A perfectionist enters treatment for depression and anxiety. They inform their therapist that nothing ever feels right or meaningful. They … More
Tag: Anxiety
Limerence and the Fear of Love
A fantasy, the state of limerence is defined by psychologist Dorothy Tennov as the romantic fixation on an idealized version … More
Can Others Respect You if You Don’t Respect Yourself First?
“How do you expect anyone to respect you when you don’t respect yourself?” is akin to the platitude that you … More
The Terrified Cynic: Why Some Prefer Depression to Anxiety
We fear life as much as death. And our cynicism, a persistent sense of hopelessness, is little more than a … More
The Dark Side of Denying Our Own Envy
Few emotions are denied as vehemently as envy. Envy implies weakness like few others. Many of our younger patients find … More
Why Am I Afraid to Feel My Feelings?
For some, potential, negative experiences, like harm or death, carry the weight of their biggest fears. For others, their own, … More
Addicted to Hope
In his autobiography, Based on a True Story, comedian Norm Macdonald details his years long gambling addiction, which cost him … More
The Responsibility Dodger: Avoiding the Blame Game
Some people will watch you burn and pretend they had nothing to do with it, or worse, that you did … More
The Dependent Personality and the Savior Therapist
Humans, like animals in pain, recoil from any perceived threat by hiding. Rejection sensitivity, common to various forms of personality … More
The Therapist’s Shame: Understanding Projective Identification and Countertransference
Chronic defensiveness, like chronic avoidance, isn’t a victimless crime. In our self-protected cocoons, sheltering us from the exaggerated slings and … More
