So, am I addicted to urgency? Hell, yes! And my pusher is the modern world. The intoxicating magnetism of possible “success” laced with the deeply intertwined threat to survival posed by the possibility of failure, all enticingly packaged as a never-ending list of tasks, and a heady mixture of flashy, entertaining distractions. Where’s the rehab for that? 

Many have turned to the wisdom of Eastern philosophy to cultivate an ability to value the present moment and take moments to resist the attraction of future opportunities, and the power of that wisdom persists today. Modern science is catching up with this ancient wisdom and further justifying the value of rest and mindfulness for a healthy mind, body and spirit. This paper explores key questions such as: What is the physiological impact of living in this time characterized by adrenaline fueled intensity and multi-tasking? What is the impact on society when decisions are being made by individuals living out these addictions? Finally, I present some promising evidence-based strategies for maintaining health and well-being in complex and urgent times.

The Hyperkinetic Society 

Modern demands on our attention, combined with accelerated information flow made possible by technology, has rapidly increased the pace of our daily lives and led some to call it “the hyperkinetic society”. (2,3) While multitasking is an obvious new norm for the hyperkinetic society, it has been criticized for being less efficient than linear completion of tasks and it has been shown to limit learning and development, specifically the ability to apply new skills or knowledge to a new situation (declarative learning). (4) In addition, although multi-tasking does not appear to reduce productivity in the short term (5), the focus required to complete multiple tasks in quick succession requires adrenaline, which is depleted over time, despite heroic efforts to mask our waning focus with caffeine. Research suggests that chronic stress in the workplace is an increasing and troubling trend (3), particularly when we consider the impacts on individual performance (which translates to organization and societal performance), not to mention human health and well-being.

“One could argue that the chief value of the modern era is speed, which the novelist Milan Kundera described as ‘the form of ecstasy that technology has bestowed upon modern man.’ Addicted to speed, we demand it even when we can’t possibly go faster.” -Edward Hallowell (2005)

The Human Stress Response 

Our bodies are wired to respond to both threats and opportunities in the same way. The good news is that thousands of years of evolution in the presence of human flesh-eating predators has fine-tuned a system that, in modern times, allows us to respond to opportunities by, for example, giving us a boost of endorphins when our boss unexpectedly opens the floor for us to share our new vision for the organization (or when an attractive someone enters your field of vision). The bad news is that this system did not evolve in an environment with flesh eating predators around every corner (the ancestors in that world would have died before passing on this system to another generation). In the modern world, opportunities (which our body treats the same way as threats) are around every corner, or even multiple in your face at the same time, and our physiology is not set up to be in fight/flight/show-off mode all the time. As you might expect, this “stress mode” is great for giving us bursts of energy and blood flow to the arms and legs (for fighting), but it’s not so good for the important (but less urgent) tasks of body nourishment (digestion, immunity, sleep, reproductive health). (6) Over time, chronic stress starts to deplete our bodies through impacting our ability to assimilate food, fight off pathogens, and get the benefits of restorative sleep. (7) Our bodies are designed to be resilient and adaptive to a point, but this resilience or “adaptive potential” is depleted with continuous exposure to stressors. (8) Chronic stress not only limits our ability to respond effectively to everyday stressors, it also perpetuates conditions, such as chronic inflammation, that are the precursors for degenerative diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease (9). 

Chronic stress also affects our mood and therefore our relationship with ourselves and others, yet, ironically, the absence of stress and opportunities leads to depression and physical illness as well. (7) There seems to be a sweet spot in which humans are challenged with an enticing array of opportunities, yet supported enough to restore our “adaptive potential” so that we don’t reach the grumpy, depleted and exhaustive state. This is demonstrated most clearly through human learning theory and the balance of “challenge & support” model (10), but also discussed in the literature of fields as diverse as business administration (11) and cognitive neuroscience. (12) One reliable indicator of an “active, balanced and resilient” response state is Heart Rate Variability (HRV). HRV is a measure of the changes in beats per minute of the heart, and it is correlated with the level of “adaptive potential” or resilience in a given individual. (13,14) Neuropsychologist Rick Hanson (15) makes a comparison between existing in a reactive versus a responsive state. In reactive mode, our sense of self is unsafe, unsatisfied and disconnected, whereas in responsive mode we feel the opposite. In reactive mode, our central experience is one of fear and frustration, whereas in responsive mode we feel peace and contentment (see table 1 below). 

