Everyone likes a little variety in life

When the so-called dog days of summer seem to stretch endlessly on with the hot, humid days, many people yearn for change and cooler weather.

This same phenomenon tends to occur during late winter when people complain about the cold and desire warmer weather.

I used to think it would be heaven if I could live in a climate that stayed about 75 degrees year-round with blue skies day after day. Then I met a group of people who lived in a place like that. To them this climate had become monotonous.

I once was engaged in research studying results of sensory deprivation on humans. The research involved human response to placement in a saline solution at body temperature in a sound-proof environment free from light, smell and any distraction. Research tended to show that individuals placed in this environment floated peacefully in a relaxed fashion for a while, many stating that they enjoyed the peace and solitude of this stimulus-free environment.

But after a few hours they became restless; their minds began to wander; some even experienced thoughts and feelings that were frightening. The results of the experiment indicated that these individuals, deprived of external stimulation, developed such a need for stimulation that their minds created thoughts and images to fill this void.

As the old saying goes, “Variety is the spice of life.” If this were not so, why do we like to visit different restaurants, eat different foods and taste different beverages? Most of us enjoy a variety of friends, occasionally change the décor of our homes and keep in line with fashion changes?

Some individuals have a higher need for change than others. This higher need may lead them to seek a number of employment situations, not sticking with one job long. The same need for continual change can become complex and cause problems for individuals who find that a need for variety extends to their choice of relationships with the opposite sex. Or the need for stimulation and change may force some individuals to escape from reality and resort to chemicals and mind-altering substances.

An interesting facet of this uniquely human experience is the fact that the need for change diminishes greatly with age, so that variety and desire for multiple stimulations becomes a goal to be avoided. Problems can develop at this point in a marital situation when partners can’t agree or don’t desire this withdrawal from a variety of experiences.

Understanding that the need for change in stimulation is normal and varies to some degree during various points in the individual’s life is important to all of us in learning to maintain effective lifestyles. When this tendency and set of needs reaches excessive proportions or conflicts with the goals of those around us, problems may develop. Frequently counseling, with the aim of achieving balance and perspective, may be helpful.

Copyright c 1995 Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D.