Have you ever heard of the term, “affluenza”? At the rate we’re going, it may soon be a new diagnostic category espoused by the American Psychiatric Association. Read on … It is not entirely clear who invented the term Affluenza. … Continue reading
Canadian, British and other Western European nations have a problem. Muslims and others are joining the newest militant Muslim organization, ISIS (Islamic State) now taking over in the Middle East and threatening to bomb and otherwise attack the rest of … Continue reading
A new study asks: How can we stop our country from raising a generation of quitters? The study [reported at psychologytoday.com as well as The Learning Habit] cites this evidence: In the United States, at least 36% of school-aged children … Continue reading
“I Waited Until My Wedding Night To Lose My Virginity And I Wish I Hadn’t.” So reads the title of an interesting article published recently at thoughtcatalog.com, by Samantha Pugsley. The article details the hazards, at least for this woman, … Continue reading
In my twenty-five years as a psychotherapist, I have probably had more conversations and thoughts about suicide, this week, than any other one-week period of my career. Robin Williams’ death by suicide no doubt brought up quite a lot of … Continue reading
When you learn of the suicide of a talented person, the typical reaction is, “How could this happen?” Underlying the question is the idea, “Someone with all this talent, success, wealth and accomplishment could not have done this.” If the … Continue reading
We generally assume that holding people accountable for their actions—even when they are accountable—is harsh and tough. Many of us call it “tough love.” Some use the term favorably, and many do not. It’s considered bleak, “Calvinistic” (I’ve heard this … Continue reading
No one loves the man whom he fears. — Aristotle Dictators don’t get it. They motivate by fear, force and terror; and then wonder why still nobody loves them, and their dictatorships never survive. Family tyrants don’t get it. They … Continue reading
Elizabeth Bernstein, writing at the Wall Street Journal online, 7/28/14: What do you do when something about your partner that you used to adore suddenly starts to drive you crazy? Researchers call this phenomenon a “fatal attraction.” It is exceedingly … Continue reading
In response to my recent article, “What Many Don’t Get About Addiction?” [7/23/14 Daily Dose of Reason] a reader asked, “So what can people that care about the addict do? And how can addicts overcome their addictions?” My initial reply … Continue reading
Here’s the thing most people miss about addiction. When somebody is addicted or hooked on some substance or behavior, that substance or behavior becomes the most important thing in the person’s life. In essence, it becomes the only thing. The … Continue reading
Loyalty is widely considered a virtue. And psychology generally falls into line behind widely accepted virtues as a measure of mental health. Is loyalty actually healthy, wise and good? Subconsciously, most people probably equate loyalty with integrity. Integrity refers to … Continue reading