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Worry and nervousness. Sadler, William Samuel, 1875– 
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WORRY AND NERVOUSNESS

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BOOKS BY DR. SADLER

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WORRY AND NERVOUSNESS; OR, THE SCIENCE OF SELF-MASTERY. Illustrated 12
mo. net $1.50

THE PHYSIOLOGY OF FAITH AND FEAR; OR, THE MIND IN HEALTH AND DISEASE. Illustrated 12 mo. net $1.50

THE SCIENCE OF LIVING; OR, THE ART OF KEEPING WELL. Illustrated 12 mo. net $1.50

THE CAUSE AND CURE OF COLDS. Illustrated 12mo. net $1.00

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A. C. McCLURG & CO.
CHICAGO

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WORRY and NERVOUSNESS
OR
THE SCIENCE OF SELF-MASTERY

BY

WILLIAM S. SADLER, M. D.

PROFESSOR OF THERAPEUTICS, THE POST-GRADUATE MEDICAL SCHOOL OF CHICAGO;
DIRECTOR OF THE CHICAGO INSTITUTE OF PHYSIOLOGIC THERAPEUTICS;
FELLOW OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION ; MEMBER OF THE
CHICAGO MEDICAL SOCIETY; THE ILLINOIS STATE MEDICAL
SOCIETY; THE PRESS CLUB OF CHICAGO; THE
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT
OF SCIENCE, ETC., ETC.
ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO A. C. McCLURG & CO. 1914

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Copyright
A. C. McCLURG & CO.
1914

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Published October, 1914

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Copyrighted in Great Britain

W. B. Hull Printing Co., Chicago

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TO
ALL MY "NERVE"
PATIENTS: TO THOSE SUFFERERS FROM
FUNCTIONAL NERVOUS DISTURBANCES, WHO HAVE BEEN HELPED BY THE ADVICE HEREIN CONTAINED-- AND WHO HAVE THUS
INSPIRED ME TO PUT FORTH RENEWED EFFORTS
TO HELP OTHERS-- THIS BOOK
IS AFFECTIONATELY
DEDICATED

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PREFACE

SINCE the appearance of The Physiology of Faith and Fear a few years ago, I have been importuned on many occasions to undertake the preparation of a work devoted more fully to concise and systematic directions regarding the treatment and management of the various "nervous states;" and this present volume represents my efforts to comply with this demand, which has been so insistent on the part of both the laity and the profession.

Having dealt quite fully with the Physiological and Psychological phases of functional nervous disorders in the former work, this book will be almost exclusively devoted to an amplification of the therapeutics-- the details of treatment and the practical management of the various neuroses, including a large group of "borderland" ailments such as alcoholism, migraine, chorea, etc.

The methods herein described are those practiced in the daily management of these various "nervous disorders," whether met in the clinic, the hospital, or in the private consulting room; and in this connection the author desires to reiterate a statement made in the preface of his former work, viz., that he makes no pretensions of being a professional psychotherapist-- that his time and energies are largely devoted to other professional duties.

It was the experience of seeing so many "nervous" patients who had been neglected, operated upon, and otherwise mistreated, without being in the least helped; and the further experience of seeing a large number of these unfortunate sufferers more or less permanently cured at the hands of the numerous psychic cults and mind cure "isms," that led to the further study and examination of the science of psychotherapy, all of which page: viii[View Page viii] culminated in the writing of The Physiology of Faith and Fear, and in the preparation of this volume.

It has been my experience that Neurasthenics get little help from simply reading a book through a single time; they should read and re-read-- study-- this book systematically, say one hour every day, until its teachings become a real part of their mental life.

While I am greatly indebted to the psychotherapeutic literature of the day-- from which I have freely drawn material for this volume-- nevertheless, I desire, in a special manner, to acknowledge the help and inspiration which have come from the work and works of such original and pioneer workers as Janet, Forel, Prince, Breuer, and Dubois-- men who have done so much to lead the way out from the older empiric and hypnotic notions of mind cure into the vast and verdant pastures of modern suggestional and educational psychotherapeutics.

