Finding a mental resource can be tricky. We all want to be heard, and even if we aren't involved in an actual conversation, there are still ways to fill this need. Those who spend a lot of time in their heads, may find themselves struggling with mental health issues. If you are more introverted, reaching [...]
As 2019 winds down, my yearly reading list closes out. I always aim for 25 books a year but seem to always fall a few short. Perhaps I need to read shorter books to reach my goal.;) This year I had ten (out of twenty) books earn the coveted five smiley face Brenda rating. I'm going [...]
A landmark longitudinal study done in San Diego by Drs. Vincent Felitti and Dr. Robert Anda and colleagues, links adverse childhood experiences (ACES) with increased risk for heart disease, addiction, cancer and auto-immune diseases, to name a few. The book, The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity came across my radar twice in the [...]
Some of you may have noticed. My posts are a tad shorter lately. I am working every day at the local high school as a paraprofessional. As you can imagine, my after school time is now devoted to errands, tasks and social obligations I did not get to do during the workday. My intention is to [...]
I recently read In the Realm of "Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction" by Dr. Gabor Mate´. I've found Dr. Maté's philosophies and experience regarding addiction and its origins fascinating. Essentially he says pain is the fuel of all addiction. We use substances and behavior to self-soothe. He does not believe it is primarily genetic. He [...]
The precursor to addiction is dislocation. — Bruce Alexander Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Simon Fraser University. In the quote above, dislocation is taken to mean the loss of psychological, social, and economic integration into family and culture — a sense of exclusion, isolation and powerlessness. In the much quoted book on addiction, "In the Realm [...]
