The anxiety around dating—and finding the “right” partner—is a common contributor to unhappiness. The challenge is described in a recent article, “Mating Season,” in The New York Times Magazine. (The online version is titled, The Trouble With Wanting Men.”) The article’s … [Read more...] about When the Mating Call Fizzles
helplessness
Collapsing into Helplessness
James E. Holmes’s spiral notebook helps us understand his descent into madness. Holmes, a neuroscience graduate student who killed 12 people in a 2012 mass murder spree in a Colorado movie theater, had covered page after page of his notebook with the single handwritten word … [Read more...] about Collapsing into Helplessness
O Shame, Where is Thy Secret Source?
Shame is a powerful and self-damaging emotion, and many books in recent years have tackled the subject in search of its roots. Some experts say shame is “the quintessential negative emotion” because it influences so many different moods and behaviors. While shame can saturate … [Read more...] about O Shame, Where is Thy Secret Source?
Escaping the Clutches of Helplessness
We can all feel fragile at times, fading feebly in and out like a tiny sparkle in the vast firmament. It’s easy then to feel helpless, overlooked, insignificant, and unappreciated. An entanglement in helpless feelings can certainly dampen our light, leaving us afraid to be … [Read more...] about Escaping the Clutches of Helplessness
A Plague of Neurosis Upon Our House
People are in psychological crisis, and masses of us, steeped in the anxiety of helplessness and futility, are feeling marginalized and victimized. Making it worse, we take our pain out on each other. Around the world the complexity of modern life contributes to personal … [Read more...] about A Plague of Neurosis Upon Our House