Tag: Mental Health

Self Deception – ChatGpt on

How is it possible to lie to yourself? I think Sartre considered this question. What did he say on this and what are some other thoughts on the issue?

Jean-Paul Sartre, a prominent existential philosopher, delved into the concept of self-deception and the ability to lie to oneself. He argued that self-deception is a fundamental aspect of human existence. According to Sartre, people often deceive themselves as a way to escape responsibility for their choices and actions. This self-deception allows individuals to maintain a positive self-image and avoid confronting the harsh realities of their existence.

Sartre’s perspective on self-deception is closely related to his existential philosophy, which emphasizes individual freedom and responsibility. He believed that people create their essence through their choices and actions, and self-deception can be a way to deny this freedom and evade the anxiety that comes with it. By lying to oneself, individuals can convince themselves that they are not truly free or responsible for their circumstances.

Other philosophers and psychologists have also explored the concept of self-deception from various angles. For example, Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, proposed the idea of defense mechanisms, which are unconscious psychological strategies used to protect oneself from unpleasant thoughts or feelings. Denial, one of these defense mechanisms, involves refusing to accept reality or the truth.

In addition, social psychologists have conducted extensive research on cognitive dissonance, a theory developed by Leon Festinger. Cognitive dissonance occurs when individuals experience discomfort due to holding conflicting beliefs or attitudes. To reduce this discomfort, people might engage in self-deception by changing their beliefs or justifying their actions.

Overall, the ability to lie to oneself is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, explored by various philosophers, psychologists, and scholars from different disciplines. These perspectives provide valuable insights into the human mind and the ways individuals navigate the challenges of self-awareness and personal responsibility.

Me and My Friend(s) – 5 Memoir, Biography Hybrid Books

Selections mine, blurbs via Amazon

Three Girls from Bronzeville
Dawn Turner Trice
They were three Black girls. Dawn, tall and studious; her sister, Kim, younger by three years and headstrong as they come; and her best friend, Debra, already prom-queen pretty by third grade. They bonded—fervently and intensely in that unique way of little girls—as they roamed the concrete landscape of Bronzeville, a historic neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, the destination of hundreds of thousands of Black folks who fled the ravages of the Jim Crow South.

Remembering Denny
Calvin Trillin
Remembering Denny is perhaps Calvin Trillin’s most inspired and powerful book: a memoir of a friendship, a work of investigative reporting, and an exploration of a country and a time that captures something essential about how America has changed since Trillin–and Denny Hansen–were graduated from Yale in 1957. Roger “Denny” Hansen had seemed then a college hero for the ages: a charmer with a dazzling smile, the subject of a feature in Life magazine, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, a varsity swimmer, a Rhodes scholar…perhaps a future president, as his friends only half-joked. But after early jobs in government and journalism, Hansen’s life increasingly took a downward turn and he gradually lost touch with family and old friends before eventually committing suicide–an obscure, embittered, pain-racked professor–in 1991.

The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace
Jeff Hobbs
To read The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, a meticulous and heartfelt account of a brilliant black student from the poverty-stricken streets of Newark, is to see the best of the American dream lived and ultimately, tragically, lost. Peace’s mother endured great sacrifices to ensure that her gifted son would meet his full potential. His father, until his arrest for murder when Rob was seven, dedicated himself to helping his son learn and mature. Rob was a popular, straight-A student who played on the water polo team (his mother scraped up enough money to send him to parochial school), and upon graduating he was rewarded with a scholarship to Yale. Although he continued to thrive academically in college, growing up in the second largest concentration of African-Americans living under the poverty line created barriers that even one as gifted as Robert Peace could not fully surmount. This is a riveting and heartbreaking read, as Rob Peace seems always to have been on the outside—the resented geek in the hood, and the inner city black man in the Ivy League

Best Minds
Jonathan Rosen
When the Rosens moved to New Rochelle in 1973, Jonathan Rosen and Michael Laudor became inseparable. Both children of college professors, the boys were best friends and keen competitors, and, when they both got into Yale University, seemed set to join the American meritocratic elite.

