What are some of the more important features of human sexual desire? Two neuroscientists falter badly in their attempt to answer the question in their book, A Billion Wicked Thoughts: What the World’s Largest Experiment Reveals About Human Desire (Dutton, New York, … [Read more...] about When Sexual Desire Covers Up Self-Sabotage
The Dreary Distress of Boredom
Yawn. Nothing interesting going on today. Day after day, the same old thing, going around in a daze, inwardly dead. Life used to be more fun. Why is the world so dull? Why am I bored so much of the time? Hey, it's natural enough to be bored or restless when waiting two … [Read more...] about The Dreary Distress of Boredom
Problem Gamblers are Addicted to Losing
Problem gamblers typically believe, as they head out the door to the nearest casino, that their full and sincere intention is to win money. Little do they know they’re acting out an emotional attachment to the feeling of losing. Such gamblers typically do become, in the … [Read more...] about Problem Gamblers are Addicted to Losing
The Tyrant that Rules Our Inner Life
Much suffering is produced through our relationship with our inner critic. This part of our psyche is also called the superego or self-aggression. It’s an authoritarian aspect or agency in our psyche that holds us accountable for any real or imagined shortcomings or failures. The … [Read more...] about The Tyrant that Rules Our Inner Life
The Negative Emotions Behind Addictions
I read this definition of an addiction on the internet: "An addiction is an unconscious way of coping with emotions." Yes, that's true, but a more precise definition is called for: An addiction is a self-defeating reaction to, or consequence of, unresolved negative … [Read more...] about The Negative Emotions Behind Addictions