During the late summer and early fall many people living in the Sunbelt tend to complain about the weather. The dog days of summer seem to stretch endlessly on with the hot and humid days producing a yearning for change and cooler weather. For some, it becomes almost an obsession in their thoughts. This same phenomenon tends to occur during late winter and early spring when people complain about the cold and the desire for warmer weather.
When I was younger, I used to think it would be heaven to live in a climate that stayed about 75 degrees year-round with only moderate rainfall and day after day of blue skies. I continued to believe this until I met some people who lived in such a climate. They indicated such weather became very monotonous. They, too, yearned for seasonal changes; some even began to complain about continually beautiful cloudless days stretching one after another.
About this time I was researching sensory deprivation on human beings. The research involved human response to placement in a saline solution at body temperature in a soundproof environment free from light, smell and any distraction. Research tended to show that individuals placed in this environment floated peacefully for a while. Some went to sleep and others said they enjoyed the peace and solitude of this stimulus-free environment. But an interesting phenomena occurred after a few hours. They became restless, their minds began to wander, some even experienced frightening thoughts and feelings. The results of the experiment indicated that individuals deprived of all external stimulation developed such a need for stimulation that their minds created thoughts and images to fill the void. Thoughts and feelings that occurred in this situation were often unpleasant and not unlike those of individuals experiencing severe emotional distress.
As the old saying goes, “Variety is the spice of life.” If this were not so, why would we like to visit different restaurants, eat different foods and taste different beverages? Most of us enjoy a variety of friends. Whey do we pay for changes in the décor of our homes and keep in line with clothing fashion changes?
Some individuals have a higher need for change than others. This higher need may lead them to seek a number of different employment situations, not sticking with one job long. The same need for continual change can become complex and often a problem in individuals whose need for variety extends to emotional relationships. Or the need for stimulation and change may force some individuals to escape from reality and resort to chemical and mind-altering substances.
An interesting facet of this human experience is that the need for change diminishes greatly with age so that variety and desire for multiple stimulation become things to be avoided. At this point, problems can develop in a marital situation if both partners don’t agree or 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 an individual’s life is important for 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 begin to develop. Then frequently counseling with the aim of achieving balance and perspective may be helpful.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1986
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