Michael blazed through college in three years, graduating summa cum laude and landing a top-flight consulting job. But all wasn’t as it seemed. One day, Jonathan received the call: Michael had suffered a serious psychotic break and was in the locked ward of a psychiatric hospital.

The Forgotten Girls
Monica Potts
Growing up gifted and working-class poor in the foothills of the Ozarks, Monica and Darci became fast friends. The girls bonded over a shared love of reading and learning, even as they navigated the challenges of their tumultuous family lives and declining town—broken marriages, alcohol abuse, and shuttered stores and factories. They pored over the giant map in their middle-school classroom, tracing their fingers over the world that awaited them, vowing to escape. In the end, Monica left Clinton for college and fulfilled her dreams, but Darci, along with many in their circle of friends, did not.

Disillusionment, Pete Townsend on

I had a big, big problem because I had been the big rock idealist and now it was all letting me down. The industry hadn’t fulfilled its promise. Rock ‘n’ roll had changed the length of men’s hair and very little else. I felt like a fool because I’d waved the banner so aggressively. And what was really worse, I felt that I was being used by journalists.

I hated the feeling that I was in a band on the downward slide that was killing people in Cincinnati, killing off its own members, killing its manager. We were into making big money and anybody who got in the way or had a problem, we dropped. Nobody seemed to notice. Nobody seemed to think this was a particularly bad thing, or we pretended it wasn’t, anyway. I felt it start to kill me. Something was getting its teeth into me. I should have stopped doing what I really didn’t want to go on doing. I should have stopped working with the band. I should have stopped and had another look at rock ‘n’ roll, the thing that I loved and cared about so much, which I held above all other things.

Pete Townsend, from the book:
The Courage to Change: Personal Conversations about Alcoholism
Dennis Wholey
Note – the book is from 1984.

Loneliness – Health Issue

Americans have become increasingly lonely and isolated, and this lack of social connection is having profound effects on our mental and physical health, the surgeon general warned in an advisory on Tuesday.

Advisories from America’s top doctor are typically reserved for public health challenges that require immediate attention. This is the first time one has been used to highlight the issue of loneliness.

More than half of Americans are lonely, according to a 2021 poll, which also found that young adults are almost twice as likely to report feeling lonely as those over age 65.

How to Feel Less Lonely, According to the Surgeon General
America’s top physician, Dr. Vivek Murthy, offers advice on how to build meaningful social connections in an increasingly lonely world.
Christina Caron

Rumination, What it is, How to Handle – ChatGpt on

Why do I keep going over old, unpleasant experiences? Why do I make up imagined negative scenarios? What is this behavior called and how does on stop it?
ChatGPT
The behavior you’re describing is commonly known as rumination. Rumination is the tendency to repeatedly think about or dwell on past events, often negative ones, and to replay them in your mind. It can involve going over old, unpleasant experiences or creating imaginary negative scenarios. Rumination is a common feature of anxiety and depression and can contribute to the maintenance of these conditions.

Rumination often occurs when individuals have difficulty letting go of negative thoughts and emotions. It can feel like a never-ending cycle where your mind gets stuck in a loop, replaying the same negative thoughts and scenarios repeatedly. It can be exhausting, distressing, and interfere with your overall well-being.

To stop the cycle of rumination, here are some strategies you can try:

Mindfulness and Meditation: Practice mindfulness techniques to help you stay present and focus your attention on the present moment. Meditation can also help cultivate a non-judgmental awareness of your thoughts and emotions, allowing you to observe them without getting caught up in them.

Challenge Negative Thoughts: Recognize that negative thoughts and imagined scenarios may not accurately reflect reality. Challenge and question the validity of these thoughts by asking yourself for evidence or alternative explanations that might provide a more balanced perspective.

Reframe and Reinterpret: Try to reframe negative experiences by looking for positive aspects, lessons learned, or personal growth that resulted from those experiences. Reframing can help shift your focus from dwelling on the negative to finding meaning and resilience.

