How to stop anxiety and suffering…a simple algorithm (notes to my kids)

by Frank | Feb 21, 2013 | Dadhood, Writing

Will gurn for pennies

If you find you’re suffering anxiety all the time, consider this simple pseudo-algorithm and how it applies to your thought processes. I wrote it for myself and put it on my desktop. I find it useful for those ‘stuck’ periods and working through the traps of self-manufactured pain, so:

suffering = pain x reaction (s = p x r)

eg (where 5 is highest):

s(max) = p(5) x r(5)
s(min) = p(0) x r(0)
s(healthy pain) = p(5) x r(0)
s(unnecessary pain – eg anxiety)= p(0) x r(5)

If you can improve on it let me know. Maybe I’ll see if one of my old AI pals can incorporate into one of their systems. By the way, for this rhythmic algae:

pain = source of pain (environment, exams, attacker, emotions).

I find it works better than my usual heuristic shortcut:

“Tell the inner moppet to shut the hell up.”

Although I do still love John McEnroe’s simple maxim: “Show heart!”

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