I Am a Good Person. I Am Not a Good Person. Understanding Addictive Behaviors
Most Americans have at least one type of addictive behavior at some point in their lives. Many of these addictions start as daily habits that people enjoy, such as shopping or using Facebook, and help alleviate daily stress. If these behaviors become too habitual they can take a toll on your physical and mental health. Addictive behaviors can be just as devastating as drug or alcohol abuse, and can lead to significant...
I Just Want to Know If You Will Be There | Helping a Friend in Crisis
It is hard to know how to help friends when they hit rock bottom. People in the midst of a crisis often feel that everything they worked so hard for is disappearing before their eyes. These emotions can be so overwhelming and intense that they make it hard to move forward. Many kinds of events can cause an emotional crisis, such as a job loss, foreclosure, divorce or a betrayal. If a friend, or relative, is going through a...
A Season in Hell: Recognizing Compassion Fatigue
Do you find yourself helping other people in difficult situations, such as taking care of a family member, or someone recovering from an accident? As you might know, helping others can, over time, cause feelings of helplessness, anxiety, anger and irritability. This response is known as “compassion fatigue” and it is quite common among family caregivers, social workers, psychologists and counselors. Without...
When We Were Kings: Are We Making the Elderly Feel Expendable?
They were kings when we were in diapers. They have seen more than we can ever imagine. Many of the them fought to keep America safe during World War II. They paved the road so we could live fruitful lives. They are 12% of the US population. They are the elderly. Yesterday’s heroes. However, over the years I’ve seen a rise in poor self-image and self-esteem among seniors. This made me wonder… are we, indirectly,...
Dissociative Identity Disorder: Real or Myth?
Better known as multiple personality disorder, or identity dissociative disorder, dissociative Identity disorder (DID) is a complex condition characterized by the presence of two or more personalities in one person. Anyone remember the movie “Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde”? In this story, the main character has two completely different personalities that act independently of each other. Who could forget Sally Field’s portrayal of Sybil...