To illustrate this point, imagine a situation in which you were performing a mundane task, such as washing the dishes, and one time you were relaxed and content, watching the soap bubbles flow off of the plates, and yet, another time, completing the same task, you were cursing the worn out sponge or even your spouse for not scraping the plates to your liking. And not only does reactive mode perpetuate grumpiness and ill-will towards oneself and those in relationship with us, it also wears down our body systems and prevents us from appreciating our current situation. (15,16) It appears that the “rehab” for urgency in our modern world is to enhance our capacity for resilience and a perception of peace and contentment. How do we cultivate conditions that allow us to spend more time in responsive mode? 

Rehab for Urgency (or, Better Yet, Cultivating Resilience in Urgent Times)

Resilience has been described as a human or ecological system’s ability to rebound or recover after a shock or event. The broader definition acknowledges the importance of a system’s capacity to remain relatively unchanged after absorbing a shock, its ability to recover (in some cases with major impacts on the system structure), and the amount of time necessary to recover from or absorb the shock (recovery time).(17) In the human body, stress (either perceived or real) can be seen as a shock to the system, and maintaining healthy function in the context of such “shocks” is related to the level of reserves, or “wellness foundation”, held by an individual to “absorb the shocks”, as well as their ability to recover or “reset” or their system back to a more responsive or “flow” state (see table 1 above) following these shocks. We’ve explored the virtues of “responsive mode” and the corresponding costs of “reactive mode” in the above section. Along these same lines, neglect of one’s wellness foundation through, for example, inadequate rest, nutrition or hydration, can lead to similar challenges to those seen in “reactive mode”, such as impaired decision making and reduced creativity, not to mention increased risk for longer term health concerns. (2)

“Learn how to resource yourself so that you can feel compassionate and open to the sorrows of the world without being overwhelmed by them.” -Rick Hanson (2013)

One indicator of “wellness foundation”, or human reserves, is the health of the adrenal glands, which secrete the stress hormone cortisol to maintain action and alertness while responding to opportunities or threats. As described above, a reliable indicator of “flow” and how it can be restored in the human system is Heart Rate Variability (HRV). There are 2 classes of medicinal plants, Adaptogens and Aromatic Nervines, that support human resilience in urgent times through these two leverage points, or indicators. 

The field of herbal medicine, or “healing with whole plants”, offers a grouping of medicinal plants called “adaptogens”. These plants typically have nourishing roots that, when consumed on a daily basis in substantial quantities (typically 1-2 tablespoons), enhance performance and endurance in times of stress while protecting the body from adverse effects of chronic stress. (18,6) Adaptogens work at the cell level to enhance performance and endurance, for example, by enhancing the activity of cell energy producers known as mitochondria. Adaptogens also have systemic effects, usually through interaction with the stress hormone system or “HPA axis”. The compound in Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) that accounts for its intense sweetness (yet low glycemic index) also supports adrenal health during chronic stress by slowing the rate of breakdown of stress hormones so that the adrenals do not have to work as hard to produce them. In a few cases, such as Rhodiola rosea or Schizandra chinensis, these plants can have an effect after a single dose. (20) Common and readily available nourishing adaptogens include Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and Reishi mushroom (Ganaderma lucidum or tsugae). Traditional use of these plants throughout human history (and primarily in China) combined with more recent scientific evidence suggests that adaptogens can be a great ally for “nourishing” our wellness foundation and preventing damage from chronic stress. However, care should be taken to address the underlying individual drivers for “performance” and “addiction to urgency” to avoid adaptogens being another “enabler” of an unhealthy and unsustainable lifestyle. 

Herbal medicine also offers us useful tools for “resetting” the nervous system once it has shifted into reactive mode. Body states of tension and inflammation from working hard without adequate rest and recovery can lead to negative emotions such as irritability and others associated with “reactive mode”. (19) Heart rate variability, a measure of the adaptive response of an individual’s heart rate to different situations or emotional states, has emerged as a reliable indicator of compromised resilience in the face of stress- as well as, interestingly, a reliable indicator of heart disease risk and mental health. (21,22) We have been using aromatic plants to restore a sense of calm and well-being since before we were human. Common aromatic plants include Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Chamomile (Matricaria recutata), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), and Linden (Tilia europaea). An excellent, and quite traditional, way to tap into the benefits of these aromatic plants is to prepare them in an herbal tea blend (steep in boiling water, covered, and sip while inhaling the steam). One medicinal plant, Holy Basil or Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) deserves special mention because it is both aromatic, another member of the mint family, and adaptogenic, with a long traditional use in India for support in chronic stress and more recent scientific evidence of its benefits as an anti-inflammatory that is nourishing to the nervous system. (23)

