Bill Brenner

When Living in the Past Is Your Only Sanctuary

by Bill Brenner December 13, 2012 Fear and anxiety

I had coffee with a friend and former coworker recently, and we reminisced about some of the colorful characters we’ve worked with. One person we particularly admired has suffered through a life of depression, fear and anxiety and is mostly a recluse these days. Mood music: [spotify:track:6KfzBFMXEOs7LgBcG4ZxyT] When this person does surface to talk to someone, the topic is always the old days. He carefully avoids the present because it’s so painful. Talking about the…  [Read More]

The OCD Diaries in Book Form

by Bill Brenner December 12, 2012 Adventures in writing

Erin and I are making plans for 2013. One is to turn The OCD Diaries into book form. Mood music: [spotify:track:0PexPf8SzDe0xu0OS3p7ya] Almost since the beginning of this blog, readers have suggested that I do an OCD Diaries book. Flattering as that suggestion is, I sort of balked at the notion. This began as a memoir of sorts, and that might have been worth making a book out of. But the subject matter quickly evolved, and…  [Read More]

Me, Duncan and December-itis

by Bill Brenner December 11, 2012 Mental health

I’ve had a lot to say lately about my own efforts to manage winter’s depressive effect on my brain, but this is also a challenging month for my younger son, Duncan. Mood music: [spotify:track:7BeOWHtwV9IQ7jmqwwvvLP] I’ve written at length about Duncan and my struggle to help him when his ADHD comes crashing into my OCD. I’m proud of who he’s becoming. But no matter how much progress father and son make on our mental health, December may…  [Read More]

‘Lincoln’ Captures Presidential Triumph Over Depression

by Bill Brenner December 10, 2012 Depression

Since Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln arrived in theaters, I’ve been asking myself: Is the depression issue adequately addressed? The 16th president is a hero of mine because he showed depression sufferers how to rise above the despair and even turn it into a powerful ally. In fact, it was the subject of one of my first posts when I started this blog. Mood music: [spotify:track:0WKNW7g0aTpenB8jdsxlfD] Lincoln lived through horrific episodes of melancholy in an age where…  [Read More]

THE OCD DIARIES, Three Years Later

by Bill Brenner December 7, 2012 Adventures in writing

Three years ago today, in a moment of Christmas-induced depression, I started this blog. I meant for it to be a place where I could go and spill out the insanity in my head so I could carry on with life. In short order, it snowballed into much more than that. Mood music: [spotify:track:2o3ZNeSBuMEt7e3zZbTLk9] About a year into my recovery from serious mental illness and addiction — the most uncool, unglamorous addiction at that — I started thinking about…  [Read More]

Traffic Jam Meditiation

by Bill Brenner December 6, 2012 Fear and anxiety

When I was younger and more anxious, traffic jams used to push me to the point of madness. I’d let the f-bombs fly. I’d flip people off (I did that once with my future in-laws in the back seat). I’d punch the roof of the car so hard and so often I’d leave dents and tear the fabric. Mood music: [spotify:track:5Uw5Hdjb2zAZPR6YJKWlGK] Flashback, 1989:  It’s registration day at North Shore Community College, where I’m enrolled for…  [Read More]

How Christianity Hijacked Pagan Holidays

by Bill Brenner December 5, 2012 Faith

Christian extremists like to blather on about a war on Christmas. Given that my post “Take Your ‘War On Christmas’ Talk And Shove It” has been getting a lot of traction on Facebook this week, I think it’s time for a history lesson. Mood music: [spotify:track:0P2vAvvWni2tNXOdbH3JFk] We hear a lot about how Christmas is a Christian holiday, which it is, but important facts are being forgotten. One is that Jesus wasn’t actually born on Dec….  [Read More]

Five Inexpensive Christmas Gifts for the Depressed

by Bill Brenner December 4, 2012 Depression

It’s easy to find Christmas gifts that poke fun at a person’s OCD. I’ve captured some good ones and bad ones in previous posts. Less easy to find are gifts that are appropriate for a person in the grips of depression. Why are these gifts so hard to find? One reason is that if you are suffering from depression, especially from the sad, suicidal variety, gag gifts can backfire, adding to the hurt because the…  [Read More]

Another Christmas Season, Another Depression Diagnosis

by Bill Brenner December 3, 2012 Depression

Though I’ve made peace with the demons that left me hating Christmas for many years, I’m still easy prey for winter depression. Last week, after asking me lots of questions and taking lots of notes, my shrink told me what I already knew: I’m once again clinically depressed. Mood music: [spotify:track:0feXvJJWws7RDvC0kHfbLr] When most people hear the word depression, they immediately think of someone who is sad, anguished and afraid to leave the house. In the…  [Read More]

Dimming The Lights

by Bill Brenner November 29, 2012 Gratitude

I’m taking a break from blogging here until Monday so I can focus on family business — specifically tonight’s wake and tomorrow’s funeral for Nana Ruth. If you knew Ruth Robinson and haven’t yet seen the Facebook page we created for her, please head over and “like” it. Thanks.

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