The character Prufrock in T.S. Eliot’s ironically titled great poem, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” personifies the painful plight of people who are unable to connect with their authentic self. Contemplating “a hundred indecisions,” Prufrock saw the moment of his … [Read more...] about The Love Song of the Self
authentic self
The Futile Dialogue in Our Head
Our mind is often the stage for the acting out of a recurring dialogue between two conflicting parts of our psyche. In people with mental disorders, one of these voices—inner aggression—can take over or “possess” the consciousness of these individuals and command them to commit … [Read more...] about The Futile Dialogue in Our Head
Panic Attacks Arise from Within Our Psyche
The public is not getting the best insight into a wide range of psychological ailments, including panic or anxiety attacks. Books on the subject downplay the role of the psyche or unconscious mind, and ascribe the problem, as one author wrote, to the intrusions of the conscious … [Read more...] about Panic Attacks Arise from Within Our Psyche
The Hidden Cause of Clinical Depression
Crippling confusion governs our treatment approach to the mental-health epidemic of clinical depression. Typically, sufferers who ask what causes their depression are told it’s a mysterious and complex brain disorder. This answer does a grave disservice to millions of … [Read more...] about The Hidden Cause of Clinical Depression
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