I’m pleased to (finally!) announce the publication of my third book, ‘Bad Therapy, Good Therapy (And How to Tell the Difference).’ Among other things, it contains real-life examples of how some kinds of therapy can actually be harmful. Like any … Continue reading
Author Archives: D3 Support
Rosie O’Donnell and the Terrorists She Loves
Rosie O’Donnell, comedian and celebrity, has come out against the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden — on principle. O’Donnell no doubt speaks for many liberals and some libertarians when she claims that Osama bin Laden’s execution is an injustice … Continue reading
“Stop Feeling Sorry For Yourself!”
Q: I just finished reading your article, “The Psychology of Pity”. Superb. So if pity is really contempt, is self-pity really self-contempt? A: Absolutely. It logically follows that if pity is really contempt, then self-pity is self-contempt. In the … Continue reading
Love and Reason
Dear Dr. Hurd: I have been pondering this (Thomas) Aquinas quote from your site that seems uncharacteristic of your philosophy and I am curious as to its meaning: “Love takes up where knowledge leaves off.” I interpret this to mean: … Continue reading
Faulty Thinking and Addiction
Dear Dr. Hurd, I am an adjunct instructor and just finished teaching a short course “Perfectionism in addictive behaviors.” After reading your recent blog post “You can’t be too perfect” I am wondering if you would agree that maladaptive perfection … Continue reading
It doesn’t matter what others think
Letters like these make my day: ‘Dear Dr. Hurd: I was always taught in school and in church to be selfless when it comes to others’ needs and what they are thinking. But as I enter my mid-70s, I have … Continue reading
Bin Laden’s Gone, But We Still Have Obama
“Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader.” So says President Obama. You could have fooled me. Obama cites evidence that bin Laden killed Muslims as proof that he was not a Muslim leader. Now wait a minute. Imagine if a … Continue reading
The Psychology of Pity
In response to my last column, several people wrote in and asked: “Is pity an emotion of contempt?” My reply is that yes, pity is an emotion filled with contempt. Pity is not genuine empathy or compassion. Pity is based … Continue reading
Suffering is Not the Goal
Do traumas, tragedies, and difficulties make you stronger? I say: NO. It’s not difficulty that makes people stronger. What makes you strong are the habits of rationality and serenity which make difficulty bearable in the first place. You’re better because … Continue reading
Problems? There Are No Problems
“The hardest thing to explain is the glaringly evident which everybody has decided not to see.” — Ayn Rand, from “The Fountainhead”
Obama’s Attitude to America: “Too Bad”
Obama says there is no “silver bullet” or quick fix solution for bringing down gas prices. This may be true — but does this mean there’s no solution? First of all, it isn’t the government’s job to bring down (or … Continue reading
Be Happy … But Not Too Happy!?!
Most people assume mental health is a matter of either medicine, or moral weakness. The medicine side assumes that medical treatment will eradicate mental illness symptoms, and that’s pretty much all there is to it. The moral weakness side assumes … Continue reading