A website visitor writes that a longtime acquaintance of hers recently passed away. The upshot is that most people didn’t like the woman who died. She was obnoxious and spread bad rumors about everyone. The reader writes that those who … Continue reading
A reader emails: “Dear Dr. Hurd, my brother is 32. He doesn’t work. He, his wife and daughter live with our mother. They scrape by on disability, food stamps and our Mom’s generosity. I believe that his disrespect and mooching … Continue reading
A Delaware Coast Press reader emails, “Dear Dr. Hurd, I am afraid of blood pressure measurements. It started three years ago when I had a panic attack. My blood pressure was high, and the emergency medical team mistook it for … Continue reading
A few years ago I wrote an article entitled “I’m So Sorry!” The two celebrities who inspired my commentary back then were none other than Lindsay Lohan (actress turned professional addict) and Levi Johnston (former on-again/off-again fiancée of Sarah Palin’s … Continue reading
The subject of addiction has been perpetually bogged down in inane political correctness and “feel-good” labels. But no matter how you label it, America is an addictive society. My definition of addiction has grown out of almost 35 years of … Continue reading
A Delaware Wave reader tells me that she’s frustrated with her teenage son. She wants to remind him that he should at least listen to her suggestions and opinions since she’s still paying for everything. Well, dear Reader, the first … Continue reading
It’s sad but true, and it happens all the time: A couple gets divorced. There are no kids, and it’s not about money. The problem is that their friends take sides: They shun one of the partners with no explanation. … Continue reading
Rarely does a social occasion go by that somebody doesn’t ask me what a psychotherapist does. I resist the urge to mumble something about secret handshakes, decoder rings and electric shocks, then I try to answer the question truthfully: One … Continue reading
Marriage and commitment are often at the top of the list when I talk to people in my office. And for good reason! Research shows that in the U.S., about half of first marriages fail, as do two-thirds of second … Continue reading
When it comes to teenagers, one of the subjects that comes up in my office is interpersonal relationships — especially sex. In a study presented at a meeting of the American Public Health Association, researchers at the University of Kentucky … Continue reading
As summer approaches and families gather at the beach, lingering financial issues can sometimes become a source of, shall we say … discussion … when debating where to go on vacation or maybe just where to have tonight’s dinner. If … Continue reading
A reader tells me that her 22-year-old son graduated from college last May and returned home to live. She loves having him here, but also realizes that he needs to get on with his life. In spite of the forest … Continue reading