Should I Take Antidepressants?
I’ve been considering asking my doctor for antidepressants, but I’ve heard that they are no better than placebos. What do you think? Do antidepressants work, or should I opt for the sugar pill? – BD …
Ten Questions, Ten Answers, Sort Of
I’ve been thinking, IronShrink, and have some random questions for you. I hope to see some or all of these questions answered because they are burning a hole in my head, suppress them as I might try. – Just Asking. …
Don’t Believe Everything Your Mind Says
For some reason, my publisher cut the best chapters from The User’s Guide to the Human Mind. What happened to my haggis recipes and the chapter on Bigfoot?
Actually, this essay didn’t get cut; it’s an afterthought. Think of it as a bonus chapter to an odd little book that can use all the help it can get. …
How to Get Your Husband to Help More
(Author’s note: I realized after writing this piece that it needs a bit of context and preamble. In this essay, I offer some pointed thoughts about female tendencies in relationships. I mistakenly assumed that this needn’t be said: some men are lazy and inconsiderate, and no amount of effort from their partners will fix that. I don’t discuss male problems in this essay, but I fully realize that they exist. Also, this essay critically examines the actions of one woman who made her relationship behavior very public. Her story is a useful example of a common pattern. I do not think she is a bad person, nor do I believe her behavior is representative of all women.) …
Five Things My Daughter Has Taught Me About Fatherhood
Our little girl is about to turn five years old. It is true, what they say about the brevity of childhood. I think that children bring an acute awareness of life’s transience.
Before our energetic and precocious daughter came into our lives, each day was very much like the next. There were few extraordinary events to mark the passage of time. …
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Should Psychologists Use Sliding Fee Scales?
Q: Hi Shawn. As a psychologist myself, I’m wrestling with whether to work with an increasing number of patients asking me to accept reduced fees. With the bad economy, more people want sliding-scale services. The problem is that the more sliding-scale work I do, the more hours I have to put in to pay the bills. It’s tiring. Just wondering how you approach the problem. – Michelle …
I Heart Colfax Avenue
If I’ve done one thing right in my life, it was being born in Denver. Having lived here ever since, Colfax Avenue has been a fixture in my life. In grade school we learned about the ladies of the night who supposedly posted their wares on every corner of this street. In high school we discovered hole-in-the-wall diners with large portions and small prices. In college I coaxed my pitiful 1979 Dodge Omni across the avenue countless times en route to work or class. And for most of my adult life I lived within a few blocks of Colfax. …
Why Am I So Irritable In The Winter?
Q: Is there anything that can be done for seasonal depression? The long months of overcast skies and reduced sunlight never had any noticeable effect on me in my youth, but as I approach middle age, I find I’m irritable, fractious, melancholy and generally about as pleasant as a plowed-up snake from about mid November until at least mid May. Last year was the worst ever. Since I plan to live through at least another 45 winters or so, it would sure be nice to know if there’s anything I can do about this. – Sean …
Why Do People Commit Suicide?
September is suicide prevention awareness month. Suicide awareness campaigns highlight an uncomfortable and perplexing question about human behavior: why do people commit suicide? …
What a Thought Is Not
It is rare that I embrace poetry. As much as I appreciate a well-turned phrase, I’m about as unpoetical as a braying cat on a hot winter’s night. (See what I mean?) …