Dear Dr. Hurd: I have been unemployed for four years as a result of a combination of abnormal circumstance (a health problem in conjunction with the depressed economy). As the length of time that I’ve been unemployed increases, my odds … Continue reading
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has reportedly said that every child has a “God-given” right to a heterosexual set of parents — meaning man and woman, not two men or two women. He argues this in defense of a Constitutional … Continue reading
A reader writes: How can I overcome my fear of flying? When I’m on an airplane, every little bit of turbulence makes me jump. It’s not so much that I’m afraid of terrorism as I am of the possibility of … Continue reading
Q: For those of us who don’t understand the issue, can you explain why you believe that Iran is so dangerous and why we must prevent them from obtaining a nuclear weapon? A: I’ll give you not one reason, but … Continue reading
No government can or ever will be able to create the kinds of technological and medical advances that Americans increasingly take for granted. Governments can only effectively fulfill the role of the jailers, the police officers and the upholders of … Continue reading
Many people have this idea that the purpose of therapy is to ‘deal with the past.’ I suspect they get this idea from all those silly authors who appear on ‘Oprah’ and elsewhere. The interesting thing is: What does ‘dealing … Continue reading
Someone sent me an interesting quote, attributed to Mark Twain: “Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on… or by imbeciles who really mean it.” Let’s apply this to the presidential … Continue reading
An irate fan of socialism and socialized medicine/ObamaCare writes in: “You know what, I think it is less profitable for the free market to find a cure. I think keeping the patient sick, but alive, and dependent on the drugs … Continue reading
The following letter entitled, “Lowe’s should not limit inclusiveness” recently appeared in my local paper. My reply to the letter, being sent to the paper, follows. The following letter was sent to Robert A. Niblock, chairman, president and CEO of … Continue reading
Conclusion of yesterday’s column. Many people never talk to a therapist or read a self-help book. They nevertheless develop a stance of anger towards the rest of the world. Why? ‘Because I had a lousy childhood, and because things haven’t … Continue reading
Q: Dr. Hurd, you write a lot about deterministic thinking. What is deterministic thinking and how does it develop in people? A: Deterministic thinking refers to the subconsciously (or sometimes consciously) held viewpoint that a person is less in control … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd: In your experience, are most psychologists and psychiatrists liberal Democrats? If so, why do you think this is? Is it because they are enamored with the idea that the government can forcibly commit people to psychiatric institutions? … Continue reading