Engage in Positive Activities: Occupy your mind with activities that you enjoy and that promote positive emotions. This can include hobbies, spending time with loved ones, exercising, or engaging in creative outlets. Distracting yourself with positive experiences can help break the cycle of rumination.

Seek Support: Talk to a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional about your thoughts and experiences. They can provide support, guidance, and help you gain a different perspective on the issues you’re ruminating about.

Set Boundaries with Rumination: Allocate specific periods of time, like “worry time,” to allow yourself to think about and process your concerns. However, outside of those designated periods, consciously redirect your attention to the present moment and engage in activities that promote a positive mindset.

Remember, overcoming rumination takes time and practice. If you find that your rumination persists and significantly affects your daily life, it may be beneficial to seek professional help from a therapist or counselor who can provide specialized guidance and techniques to address rumination and its underlying causes.

Ozzy Osbourne vs the Ice Machines

Ozzy’s second Rare Breed gig was at Aston University, where once again we were booed off and the promoter only gave us half our fee. That was the night I learned that Ozzy could defecate at will. As we were loading our gear back into the van, Ozzy pulled down his pants, crouched on the bonnet of the promoter’s Jaguar and left one of his trademark calling cards. To be fair, he refined his talent as the years went by. On future American tours, he’d shit in hotel ice machines, so that anyone who fancied a Scotch on the rocks might get it with a twist.

Into the Void
Geezer Butler

Unbeknownst to Sharon, who as usual was taking care of day-to-day business in her hotel room, Ozzy found his way to the road crew’s hotel where he drank and snorted until Sharon finally tracked him down that evening.

Upon his arrival back at the hotel, Ozzy continued his rampage by defecating in the ice machines before retiring from another full day of mischief. Due to countless incidents of day off shenanigans, I truly believe that Ozzy is responsible for the modifications that have been made to the design of today’s hotel ice machines.

Off the Rails: Aboard the Crazy Train in the Blizzard of Ozz
Rudy Sarzo

Note – both books recommended.

Depression – Hard to Explain, Painful, Messes with Sleep – William Styron on

I was feeling in my mind a sensation close to, but indescribably different from, actual pain. This leads me to touch again on the elusive nature of such distress. That the word “indescribable” should present itself is not fortuitous, since it has to be emphasized that if the pain were readily describable most of the countless sufferers from this ancient affliction would have been able to confidently depict for their friends and loved ones (even their physicians) some of the actual dimensions of their torment, and perhaps elicit a comprehension that has been generally lacking; such incomprehension has usually been due not to a failure of sympathy but to the basic inability of healthy people to imagine a form of torment so alien to everyday experience. For myself, the pain is most closely connected to drowning or suffocation—but even these images are off the mark. William James, who battled depression for many years, gave up the search for an adequate portrayal, implying its near-impossibility when he wrote in The Varieties of Religious Experience: “It is a positive and active anguish, a sort of psychical neuralgia wholly unknown to normal life.”

…
And one of the most unendurable aspects of such an interlude was the inability to sleep. It had been my custom of a near-lifetime, like that of vast numbers of people, to settle myself into a soothing nap in the late afternoon, but the disruption of normal sleep patterns is a notoriously devastating feature of depression; to the injurious sleeplessness with which I had been afflicted each night was added the insult of this afternoon insomnia, diminutive by comparison but all the more horrendous because it struck during the hours of the most intense misery. It had become clear that I would never be granted even a few minutes’ relief from my full-time exhaustion.

Darkness Visible
William Styron

The Committee – Addiction and Internal Dialogue

In a new interview with “Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern”, BUCKCHERRY’s Josh Todd spoke about David Draiman’s recent onstage speech about the “demons” of addiction and depression in which the DISTURBED frontman revealed that, a few months ago, he “almost joined” his late friends Chester Bennington, Chris Cornell and Scott Weiland while battling these demons. Asked if he can relate to Draiman’s mental health challenges, Todd said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Absolutely. I’m an alcoholic. I’ve been clean and sober from drugs and alcohol for 28 years. And although you take away the drugs and alcohol, it’s just a symptom of the problem. The problem is your mind. Between your ears, I’m different than a normal guy walking the street. So because of that — I call it ‘the committee’, and the committee between my ears can be an asset or a liability, for sure. So you have to do a lot of things to manage that and to understand those particular voices in your head that really wanna get you isolated from people and get you to drink and use.

