A Psychologist on the Loose
Posts tagged addiction
More Overheard in Vegas and How to Walk a Way with Big Bucks
Dateline: By now, from reading Overheard, Pt.1, Pt.2., you know I’m working away at the Professional Bull Riders Rock Bar. I’m on a barstool slugging back coffee and tapping my laptop, surrounded by partiers who are not in Las Vegas to edit a manuscript. Periodically, one of them whacks me on the back and tells me to stop with the laptop, that Vegas is for partying. As the night continues and my ‘friends’ drink and drink, those whacks are harder and harder. I order a glass of iced wine to numb the friendly encouragement.
To make sense of the More >
The Stress/Anxiety Prone Personality, Get a Grip, Part 4
The Stress/Anxiety Prone Personality, Get a Grip, Part 4
To catch up: The Banquet of Consequences; The Self Inflicted Pizza Bomb; Things to Do, People to Annoy
Dateline: Dateline: the Big Thicket State Forest. Really. I can promise that this retreat spot is “big,” because there is no Starbucks within reasonable driving distance. Pizza delivery is but a distant dream. It’s a “thicket,” because I’m surrounded by tall trees spewing allergens in a bonfire pattern. (Kind reader, as you might suspect, this wasn’t my idea and this will not be the last you hear of this weekend of terror.)
Stress. Get a Grip, More >
The Anxiety of Others, “The Woman Who Wasn’t Really Out of Toothpaste Incident”
The Anxiety of Others, “The Woman Who Wasn’t Out of Toothpaste Incident”
Dateline: Las Vegas Wynn Race and Sports Book Branch Office. The Wynn is the prestige place to stay and with prices to keep out riff-raff like me. All the Sports Book requires is that I have a drink ticket which is only possible if I make one five dollar bet. This is a good deal. For five dollars you can sip coffee for hours. And, who knows, you might win your bet.
Set-up: Janie is married with three young children. She wants her children to have a happier childhood than she More >
Stress, Addiction, Humility, and the “Stolen Identity Incident”
Stress, Addiction, and the “Stolen Identity Incident”
Dateline: San Antonio River Walk International Branch Office. One block over, on March 6, 1836, all the well-armed and well-dressed Mexicans in the world, stormed the Alamo killing everyone inside. Newspapers in the weeks following ran stories encouraging settlers to “Come on down!” As one of those news articles in the Texas State Library says, “Texas is still a great opportunity for you and your family. The report claiming that the men in the Alamo were killed is a false rumor, propaganda sent out by politicians.” Sigh. Things haven’t changed much.
In thinking about stress management More >
Addiction, It Takes Two…Stress and Addiction, Final Episode
Dateline: San Antonio River Walk Patio Branch Office. Jennifer Lopez stood on the nearby bridge during the making of Selena.
If you are new the story of Mr. and Mrs. Travis, Catch up with Episode One, Episode Two, and Episode Three. When the next football season came around, Mrs. Travis was the one with symptoms. She’d gained thirty pounds in the past year, had trouble sleeping, and was short-tempered with the children. Mr. Travis didn’t know what was wrong with his wife.
The cell phone in the garage and weekend depressions returned. Five days before Mrs. Travis came into my office, she had discovered a More >
Stress, Love, and Las Vegas, Episode Three
Dateline: Palacio Del Rio International Branch Headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. I once had breakfast here with Jerry Seinfeld. Okay, he was in this restaurant at the same time I was.
In order to understand the plight of Mr.and Mrs.Travis, it is necessary to read Episode One and Episode Two.
As we return to the couple, life has been good through the spring and summer. There were times when Mr. Travis seemed a bit distracted, but not often. Starting at the beginning of the summer, Mr. Travis changed a few of his habits. He stayed up until after Mrs. Travis was in bed. His More >
On a High, Part Two of Love, Money, and Stress
Dateline: Main Location, Austin, Texas. Suzi and Sammie Davis, Jr. at the ready. To accurately keep up with these wild hearts in Vegas, read Episode One first.
Set-up. Fusion…When one person is so merged with another person that he or she cannot make decisions or moves if these moves or decisions might their partner anxious. Usually, along with experiencing great anxiety when the other is displeased, we are afraid that if we continue in our path the relationship will change, or fall apart completely.
Remember, no judgment as we return to Mr. and Mrs.Travis in Las Vegas. When we slip into being judgmental, we see More >