March 8, 2010
One of the great challenges in life is dealing with a loss or a break-up. Almost everyone has had to go through it at some point in their lives. If you want to know what depression feels like just think back to the last time you went through a separation - dry mouth, loss of appetite, loss of pleasure in activities you normally enjoy, trouble sleeping, etc. While anyone can be depressed following a break-up, people who consult have often had to cope with a long-standing pattern of failed relationships.
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February 15, 2010
Every time a tragic event occurs I receive a call form someone in authority and am asked if I, or a team of my colleagues, can provide some psychological help. Whether the events are local (the suicide of a patient, the collapse of a highway overpass, the accidental death of a circus performer) or international (the Virginia Tech killing spree, the 2004 tsunami, or the recent Haitian earthquake), these events affect such a large number of individuals that it is natural to want to do something for them - something that will ease their suffering. While it is natural to want to help, what exactly can we do, or should we do?
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February 1, 2010
“Where do I get my ideas,” is probably the most common question I get asked. I have no idea how to answer it. To be honest, I don’t usually set out to write about a topic. I simply go about my business of living a normal life. I talk to people, I see things, I hear things, I observe myself and others, and every once in a while, I say to myself, “Hey, that would make a great column.”
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January 26, 2010
Every once in a while, very unpleasant or disturbing thoughts come into my head. Since there are many of them, it begs the question, “Am I one disturbed human whack-o?”
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January 12, 2010
January is Alzheimer’s awareness month. Last week, media picked up on some alarming reports about the rising social and financial impact of dementias. As the popularion ages, it is estimated that within 30 years one person in Canada will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other form of dementia every two minutes. Currently the rate is one every five minutes.
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