Fish Eye for Insomnia
Some Things we Experience as Real are Actually all in the Mind
The man was living on the West Coast of South Africa. He was a fisherman like his father, his grandfather and most of his brothers and cousins. Let’s call him Jimmy.
Fishing is a tough job at it’s best. When licences and quotas are restricted things get worse. Overfishing by foreign companies diminishing availability makes a fisherman’s life unbearable.
Jimmy had all these problems and more. His wife was expecting the fourth baby, the three already there demanded school fees, clothes, stationery, to mention a few. How will Jimmy provide for his family with all these stumbling blocks.
He did his best, cut costs wherever possible and lay awake at night worrying about the future. Every morning he got up still tired, still worrying but ready to go out to sea once more, hoping for a better catch.
This lifestyle would eventually take it’s toll. Jimmy was constantly tired and he started to make mistakes. This could be life threatening if not addressed.
The Solution.
After weeks of sleepless nights Jimmy sought medical advice. His doctor had neither control over foreign fishing companies nor fishing quotas. All he could do was to prescribe sleeping pills.
Within a few days Jimmy was a new man. He still worried, but not at night when he was supposed to sleep. Taking his tiny, round white tablet every night he slept until the alarm went off in the morning.
Soon Jimmy was addicted and could not skeep without his tiny white pill, even though things on the work front improved greatly.
A cousin who lived in a town up north along the West Coast came visiting. Of course fishing talk were central to the conversations.
It so happened that the cousin had a piece of equipment Jimmy had been looking for but could not afford. Cousin offered to sell it to Jimmy at a good price but Jimmy had to go and collect it.
So the first Saturday afternoon Jimmy took to the road to fetch this wonderful piece of equipment. Two hours later he reached his cousin’s place and they went to the store room right away.
They loaded the stuff into Jimmy’s bakkie and settled on the porch for coffee and a smoke. Cousin’s wife insisted Jimmy had supper with them and Jimmy stayed. Super was an affair that took time because it involved more than eating.
They chatted and drank coffee until dark. Cousin was now concerned about Jimmy driving home at night in a bakkie less than road worthy. He insisted Jimmy stayed over and leave at dawn.
Jimmy agreed, but there was one problem. He did not bring along his sleeping pills. How will he ever fall asleep, worrying about his pregnant wife at home alone with the kids?
Perhaps Cousin could help. He described the shape and size of the pill and waited. Cousin sneaked into the kitchen and inspected the previous day’s catch. There were fish of all kinds and sizes. Soon he found what he was looking for. The eye was just the right size.
With the eye in a cup and a glass of water, he presented the solution to the insomnia problem to Jimmy who swallowed quickly and thankfully. And slept through the night.
The sun was up and Cousin and family was preparing for church before Jimmy woke up. He grabbed his stuff together and said goodbye.
Revelation.
Back at home he took his bottle of pills and emptied it over the loo. Astonished his wife asked him why he did that. How will he cope without the pills?
Jimmy explained that Cousin thought he fooled him with a fake pill. Although he knew it, he slept well enough without the real pill. If a fish eye could work as well as a sleeping pill, why bother? He could go without the pills and take a fish eye whenever necessary, but he doubted he’d ever need help to sleep again.
So was Jimmy’s insomnia all in the mind? Did he really need to take something to help him sleep?
Initially, yes. He suffered from sleeplessness caused by anxiety over all the everyday problems. When the problems disappeared, he still believed he needed the pills. Cousin proofed him wrong.
It is important to know where the line lies between a real need for assistance and the imagined need for chemical help. It can make the difference between need and addiction.
(PS. This story was told me as the truth by Uncle Johnie Arnolds from Stellenbosch).
Magdel Roets.
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