BUCKCHERRY’s JOSH TODD: ‘I’ve Been Clean And Sober From Drugs And Alcohol For 28 Years’

Growing Old Together – You and What You Fear

..here he was on Broadway, his hair iron-gray, his stare wild, his walk unsteady, his hands flailing at the air. His clothes were out of the men’s shelter, and his face so ill-looking you wanted to put him in a hospital for a month before we even discussed the situation.

My mother looked curiously at me. “Why were you afraid of him?” she asked. “You could knock him over with one hand.”

“Ma, he didn’t look like that twelve years ago. Believe me. She continued to stare after him as he shambled down Broadway, bumping into people left and right.

“You’re growing old together,” she said to me. “You and what frightens you.”

Fierce Attachments
Vivian Gornick

What are some of the hazards or downsides of over-thinking – ChatGPT on

what are some of the hazards or downsides of over-thinking

While thinking and introspection can be beneficial, over-thinking, or excessive rumination, can have negative effects on an individual’s mental and emotional well-being. Some hazards or downsides of over-thinking may include:

Anxiety and stress: Over-thinking can trigger anxiety and stress as the mind continuously dwells on past events, present situations, or future possibilities. This can result in a heightened state of worry and distress, leading to increased stress levels and a sense of overwhelm.

Reduced decision-making ability: Over-thinking can lead to analysis paralysis, where the individual becomes stuck in a cycle of over-analyzing and struggling to make decisions. This can hinder their ability to take action and make choices, leading to missed opportunities or delayed progress.

Negative impact on mental health: Over-thinking is often associated with negative thought patterns, such as self-doubt, self-criticism, and negative self-talk. This can contribute to the development or exacerbation of mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety disorders, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Strained relationships: Over-thinking can lead to miscommunication or misinterpretation of others’ intentions, which can strain relationships. It may also cause the individual to excessively ruminate on past interactions or conversations, leading to unnecessary conflicts or misunderstandings.

Reduced productivity: Over-thinking can consume significant mental energy and distract from other important tasks, leading to reduced productivity and performance in various areas of life, such as work, school, or personal pursuits.

Physical health impacts: Prolonged over-thinking can also have physical health impacts, such as disrupted sleep patterns, increased muscle tension, and elevated stress hormone levels, which can contribute to a range of physical health issues, including fatigue, muscle pain, and compromised immune function.

Reduced enjoyment of the present moment: Over-thinking often involves dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, which can detract from being fully present in the current moment. This can result in reduced enjoyment of life experiences and an inability to fully engage in the present moment.

It’s important to note that occasional introspection and reflection are normal, and everyone experiences it to some extent. However, when over-thinking becomes chronic or excessive, it can have detrimental effects on an individual’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Seeking support from a mental health professional or practicing healthy coping strategies, such as mindfulness, relaxation techniques, and setting boundaries with rumination, can be helpful in managing over-thinking.

Empathy as Elevated Form of Understanding – Arnold’s Monday Motivation

Arnold’s Monday Motivation
“Opinion is the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world. It requires profound purpose larger than the self.”

Someone sent this to me this week, and it said it was from Plato. I looked it up, and apparently, he never said this (just like a lot of quotes I see from myself!). But that doesn’t bother me. It’s a great quote, and we can all learn from it.

It’s easy to have an opinion. Today, it’s easier than ever to broadcast your opinion to everybody. Unfortunately, because of the way social media works, it’s the negative opinions that get the most love. People love to complain or criticize. It doesn’t take much effort, and it’s an easy way to get likes.

Like always, I’m asking you guys to take the harder road. Try to understand other people. Find your empathy.

From Arnold’s mailing list:
Welcome to the positive corner of wellness. Here’s a daily digest designed to make you healthier in less than 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.

