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Showing posts from November, 2005

Are you living life or watching it?

Are you living life or watching it? Notice the difference between two groups of people in our culture. One group is actively watching life, while the other group is actively doing life. I discussed this gap recently about why some guys watch as much as 35 hours a week of ESPN sports on TV and totally ignore their family. During our conversation we determined that people who spent that much time watching sports were really doing the same thing as anybody else watching sitcoms, soaps or movies. It was entertainment, no more, no less. Even though the behavior might look like a serious study of the sport, in reality it was about watching TV. Entertainment is to relax and turn your mind off, which can be a useful activity. Yet some guys justify that they “need” to watch the sporting event so that their support will supernaturally go through the screen to somehow help their favorite team win! Not even realizing that the players don’t really hear the cheers when they score or

The Holly Jolly Season; The Happy Time of the Year! Or is It?

Summer flew by, children started school, and bang, Thanksgiving and Christmas lie but a few short weeks ahead. The time has changed, humidity has dropped, and the Florida temperature is a Chamber of Commerce dream. We look forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas as holidays of fun, family gatherings, gift giving, and great meals. What could be better than family gatherings, exchanging presents of love, and wonderful home cooked meals? We all expect that this time of the year will be one of the best times of the year, and it should be. Who would suspect that Thanksgiving and Christmas are times of the year that our children will experience some of their worst depressions of the year ? Fact is, the results of a study conducted by the NYU Child Study Center with over 400 teens reflected that there is “extraordinary crisis of untreated depression and anxiety among American adolescents, particularly adolescent girls” The study indicates that during the holiday season a porti

What are the psychological dynamics behind women and worry?

Women worry about many different topics, from men to body image to relationships to their mother's approval; yet the same psychological drive is fueling this stressful emotion no matter what triggers it. I believe the real source behind the worry most women feel is control. Not control in the sense of being a manipulative monster, (like Jane Fonda's character in a recent film), rather it's the need to know what's happening around her so she can feel empowered and in control of her emotions and environment. Think of it this way. When control goes up, worry goes down because the more a woman can understand the more she will automatically feel a sense of security and confidence inside. However, as a situation begins to feel out of control, worry dramatically increases, leading to more serious conditions like Social Phobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorders or even Panic Attacks if left untreated. Women process information verbally which is why they need to talk through so man

Are there any psychological benefits to pet ownership?

Written By: Dwight Bain, LMHC   Loneliness is listed as one of the greatest problems facing people in this country because it decreases mood and robs motivation.    Feeling disconnected can create an anxious mood, while isolation and social withdrawal can create a feeling of depression that steals energy to change.  Both of these problems can be solved through the power of connection.  Psychologically we all need to feel connected in secure and stable relationships to maintain a positive sense of identity and worth.    Sadly many people don't have positive relationships with friends or family because of death, divorce or dysfunction, yet they still feel a positive connection inside.  What's their secret?  Simple, they have learned the power of connecting to pets in a relational way to avoid loneliness and depression.   Here's what you and I can do to understand how to connect with our pets while feeling better in the process.    First, research your