I am especially indebted to Dr. W. A. Evans for his reading of the manuscript and valuable suggestions, especially the one which led to the writing of Chapter xxvii on " Decision Development." I am also indebted to Dr. Julius Grinker for his criticism and suggestions with reference to Chapter xxviii "The Relief of Repressed Emotions."

It is the Author's sincere hope that this work, whether falling accidentally into the hands of the laity-- especially nervous sufferers-- or whether put there by the physician, will contribute something definite to the emancipation of such sufferers from the tyranny of "nerves," the slavery of " worry," and the thraldom of "fear."

WILLIAM S. SADLER.

32 N. STATE STREET, CHICAGO,

October 1, 1914.

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CONTENTS

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PART I
A STUDY OF THE NERVOUS STATES

  1. CHAPTER PAGE
  2. Seven Sorts of Nervousness 3
  3. Heredity and Environment as Neurasthenic Factors 11
  4. Influence of the Physical Health on the Mind 22
  5. Power of the Mind over the Body 33
  6. Chronic Fear, or Common Worry 51
  7. Common Causes of Worry and Nervousness 63
  8. Habit Tension of Mind and Body 80
  9. Crystalized Fear and Definite Dreads 95
  10. "Americanitis," or the High Pressure Life 107
  11. Neurasthenoidia, or Near-Neurasthenia 120
  12. Neurasthenia, or Nervous Exhaustion 128
  13. The Causes of Neurasthenia 143
  14. The Ear-Marks of Neurasthenia 159
  15. Fastidious Suffering and Imaginary Pain 174
  16. The Mission of Suffering and the Purpose of Pain 188
  17. Special Forms of Neurasthenia 201
  18. Psychasthenia, or True Brain Fag 210
  19. Hysteria, the Master Imitator 221
  20. Hypochondria and Melancholia 235
  21. Border Land Nervous Ailments 243

PART II
TREATMENT OF THE NERVOUS STATES

  1. The General Hygiene of the Nervous System 255
  2. Modern Psychotherapy-- Mental Medicine 275
  3. Pseudo-Psychotherapy-- Mental Deception 286
  4. The Art of Therapeutic Suggestion 300
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  6. CHAPTER PAGE
  7. Educational Therapeutics 316
  8. The Exaltation of the Will 329
  9. Decision Development 342
  10. The Relief of Repressed Emotions 351
  11. Recreation and Relaxation 371
  12. The Physical Treatment of the Neurasthenic
    States 392
  13. Stimulants and Narcotics 410
  14. The Writing or Elimination Cure 424
  15. The Study or Substitution Cure 445
  16. The Rest or Play Cure 458
  17. The Work or Occupation Cure 469
  18. The Social Service Cure 480
  19. The Faith and Prayer Cure 488
  20. Triumphant Self-Mastery 504
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LIST OF PLATES

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  1. FIGURE PAGE
  2. The sympathetic nervous system Frontispiece
  3. The neurasthenic triangle 18
  4. How the body betrays the mind 38
  5. The fear of great heights 96
  6. The high tension of modern life 108
  7. The results of "high speed" on man and machine 116
  8. Diagrams illustrating the relation of the threshold of consciousness to the sensation of pain 176
  9. Results of disregarding "danger signals" 196
  10. Animal pets are good for the blues 238
  11. Fraudulent methods of healing 288
  12. Young and old at play 378
  13. He is a descendant of those men who could throw straight, hit hard, and run fast 380
  14. A revival of ancient tribal struggles 382
  15. The modern eliminating bath 293
  16. Hydrotherapy for nervous disorders 394
  17. Typical scenes in massage 396
  18. Favorite prescriptions for "nerves" 398
  19. The curative power of nature study 446
  20. Taking the outdoor "play cure" 460
  21. Practicing the "work cure" 470
  22. Give the children a chance to play 482
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