Bill Brenner

See? I Told You It’s a Real Addiction!

by Bill Brenner January 18, 2011 Addiction

I’ve focused hard in this blog on blowing false notions to smithereens. One of those is the idea that compulsive binge eaters aren’t true addicts; that they’re just gluttons who lack discipline. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV-5eE_gpU8&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999] My argument — already supported by a growing chorus of medical and mental health specialists — is that this is a true addiction. I’ve lived it. I know it. And the only program that worked for me is the same…  [Read More]

When Recovery Becomes the Addiction

by Bill Brenner January 18, 2011 Addiction

I’ve noticed something interesting in the halls of recovery: Some folks cling to their program so tightly that their addictive behavior latches on to the program itself. In my opinion, this can get unhealthy. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvXkAIfJOEQ&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999] To find recovery in Overeater’s Anonymous (mine is a binge-eating addiction), the only requirement is to want to stop eating compulsively. It’s very simple. There is no “OA diet.” But there are a few different food plans people…  [Read More]

Dan Waters of Revere, Mass.

by Bill Brenner January 16, 2011 Depression

Seeing The Neighborhoods perform at the Joe “Zippo” Kelley benefit last night reminded me of my old friend Danny Waters. He shared in many of the adventures — good and bad — of my youth. Mood music: It was Sean Marley who introduced me to Dan. It was 1986 and I dropped in on the Marley residence (2 doors down from me) on a Sunday morning. Sean and Dan had been up late the night…  [Read More]

Stupid Talk and the Tucson Massacre

by Bill Brenner January 14, 2011 Political discourse

I’ve held off for almost a week. I didn’t want to write about the events in Tucson because I felt a lot of folks were already exploiting the tragedy for page views. Plus, I’ve written already about mentally sick people who turn to murder. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxJOpr6Y5yI&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999] I also found the Tucson case too upsetting to write about. I usually need time to process upsetting events. I don’t know any of the victims, but my…  [Read More]

Coffee With My Therapist

by Bill Brenner January 14, 2011 Medicine

I had my monthly appointment with the therapist this morning. Sadly, I ran out of time to hit the Starbucks drive-thru on the way. He’s one of those stress-reduction specialists who thinks I should quit coffee, avoid cigars and do yoga every morning. I do keep the cigars to a minimum, but coffee is about all I have left. And I will never do yoga. It’s just not my style. I always make it a…  [Read More]

Message for a Young Friend

by Bill Brenner January 13, 2011 Children's issues

Two old friends have a son who’s been through the meat grinder too many times in his 12 short years. Some think he should settle in for a lesser life than he’s capable of. I say bullshit. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6a9WmfFKs8&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999] My young friend’s name is Mark. He lives in a city on the North Shore of Massachusetts. That’s all I’ll reveal about his identity. But his parents will know this is for him and will…  [Read More]

A World Without Facebook

by Bill Brenner January 12, 2011 Addiction

A few days ago, rumors wafted around the Internet about Facebook shutting down in mid-March. Panic ensued, illustrating just how addictive this thing has become. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm7KUQ_uXK0&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999] Call me nuts (well, I am a little nuts). But as a guy who’s recovering from a runaway addiction, I know it when I see it. And since an addict is forever playing a frustrating game of whack-a-mole, I admit the thought of Facebook going away panicked…  [Read More]

Who Was Joe “Zippo” Kelley?

by Bill Brenner January 12, 2011 Lessons from the past

I’ve written about how Joe Kelley and I were friends in college and how I dropped out of site as he was tearing up the Boston punk scene. But I don’t think I’ve given you enough of a picture of who he was. To help me do that, I reached out to some friends. I’m especially happy that I got two members of Pop Gun to share some memories, because their music was part of…  [Read More]

For the Kid Sister-in-Law on Her 31st Birthday

by Bill Brenner January 11, 2011 Family

I like to use this blog as a birthday card for the people I care about. I did one for Sean and Duncan and one for Erin. I did one for my sister. I even did one for my deceased brother. Now it’s Amanda Corthell’s turn. The youngest of my three sisters-in-law is 31 today. Mood music: Yeah, this is essentially the one I wrote for her last year when she hit 30. But my…  [Read More]

Narcissism Inc.

by Bill Brenner January 10, 2011 Mental disorders

I’ve always wondered if I was a narcissist. I’ve been wondering even more since last week, when someone asked me when I reached a point in my recovery where I stopped being self-absorbed. I had to be honest and tell her I still get self absorbed. All the time. Mood music: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOivymp6rto&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999] People with obsessive-compulsive tendencies are basket cases about being in control. Maybe it’s simply control of one’s sanity. Usually, it’s control of situations…  [Read More]

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