Beat them at their own game. Don’t employ these four positive character traits when you’re in love with, work for, were parented by, or are friends (frenemies) with a narcissist. These are admirable and useful traits when offered to “normal”…
Posts published in August 2017
Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” Giving feels good. We’ve all experienced that high from doing something good: donating our used books to the library, feeding…
When biking we hardly notice the wind at our back, until we change directions and try riding against its force. Likewise, we may hardly notice the cultural winds that carry us until we step outside our boundaries. That’s one reason…
Note: Trigger alert for those who may themselves have been hospitalized. A question that strikes fear in the hearts of many who could not conceive of a mental health crisis and an all too real experience for numerous people in…
In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales discuss Binge Eating Disorder. At his heaviest, Gabe weighed 550 pounds. He describes in detail how he went from a “normal-sized” guy to being morbidly obese,…
Hypothetical tweet from @DumpTrump: “Did you see the latest Trump meltdown? How did we elect such a megalomania? No question, the guy is mentally ill.” In a snarkily filled tweet (or, let’s say, a snarkily written 500-word column), we impugn…
No one needs to tell you that having a potty mouth is crass and vulgar. In fact, ever since we were little children we were told not to curse or swear excessively. While this advice seems well intentioned with respect…
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” – Martin Luther King It certainly sounds like an impossibility. If you have an enemy, how can that person ever become a friend? This isn’t the recommended…
“On a scale of 1-10, how do you feel?” It’s a question that most psychiatrists ask when assessing mood and medication maintenance. The scale is used to monitor feelings of anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. A patient’s response…
As state mental health services have crumbled under budget cuts, tens of millions of dollars raised through a tax designed to help the mentally ill have gone to “wellness” programs like horseback riding for teens and yoga classes for city…
With world events occurring at lightning/frightening speed, adults who may be bewildered themselves, may feel at a loss to answer the questions their young ones may have about topics they see broadcast on television or hear about on the school…
I am a recovering praise fiend. As a little boy, I would sprint home and unload my day’s events to my nonplussed mother. “Hi, Mom, I earned an A on my English paper,” I would gush. And then my…
“The problem with verbal abuse is there is no evidence,” Marta shared. She came for help with a long-standing depression. “What do you mean lack of evidence?” I asked her. “When people are physically or sexually abused it’s concrete and…
Our gut feeling rarely lets us down, although we know very little about how it happens. As science discovers more about the connection between the gut and brain, the role of the little-known and rare enterochromaffin (EC) cells becomes central…
We were on Route 9 in between Kremmling and Silverthorne, Colorado. Our ultimate destination was Colorado Springs. To say that we were out in the boonies was an understatement. Mountains rose up to the right and left of us. I…
If someone gave you five hundred dollars to spend on something that makes you happy, what would you buy? Some new clothes? Gifts for friends and family? Or perhaps you’d donate the money to one of your favorite charities —…
“Winning and losing are both very temporary things. Having done one or the other, you move on. Gloating over a victory or sulking over a loss is a good way to stand still.” – Chuck Knox I don’t know about…
Every relationship is stressful. What matters is how you DEAL with it. Couples across cultures and continents — of all races and religions, economics and demographics — experience the same human emotion when faced with relationship challenges and marriage problems.…
Five years ago, I wrote about the correlation between expectations and happiness — lower your expectations and you will be happier — reign in expectations and stress and despair won’t be prominent when life does not go according to plan.…
Happy Saturday, sweet readers! Can you believe it’s the last weekend of August? I know summer doesn’t technically end as soon as August is over, but…where did the summer go?! Well, before you head out to enjoy the weekend, take…