A Man Who Believed Himself to Have a Fish in his Jaw

Most people I meet are secretly convinced that they’re a little crazier than the average person. People understand the energy necessary to maintain their own shields, but not the energy expended by other people. They understand that their own sanity is a performance, but when confronted by other people they confuse the person with the role.

…

I once read about a man who believed himself to have a fish in his jaw. (The case was reported in New Society.) This fish moved about, and caused him a lot of discomfort. When he tried to tell people about the fish, they thought him ‘crazy’, which led to violent arguments. After he’d been hospitalised several times—with no effect on the fish—it was suggested that perhaps he shouldn’t tell anyone. After all it was the quarrels that were getting him put away, rather than the delusion. Once he’d agreed to keep his problem secret, he was able to lead a normal life. His sanity is like our sanity. We may not have a fish in our jaw, but we all have its equivalent.

When I explain that sanity is a matter of interaction, rather than of one’s mental processes, students are often hysterical with laughter. They agree that for years they have been suppressing all sorts of thinking because they classified it as insane.


Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre
Keith Johnstone

Existential Crisis – Definition, Example of

In psychology and psychotherapy, existential crises are inner conflicts characterized by the impression that life lacks meaning or by confusion about one’s personal identity. Existential crises are accompanied by anxiety and stress, often to such a degree that they disturb one’s normal functioning in everyday life and lead to depression. Their negative attitude towards life and meaning reflects various positions characteristic of the philosophical movement known as existentialism. Synonyms and closely related terms include existential dread, existential vacuum, existential neurosis, and alienation. The various aspects associated with existential crises are sometimes divided into emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. Emotional components refer to the feelings they provoke, such as emotional pain, despair, helplessness, guilt, anxiety, and loneliness. Cognitive components encompass the problem of meaninglessness, the loss of personal values, and reflections about one’s own mortality. Outwardly, existential crises often express themselves in addictions, anti-social and compulsive behavior.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existential_crisis

Doctor in Brooklyn: Why are you depressed, Alvy?
Alvy’s Mom: Tell Dr. Flicker.
[Young Alvy sits, his head down – his mother answers for him]
Alvy’s Mom: It’s something he read.
Doctor in Brooklyn: Something he read, huh?
Alvy at 9: [his head still down] The universe is expanding.
Doctor in Brooklyn: The universe is expanding?
Alvy at 9: Well, the universe is everything, and if it’s expanding, someday it will break apart and that would be the end of everything!
Alvy’s Mom: What is that your business?
[she turns back to the doctor]
Alvy’s Mom: He stopped doing his homework!
Alvy at 9: What’s the point?
Alvy’s Mom: What has the universe got to do with it? You’re here in Brooklyn! Brooklyn is not expanding!
Doctor in Brooklyn: It won’t be expanding for billions of years yet, Alvy. And we’ve gotta try to enjoy ourselves while we’re here!

Annie Hall

God Wants Me to Have the Women and the Air Conditioner

The first thing he claimed — even though he already had a wife, a 14-year-old girl, pushing legal limits in Texas, but she had her parents permission so the marriage was legal — he announced that God now wanted him to have wives, multiple wives. He pointed out some scriptural passages that he said backed this up, and he claimed that he needed multiple wives because it was his job to sire 24 children who would become elders and help rule after the kingdom of God’s reestablished, at the end times. Then he further announces that among all the women at Mount Carmel, every woman of childbearing age — and that would be, say, from 12 up — were now his wives and could have sex only with him for procreation purposes. The husbands of these women were forbidden to have sex at all anymore. And Koresh said this was a blessing to them because now they could focus their energies on studying the Bible more and becoming more worthy of the Lord. So it was sex. It was everyone else’s wives. And he even decided God wanted him to have the only unit air conditioning in Mount Carmel.

30 years after the siege, ‘Waco’ examines what led to the catastrophe

Interview was regarding:
Waco: David Koresh, The Branch Davidians and a Legacy of Rage
Jeff Guinn