William Styron’s little book, Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness, offers vivid depictions of the suffocating gloom that in 1985 stalked his descent into major depression. He is perhaps remembered as much for this 1990 book describing his meltdown into depression as for his … [Read more...] about A Novelist’s Quest to Unravel His Madness
Search Results for: psychological defenses
Can You Be Your Own Therapist?
This is a new version of a blog I posted on this website in 2014. It goes into more detail about the process of freeing ourselves from emotional and behavioral problems. This revised version will appear in the Appendix of my latest book, which I expect to publish by … [Read more...] about Can You Be Your Own Therapist?
The Difference Between Learned Helplessness and Inner Passivity
My readers know how ardently I put the focus on inner passivity. It is, I contend, the primary mischief-maker of the psyche, the largely unconscious part of us that keeps us from being at our best. Inner passivity, a primary component of inner conflict, is the straw house … [Read more...] about The Difference Between Learned Helplessness and Inner Passivity
Are You Overly Sensitive to Rejection?
When it comes to romance and friendship, many people fear rejection, even when they’re just conjuring it up in their imagination. If we’re frequently anxious about being accepted or loved, we may be emotionally attached to rejection. With this attachment, people operate on … [Read more...] about Are You Overly Sensitive to Rejection?
Answers to Questions from Readers (Part 9)
Readers often send me emails with their comments and questions concerning different aspects of depth psychology, inner conflict, and the process of psychotherapy. Here I respond to six of them. I’ve done some editing of the questions, which are in italics. These answers review … [Read more...] about Answers to Questions from Readers (Part 9)