Pedophilia, Priests and Human Nature

…predestined to molest than a serial killer is predestined to kill. It’s a combination of compulsion and choices which shape him into the person he becomes. A human being has no choice over the fact that he has a rational capacity, that he must exercise that capacity in order to survive and be happy, and that he does not live merely on pre-determined instinct as do lesser animals. Because of this capacity, a human being (even one of modest talent… Continue reading

OCD and the Perils of Risk Aversion (DE Coast Press)

…leave the house, much less drive, shop or interact socially. The Obsessive Compulsive Foundation (www.ocfoundation.org) defines OCD as a neurobiological (physical) problem, as opposed to a psychological (mental) one. But they also acknowledge that no genetic or other link to physiology has yet been established. Whatever the cause, all obsessions involve out-of-control thoughts or impulses to do certain things over and over again. Compulsions are t… Continue reading

Top Ten Dream Themes (DE Coast Press)

…e, it might be fun to give it a try. Imagine a little fantasy world where “anything goes!” It’s important to bear in mind that dreams are not real. They are nothing more than intricate fabrications of your psyche, and healthy by-products of your complex, yet always mindful, self. Be sure to “friend” Dr. Hurd on Facebook. Search under “Michael Hurd” (Rehoboth Beach DE). Get up-to-the-minute postings, recommended articles and links, and engage in ba… Continue reading

Hillary Clinton: Government Creates Jobs, Not Business

…depend on the (tax) money generated by that mover and shaker in order to accomplish anything. Clinton’s comments reveal a brutal and even willful ignorance about basic economic facts of reality. Just once, I’d love to see such people, especially the ones running for public office, be on the defensive. I’d love to see them asked, “If the private sector does not create jobs, wealth and economic growth — then who does?”   Be sure to “friend” Dr. Hurd… Continue reading

Don Draper and the Psychology of “Write It Down”

…o do, and yet once done, one of the most effective. An online columnist at www.ririanproject.com sums up the concept: “…Instead of thinking of a journal as a diary … in which you merely relate the day’s events, think of it as a container for self-reflection, self-expression and self-exploration. The act of writing something down always makes it more real and more concrete than merely thinking it.” It all comes down to living the examined life. We… Continue reading

Faith vs. Reason in the Minds of Children

…behavioral issues most of them do. It’s no mystery why most of them seek to blindly rebel against … what? They really don’t know. I see it in my office every day. Source: “Researchers: Children exposed to religion have difficulty distinguishing fact from fiction,” www.rawstory.com 7/18/14 Be sure to “friend” Dr. Hurd on Facebook. Search under “Michael Hurd” (Rehoboth Beach DE). Get up-to-the-minute postings, recommended articles and links, and en… Continue reading

A Rarely Considered Question on Climate Change Research

…ol and nationalization we should be required to accept in the name of “the common good.” Fear is the oldest manipulative weapon in the book of psychological history. There’s nothing new, enlightened or scientific about it.   Be sure to “friend” Dr. Hurd on Facebook. Search under “Michael Hurd” (Rehoboth Beach DE). Get up-to-the-minute postings, recommended articles and links, and engage in back-and-forth discussion with Dr. Hurd on topics of inter… Continue reading

The Addict’s Attempted Short-Cut to Happiness

…as persistence, patience and — above all, by far — a simple and determined commitment to make your life meaningful and purposeful, for yourself. This is something addiction will not do for you, and in fact will only impair you. Happiness is by definition an ongoing work in progress. Short-cuts are futile and self-defeating on their own terms. Be sure to “friend” Dr. Hurd on Facebook. Search under “Michael Hurd” (Rehoboth Beach DE). Get up-to-the-m… Continue reading

ADHD: the Party’s Over (DE Wave)

…Therapy, Good Therapy (and How to Tell the Difference)” (available only at www.DrHurd.com). ADHD describes nothing more than a pattern of behaviors – symptoms, not causes. Yet, this convenient catch-all “disease” has been classified as a psychiatric disorder. Psychiatric disorders, by definition, refer to problems in thinking and/or emotional states. ADHD has enjoyed a decade-long free ride being treated exactly as if it were a medical disorder. W… Continue reading

Obamacare’s Free Medical Care — Only $50,000 a Head!

…and there’s no quick fix. But we’ve reached the dead end of socialism and Communism with these CBO figures already coming out. More to follow. What’s the right health care reform? Privatization. Privatization. Privatization. Lifting controls. Deregulation. Phasing out of subsides. Completely and totally opening up the market for health care. Put a time limit on Medicaid and Medicare. Debate what the time limit should be, but have one, and mean it… Continue reading

The Psychology of Britain’s National Health Service

…rely for advocating such a thing, and that’s the end of it. The reality is completely different. A socialized system — of medical care, most of all — is based on command-and-control, piles of red tape and lack of accountability. Patients feel contempt for their doctors and doctors feel contempt for their patients. Neither works for the other. Everyone is a ward or slave for the State. 6. Sentimentality. We tend to still our own fears about hospita… Continue reading