 Since I’m having serious problems with my cell phone, my PC and my MP3 player, I can't say that I'm functioning at all these days. I cannot believe they became such important parts of my life. I have to make it clear to all of you that I am talking about an addiction here, a big one.
Last week I missed deadlines; couldn't check my emails like I used to (every 5 minutes); had to get used to using another cell phone; couldn't check my favourite websites; and the worst part is that I couldn't listen to my music, which I adore. It was “cold turkey,” it was mean. The first three days were very painful, especially for a person like me, who shows a strong adverse reaction to “change.”
We all react differently to a “change” in our life.With some research I found out that this is not completely true.There are some basic concepts to explain people's reactions, and the difference here is that some people progress through these stages at different levels. Here are the six major stages that can explain the responses to change, attached to my tragic story around electronics.
Stage 1 - Shock
Similar to a grief reaction, people may need some time to address the reality of what has just happened. People can't really do much at this stage, but try to understand the consequences of the new situation. (That's exactly what I felt when my computer crashed right before my eyes.)
Stage 2 - Denial
A common reaction may be to deny the impact of the change. “It doesn't relate to me, and it doesn't affect me.” (I said this to myself when my computer crashed, tried to convince myself everything will be fine. That's certainly what I would call denial.)
Stage 3 - Anger
In the case of change, as I mentioned before, anything can happen to you. It is important to pay attention to the basics, the things that make us angry. You may think, “Why do I need to change at all when the way I was doing things was fine?” There is also some denial here. Some may actively resist or attack the change. (For your information I did not “attack” my cell phone or PC. Anger de-skills and can engender a mood of self-preservation. This may promote risk avoidance.
Stage 4 - Passive Acceptance
This is the sad part. The beginning of accepting that the way things are done has indeed changed, that the old ways are, in fact, gone. “I suppose if we have to deal with this, we might as well get on with it”
Stage 5 - Exploration
A willingness to look at actual methods for implementing and pushing the change process forward. “How do we actually go forward from here?” That's when you get used to surviving without the things you are used to living with.
Stage 6 - Challenge
This stage is where one actually moves forward, ensuring that the change process is the catalyst for continuous improvement and not just there as an obstacle.
I can say that I am still at stage three, and it is not pretty. All I'm saying is, take care of yourself and the things you love to live with. Try to see the changes in your life as improvements. Eventually all of our lives will change (definitely a bigger change than a nervous break down caused by a lack of technology) and we will be forced to respond to a “change.” Try to see it from the bright side. I still am.
PS: Take good care of your PC.
By Nazlý Çelebi (ECON/IV)
n_celebi@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
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