In my life there have been many times when I felt isolated, disconnected, and alone. These times have never been pleasant, and in the absence of nurturing relationships, close friends to call on, or a tribe of my own, I coped by engaging in substitute relationships with work, money, entertainment, food, hobbies, and exercise – just to name a… [Continue Reading]
Gabor Mate: Our Compulsive Society
The following interview with Dr. Gabor Mate provides additional context for his work and beliefs about addiction. One surprising statement he makes is that less than five percent of his patients overcome their addictions – not the best of outcomes. Of course what “overcome” means and how to define outcomes are messy topics, but I am… [Continue Reading]
Where the Wild Things Are
Last night my wife and I went to a lecture by Joseph LeDoux, the author of The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life and the Synaptic Self. His research has primarily focused on understanding the emotions of fear and anxiety through animal models, and how these emotions impact memory. One of my favorite chapters in… [Continue Reading]