The shoelace factor is the idea that small things, like a broken shoelace, can cause stress and trigger panic or depression. It can have a cumulative effect and be as important as big events. There are no support groups for the shoelace factor, but it’s important to understand that it’s usually the last straw in a variety of small stresses.
The shoelace factor is a close cousin of the Murphy’s law concept. In Murphy’s Law, the general theory is that anything that can go wrong will go wrong, especially when you really need it to go right. Conversely, the shoelace factor is the concept that anything you really need, especially little things like shoelaces, will break at the most inopportune moment. It refers to small errors that occur when you depend more on something to function.
There have been a few studies related to how the shoelace factor can be as important when considering overall general stress as big events like the death of a loved one, a divorce, or job loss. Sometimes the fine details and little stressors tend to have a cumulative effect on stress, and people can seem to respond aggressively or in panic and anger to these little things. In this sense the shoelace factor can also be related to the terms “the last straw” or “the straw that broke the camel’s back”. It’s not just the broken shoelace that matters, but all the stressful events that build up when your shoelace breaks, or perhaps when your computer crashes.
From a psychological point of view, many people who suffer from severe depression or anxiety seem to be able to deal with great stressful situations, especially when they have worked with a therapist over time and used medications to deal with their problems. They are often surprised to find that the “little things in life” still trigger panic reactions or depression. Searching for a misplaced set of keys, or dealing with any sort of shoelace-related factor triggers panic attacks, anxiety or depression, sending patients back to their doctors to figure out why the condition they thought they had control over is flaring up. such small details.
The answer of most therapists is that it is in these small situations, when we are not well supervised, that the shoelace factor is likely to send us over the edge. Big stressors, even when they’re unexpected, are generally something most people cope with emotionally well, in the end. There is also a variety of support for people when they are experiencing major stressors, such as divorce support groups or hospice support groups for people who have lost family members. However, there are no support groups for the shoelace factor, and perhaps they are just as necessary.
It’s important to understand that the shoelace factor is usually the last straw in a variety of small stresses. Take, for example, a family packing for a vacation. People are physically stressed as they run back and forth putting things in the car. Parents handle children who are overwhelmed with the excited stress of taking a vacation. The car is ready to pull out of the driveway and suddenly a kid in the back seat announces that the kid really stinks.
Suddenly, mom or dad loses it and responds angrily. Just when everything is ready to go and they really need the baby to stay dry, they suddenly have their metaphorical shoelace factor and may have to grumble their way back into the house to change the baby before starting again. Everyone in the family may momentarily feel angry, annoyed, or panicky due to the amount of stress that has already occurred that day. While moods can be reset, the whole family, in one way or another, is a victim of the shoelace factor and it may take a few moments to recover.
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