One of the questions I regularly encounter in my office is how a person can approach a loved one or a friend about their drinking without the loved one or friend going on the defensive. Years ago, one of those … Continue reading
Is America a Christian nation? The premise of the question is wrong. It requires you to accept the idea that the United States government and Constitution are the implementation of any particular religion. In actual fact, the separation of church … Continue reading
One of the positive characteristics of good mental health is a sense of humor. Even as early as the 13th century, physicians and philosophers described the health benefits of laughter. Clinical psychologist Rod A. Martin, Ph.D., of the University of … Continue reading
When opposing something, you have to understand what you’re in favor of, and what you stand for; otherwise, your opposition is meaningless, or worse. Consider the American Revolution. Talk about an impossibly uphill battle: a bunch of inexperienced and underfunded … Continue reading
A reader writes: Dear Dr. Hurd: A persistent problem I’ve had is why on earth people (and a lot of them) think that if they know a person, somehow that person’s bad behavior is exempt from moral condemnation. For example, … Continue reading
Denial is a process of ignoring facts for reasons that seem emotionally appealing. In the case of Medicare, one of the primary reasons the United States government has gone broke (and getting more broke all the time), denial is rampant. … Continue reading
We are living in surreal times. The headline reads: “Obama floats making voting mandatory, calling it ‘potentially transformative’” It’s not that I think mandatory voting is a serious or imminent possibility. I’m commenting on it just to illustrate how illiberal … Continue reading
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. — Winston Churchill A republic protects the rights of the individual to be free from coercion. A democracy votes away rights for some individuals, and votes rights … Continue reading
Conventional wisdom held that Benjamin Netanyahu would lose his reelection effort for prime minister of Israel. Conventional wisdom also holds that America’s President Barack Obama is really, really smart, and really, really wise; and if, therefore, Obama thinks peace negotiations … Continue reading
Is it a sign of true friendship to ignore a friend’s flaws? Not necessarily. If someone is your friend, doesn’t it make sense to try and stop her from making a mistake? You can’t control her or do her thinking … Continue reading
A psychology student writes with the following questions: “What is your opinion on escapism, i.e., the act of escaping everyday stress through fantasy and entertainment? Is it a healthy way to relieve stress?” Dr. Hurd replies: The term “escapism” usually … Continue reading
Stress reduction isn’t necessarily about doing less. In fact, many people become depressed or anxious simply because they don’t have enough to do. (Just ask anyone trying to adjust to retirement!) It really boils down to what you do with … Continue reading