“(High heart rate variability is characterized by) a state of being in which humans experience deep appreciation and satisfaction, highly creative and adaptive thinking, and feelings of strong connection to their environment.” -Guido Mase (2013)

Neuroplasticity and The Power of Gratitude

The very system that creates distress also has the capacity to free us from it. It’s a matter of perception, which is the brain’s specialty. Our brains create many different judgements and emotions from a single experience, but from an early age some judgements and emotions become more habitual than others. Just as we have the ability to choose and nurture negative, anxiety-provoking thoughts, we also have the ability to choose positive, calming thoughts and cultivate what Hanson calls a “responsivity-bias”. (15) And it doesn’t end there. We can perpetuate positive thought patterns by physically growing new neural connections that release serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin- neurotransmitters associated with a sense of well-being-through the process of neuroplasticity. These new connections are strengthened and sustained through repeated use which stimulates the selective distribution of neural growth factor. (24) A key nuance here is that choosing positive thoughts is what creates this change, not actively rejecting negative thoughts which can damage our self image in the press. (24) We can also nurture a sense of positivity simply by choosing to notice positive events in our lives. Have you ever noticed when you buy a new car and suddenly it seems that many others are driving that same car? This experience of “selective perception” or “you get what you look for” is mediated by the reticular activating system waking us up to notice sought after or familiar experiences that were always there, we just weren’t cued in enough to notice them. A gratitude list practice is an example of harnessing selective perception to cultivate a sense of appreciation and contentment. (25) One inherent challenge is that our brains are wired to more rapidly perceive and more easily remember negative experiences than positive ones. (26) This is a rather unfortunate evolutionary inheritance from centuries of human existence in which it was advantageous to remember, fearfully anticipate, and avoid negative experience because the chances of a negative experience being fatal were much higher (think tiger in the bushes versus a grant deadline). (27) In his book, Hardwiring Happiness, Rick Hanson describes our brains as being like “velcro for bad thoughts and teflon for good ones”. (15) I share this not to discourage you, but to manage your expectations in your pursuit of a more positive perception of your existence.

“As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path we must think over and over again the kinds of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” -Henry David Thoreau (though appears to have been misattributed by Peterson, 1972)

The Charge of the 21st Century- Wicked Problems

A disciplined, high-performing approach to achieving large-scale social impact, evolving around authentic cross-sector collaboration, is essential to achieve impact and accuracy in addressing the urgent and complex problems of the 21st century. (28) Many of the challenges facing humanity in the 21st century, such as health care policy and responding to climate change, have been characterized as “wicked problems”- defined by high levels of complexity and uncertain solutions. There is general agreement that responding to the urgent and complex problems of the 21st century will require skillful and cross-sector collaboration with regular evaluation and adjustment for impact- in other words, people will have to work together across differences with a high degree of adaptability. (28,29) The human ability to adapt to changing demands is distinguished by an ability to learn. (30) The greatest social impact seems to rest on the success of individuals from diverse backgrounds working together to tackle complex issues in the context of “social learning”. (31,32) Harvard Education professor Tony Wagner has written extensively on the “Seven Survival Skills” the next generation will need to succeed in the 21st century, echoing the above conclusions in his call for preparing students to collaborate, think critically, and be creative and adaptive. (34) Why, then, is society (and to some extent biology) pushing us towards a multi-tasking fast pace that directly impairs our ability to learn, think creatively, and want to work together? A more important question, perhaps, is what is the potential of a societal shift towards cultivating individuals’ abilities to operate in “responsive” mode, characterized by an enhanced ability for social learning? A compelling question perhaps to tackle in another paper.

Conclusion

Aside from the inherited evolutionary advantage of pushing our limits, which is well described by Hanson, we each have our own unique motivations for over-performing, avoiding failure, and ultimately sacrificing our emotional and physical well-being in exchange for performance under pressure. Most of these can be traced back to the basic human desires for safety and for a sense of belonging, and also because it feels good, but only in moderation. What I hope to convey here is that nourishing ourselves is not something we do when we temporarily step (or drag ourselves) off the path to “success”, it is the key to our success. And not just as individuals, but as a society. It is in everyone’s best interest if you can take the time to understand and manage your addiction to urgency and your own unique barriers to self-care. But don’t just do it because it will enhance your performance in the workplace, or as a parent, or to prevent future heart disease; do it because it’s “that elusive thing” that’s missing from your life- the “thing” that’s impairing your ability to perceive joy and experience authentic connection with others. Do it so that you can have more moments of truly living.

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