Mental disorders

Smarter People Drink, Which Makes Me Feel Stupid

by Bill Brenner January 26, 2012 Addiction

I’m pissed off about an article in Psychology Today that suggests smarter people consume more alcohol. As someone who’s sober, the article is kind of insulting. After all, I consider myself a reasonably intelligent person. Mood music: Here’s a snippet from the article by Satoshi Kanazawa: Drinking alcohol is evolutionarily novel, so the Hypothesis would predict that more intelligent people drink more alcohol than less intelligent people. Human consumption of alcohol, however, was unintentional, accidental, and haphazard until…  [Read More]

Sometimes You Have To ‘Give Yourself To The Dark Side’

by Bill Brenner January 21, 2012 Guest posts

Guest column: An OCD sufferer finds that managing his demon is a lot like managing the dark side of The Force. Mood music: A few months ago I told you about my friend and former co-worker Steve Repsys and how, as two undiagnosed OCD sufferers, our working relationship was often the stuff of comedy. What follows is Steve in his own words, explaining how helpful it can be to open up about the disorder and…  [Read More]

The Wellbutrin Experiment: Day 8

by Bill Brenner January 20, 2012 Depression

As I mentioned earlier, I’m taking Wellbutrin to combat a tougher-than-usual bout of winter depression. Here’s where I stand eight days in. Mood music: I think I’m starting to feel it, though it’s hard to know for sure this soon. The nurse told me it could take several weeks before I’d feel the full effect, since Wellbutrin slowly accumulates. I have noticed a few things, though: –I’m a little more focused than I’ve been in…  [Read More]

Fired For Being Depressed

by Bill Brenner January 17, 2012 Depression

I was saddened to see tweets today from a guy who says he was fired over his depression. Mood music: He tweeted: “We’re a small company, there’s no room for passengers.” – My boss after I told her about my depression and how I’m getting help with it. Then, another tweet: I just had a phone call from my boss. I’ve been fired. Wow. He also shared the termination letter he received: “Dear (name removed):…  [Read More]

OCD On My Left, ADD On My Right

by Bill Brenner January 16, 2012 Coping tools

It’s been an interesting month in mental disorder awareness. In taking steps to nip wintertime depression in the bud, I’ve learned that OCD isn’t my only mental defect. Mood music: It appears that as OCD messes with one side of my brain, Attention Deficit Disorder is toying with the other side. This little epiphany happened when I visited the nurse who helps me manage my regimen of medication. She asked a lot of questions she…  [Read More]

Serotonin, Dopamine And Two Blue Pills

by Bill Brenner January 12, 2012 Coping tools

As the reader knows, I’ve had a persistent bout of winter depression. Not the “I’m sad and want to hurt myself” type, but the ho-hum, grumpy old man variety. Mood music: This afternoon I visited the nurse who manages my Prozac intake and walked out with a new drug: Wellbutrin. I’ll be taking it in addition to the 60 MG of Prozac I’ve been taking for a few years now. The Prozac increases the amount…  [Read More]

Traci Foust Talks OCD on NPR

by Bill Brenner January 5, 2012 Adventures in writing

Erin is playing me an NPR broadcast about OCD. I went looking for the link to include here and tripped over another good NPR segment. This one is an interview with Traci Foust, author of “Nowhere Near Normal: A Memoir of OCD.” I recently connected with Traci on Facebook and she’s a great resource for understanding the disorder. Do yourself a favor and listen to it HERE. While we’re on the topic, it’s also worth checking…  [Read More]

My Happy Lamp Isn’t Working As I’d Hoped

by Bill Brenner January 5, 2012 Depression

Me and the happy lamp Erin bought me to combat winter depression aren’t seeing eye to eye. Everyone I talk to who uses one says it works. But here’s my problem… Mood music: http://youtu.be/UXFUnnoSphY As I stare at the florescent glow that’s supposed to simulate sunlight, a nagging thought dogs me: “It’s just not the same as real sunlight,” I keep telling myself. There’s something about genuine sunlight — how it bounces off trees and…  [Read More]

Hey, Mom, Read This

by Bill Brenner January 4, 2012 Depression

I got a call from my mother this morning. She says she’s been reading every post in this blog and that she’s very worried about me. “You have a beautiful wife, two healthy kids and a wonderful job, yet I read your blog and see someone who is very unhappy and disturbed,” she told me. Incredibly, she was worried that I might try to hurt myself someday. Nothing is further from the truth. Which brings…  [Read More]

Do I Think About My Disease 24-7?

by Bill Brenner January 4, 2012 Addiction

Someone recently asked if I think about my disease 24-7 and, if so, whether doing so is perilous to those around me. In this case, the disease is OCD and the addictions that go with it. Mood music: Let me try to take a stab at addressing that: I don’t think my disease should define me and keep me in a box. But it’s also a major part of who I am and how I…  [Read More]

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