Fastlanitis (pronounced fast-lane-NAI-tuhs) is not a medical term. It is inspired from a habit-forming mental condition I have observed in many clients, colleagues, or friends over the years as a high-tech executive and entrepreneur. It is characterized by an internal drive to accomplish a maximum of things in the minimum amount of time possible.
Like tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendon, as in a tennis elbow, that results from the repetition of a particular movement over time, Fastlanitis, a word I invented, results from the repetition by high-achievers of the same mental habits over time.
The condition, if left unchecked, leads to pain in several areas of well-being.

It affects mainly people in their 30s and 40s, but it is known to continue to affect some people far into their 50s and 60s.
In its mildest form, it is a positive sign of superior abilities to produce results, from completing tasks quickly and efficiently to creating a work of art effortlessly and with much pleasure in doing so.
Left unchecked over long periods of time, the condition can lead to recklessness when the desire to get results fast overwhelms every other consideration.
It does not matter what the ultimate task to optimize actually is, and it can vary considerably between individuals or even for the same individual.

Side effects range from forgetfulness about life details (such as, where did I put my glasses?) to ineffective relationships all the way to anxiety and stress.

Most cases of Fastlanitis can be successfully addressed without any drug by using rest, meditation, and mainly breathwork to reduce pain, improve mindfulness, and facilitate the adoption of other healthy mental habits.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of Fastlanitis tend to occur at a point when the subject feels overwhelmed by what's ahead of them and unsure of what the right thing is to do next, even though they might be doing a lot of things right.

Some common names for various Fastlanitis-related problems are:

• Anxiety, Stress
• Short temper
• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Digestive issues
• Burnout
• Relationship issues
• Addictions
• Depression
• ...

When to see a doctor

If any of the above symptoms are sustained or recur over long periods of time, you should immediately consult your physician to determine whether your condition requires medical treatment.

Causes

The desire to be efficient and accomplish goals as efficiently as possible is healthy and part of normal and commendable behavior in general.
The satisfaction resulting from successes associated with such accomplishments could, over time, lead to an accelerating process where the goals pursued start to overwhelm any other considerations, such as personal health, eating, sleeping, relationships, respect of the law, etc... The effects of dopamine, the pleasure molecule generated upon successes, are less and less intense, and the need for even more results in even less time keeps increasing.
Symptoms such as those mentioned above will start to appear if this trend continues to grow over time.

Risk Factors

Chronic conditions such as overweight, obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, COPD are examples of additional risk factors associated with Fastlanitis. The interactions between Fastlantis and such chronic conditions might lead to complications, and if it is your case, you should consult a physician as soon as possible.

Prevention
The key to avoiding or mitigate the symptoms listed above is to find a way to start changing our internal conversation. to increase the space between our thoughts or the time between the triggering of emotion and our decision to act. This extra time could last just a few seconds, but it will allow our prefrontal cortex to get in the loop and help us make the right choice.

One way to achieve this transformation that I have learned from many masters, and observed on myself, is to practice certain types of breathwork regularly, thereby enabling me to apply the proper breathwork technique to deal with any given situation.

My mission now is to share that experience with you and help you know how to adapt your breathing to a new, potentially stress-inducing situation.