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
A DrHurd.com reader writes: In a recent Facebook rant, a friend used the phrase “please fix yourself”’ This is a rich, short statement. Should we be looking to fix ourselves; adjusting our values, virtues, and morality; our perceived flaws? Or, … Continue reading
The author of a book called Against Love: A Polemic by Laura Kipnis blames contemporary problems with marriage on—surprise, surprise!—capitalism. Rolling out the intellectuals’ same old stale argument for more than a century now, Kipnis tries to persuade her readers … Continue reading
According to both 2006 and 2009 studies published by Raymond Mar, a psychologist at York University in Canada, and Keith Oatley, a professor of cognitive psychology at the University of Toronto, those who read fiction are capable of the most … Continue reading
How do you feel about being left alone with yourself, and your thoughts? Before answering, consider the findings in a recent University of Virginia/Harvard University study [reported at pjmedia.com 7/4/14]: Many people would rather inflict pain on themselves than spend … Continue reading