This Is Too Much! Part 17: Will There Be Any Side Effect?

THIS IS TOO MUCH!

Part 17 - “Will There Be Any Side Effect?”

When One Question Gives Birth to Twenty More!

Background

Some people talk a lot.

Some talk because they have something meaningful to say.

Some talk because silence makes them uncomfortable.

And some...

simply cannot leave a question alone! 😂

They ask one question.

The answer creates another question.

That answer creates another.

And before you realise it, the conversation has travelled from medicine to milk, from milk to goats, and finally from glass to bowl!

This is one such light-hearted fictional comedy.

Opening Thought

There is nothing wrong with asking questions.

In fact, good questions are the beginning of learning.

But there is a difference between:

Curiosity → useful questioning

and

Over-questioning → unnecessary complication.

Sometimes the most difficult thing is not finding an answer.

It is knowing when the answer is enough. 😄

🩺 The Case of the Endless Questions

A patient entered the doctor's room.

Patient: “Doctor, may I come in?”

Doctor: “Please come in.”

The patient entered and immediately stopped.

Patient: “Should I sit or remain standing?”

The doctor smiled.

Doctor: “You may sit.”

The patient sat.

Then thought for a moment.

Patient: “Doctor... will there be any side effect if I lie down?”

The doctor looked at him.

A tiny pause.

Doctor: “No. Please relax.”

The doctor examined him and completed the diagnosis.

Finally, the doctor wrote the prescription.

Doctor: “Take these medicines three times a day - morning, afternoon and evening. Take them after food.”

The patient looked carefully at the prescription.

Patient: “Doctor, should I take the tablets with water or tea?”

Doctor: “Water is fine.”

The patient nodded.

Then came the next question.

Patient: “Will there be any side effect if I take them with milk?”

The doctor remained calm.

Doctor: “You may take them with milk.”

The patient became more comfortable.

Patient: “Cow's milk or buffalo's milk?”

The doctor paused.

Doctor: “Cow's milk, if that's what you normally have.”

The patient immediately continued:

Patient: “What if goat's milk is available?”

The doctor took a deep breath.

Doctor: “That's fine too. Your choice.”

The patient smiled.

But apparently, the interview was not over.

He stood near the door.

Then turned around.

Patient: “Doctor... one last thing.”

The doctor looked at him cautiously.

Doctor: “Yes?”

Patient: “Should I drink the milk from a glass or a cup?”

The doctor replied patiently:

Doctor: “Either is fine.”

The patient thought deeply.

Patient: “Will there be any side effect if I use a bowl?”

The doctor looked at the ceiling.

Then at the patient.

Then at the door.

And finally said:

Doctor: “No side effect from the bowl.”

A pause.

Doctor: “But there may be a side effect from too many questions!” 😂

The patient was politely shown out.

The next patient entered.

The doctor looked at him and said:

“Please don't ask whether you should sit, stand, lie down, use a cup, glass or bowl.”

The new patient replied:

“Doctor... I was actually going to ask whether I should come in!”

The doctor:

“NO!” 😂😂

 

The Question Chain

Look at how beautifully the conversation escalated:

Medicine
↓
Water or Tea?
↓
Milk?
↓
Cow or Buffalo?
↓
Goat?
↓
Cup or Glass?
↓
Bowl?

The original medical consultation had quietly disappeared.

The patient wasn't asking questions anymore.

He was conducting research! 😂

The Mathivation Connection

Questions are valuable.

But questions without purpose can create cognitive noise.

We can express the idea playfully:

Useful Curiosity = Question + Purpose

But:

Overthinking = Question × Question × Question × Question...

And eventually:

Simple Decision + Excessive Questions = Unnecessary Complexity

The lesson isn't:

“Don't ask questions.”

It is:

“Ask enough questions to understand - not so many that understanding becomes another problem.”

 

The Psychology Behind the Joke

Sometimes excessive questioning comes from:

• anxiety,

• uncertainty,

• habit,

• fear of making a mistake,

• desire for complete control,

• or simply enjoying conversation.

And sometimes...

the person just loves talking! 😄

We should therefore be careful not to label every talkative person as foolish.

A curious mind can ask hundreds of questions and still be brilliant.

The real skill is knowing which questions matter.

A Lesson Beyond the Joke

This happens outside doctor's rooms too.

At work:

“Should I send the email?”

Then:

“Morning or afternoon?”

Then: 

“Should I use Dear Sir?”

Then:

“What if he doesn't reply?”B

Then:

“Should I follow up?”

And suddenly...

the email takes longer to send than the work itself! 😂

At home:

“What shall we eat?”

becomes:

“Where?”

“When?”

“Who will order?”

“What if they don't have it?”

“Should we cook?”

And dinner becomes a strategic planning meeting! 😂

Takeaways

• Asking questions is a strength when it improves understanding.

• Not every possible question needs an immediate answer.

• Excessive questioning can turn a simple decision into a complicated one.

• Anxiety can sometimes make people seek certainty where certainty isn't necessary.

• Good communication includes knowing when to speak—and when to stop.

• Teachers, doctors, parents and leaders need patience with genuine questions.

• At the same time, learners and adults can develop the habit of distinguishing important questions from unnecessary details.

• Humour can help us recognise our own habits without attacking anyone else.

Mathivation Formula

Curiosity + Purpose = Learning

Curiosity − Purpose = Noise

Overthinking + Endless Questions = THIS IS TOO MUCH! 

Disclaimer

This is a fictional, light-hearted comedy based on everyday conversational behaviour.

It is not intended to make fun of patients, doctors, anxiety, illness or genuine medical concerns.

In real healthcare situations, patients should ask questions about their diagnosis, medicines, dosage, side effects and instructions. Medical advice should always come from a qualified healthcare professional.

The humour here is about the comic escalation of unnecessary questions, not about legitimate medical concerns.

Closing Note

Perhaps the wisdom is not in asking more questions.

Perhaps it is in asking the right ones.

Because sometimes:

One good question opens the door to knowledge.

And sometimes...

One question opens twenty doors, three windows, a milk shop and finally a bowl! 😂

That's when the doctor quietly says:

“THIS IS TOO MUCH!” 😄

Rakesh Kushwaha
Founder, Mathivation Research Lab
A Mathivation Research Lab Initiative