OCD

OCD Gag Gifts

by Bill Brenner May 13, 2011 Lighthearted

Though OCD is no laughing matter for the sufferer, I personally like a good gag that pokes fun at my disorder. If you can’t laugh at the problem, you’re going to have a much tougher time getting a handle on things. But it has to be a gag that’s cleverly done. The OCD hand sanitizer someone gave me for Christmas is an example of a good one: Repeated hand cleaning was never my biggest OCD…  [Read More]

OCD and ADHD Linked? Maybe

by Bill Brenner April 29, 2011 Children's issues

I recently wrote about our challenges with Duncan and how I often curse myself for a lack of patience with him, given my own history with OCD. This morning I came across a column from  Dr. Keith Ablow that might explain a lot. Mood music (Still some coding weirdness with the video embedding, but the music works): <object width=”640″ height=”510″><param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/MDiF3POJdyU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0″></param><param name=”allowFullScreen” value=”true”></param><param name=”allowscriptaccess” value=”always”></param>[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDiF3POJdyU&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0]</object> Let’s start with a few paragraphs from Ablow’s column:…  [Read More]

Reinforcing the Stigma Instead of Breaking It

by Bill Brenner April 20, 2011 Mental disorders

Lost in my most recent tirade against employers who discriminate against the mentally ill is a point that’s very important: People like us have a responsibility to prove we’re up to the challenges we seek. Mood music: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QanVuQIXU5s&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] In my opinion, employers have no legal right to deny someone a job simply because they were diagnosed with a mental illness. They do, however, have the right to pass over a candidate who doesn’t seem…  [Read More]

Coffee With My Therapist, Part 3

by Bill Brenner April 14, 2011 Addiction

I had mixed emotions as I drove to my therapy appointment this morning. On the one hand, I was pissed that half my morning was getting blown out for the appointment. I wasn’t happy about all the tasks bearing down on me, either. On the other hand, the coffee I got at Starbucks was pretty damn good and the ride allowed me to get my fill of vintage Ozzy and Randy Rhoads. Mood music: [youtube…  [Read More]

Run For Your Life (Action Re-Defined)

by Bill Brenner April 11, 2011 Mental disorders

A huge challenge of learning to live life in the middle lane is that much of my spiritual growth and sobriety-abstinence has come to revolve around the belief that like a shark, you either swim or you drown. Or, to earn my recovery and faith, I have to run for my life. MOOD MUSIC IS, APPROPRIATELY ENOUGH, THIS RARITY FROM MOTLEY CRUE CALLED “RUN FOR YOUR LIFE” To run for my life is to always…  [Read More]

Sometimes, I Take It Too Far

by Bill Brenner April 4, 2011 Communication Skills

Most of you know by now that when I like a person, I tend to tease them a lot. Most people know it’s in good fun and give it back in spades. But sometimes I worry that I’m taking it too far. I’ve written about it before in the posts “The Power of Sarcasm” and “Sarcasm or Gallows Humor? For me, sarcasm is a mental release that allows me to see the humor in some…  [Read More]

Facebook Depression: It Happens

by Bill Brenner April 3, 2011 Communication Skills

A post from one of my Facebook friends got my attention the other day. He was sharing a new item about something called “Facebook depression” and if his comment is any indication, I don’t think he was buying it: “Really? Facebook depression? Pardon me but ‘Assholes!’” Mood music: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b93qfTYbROg&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] Here’s a snippet from the article, which appeared on WCVB Channel 5’s news site: According to a recent poll, more than 20 percent of teens…  [Read More]

Good Anonymity Vs. Bad Anonymity

by Bill Brenner March 30, 2011 Addiction

In the halls of recovery and in my daily work I deal a lot with anonymity. People hide behind it for good and bad reasons. This is where I separate the honorable folks from the cowards. Mood music (Click the “Watch it on Youtube” link. It’s worth it): [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxMHtjQW6ZQ&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] I’ve met a lot of inspirational people who prefer to keep their identities hidden with good reason. In the 12-Step program I embraced to overcome…  [Read More]

How I Can Be Happy Despite Myself

by Bill Brenner March 29, 2011 Addiction

I see a lot of moody people out there on Facebook and Twitter these days. Though I try not to put random complaints on my wall, my darker moods often come across in this blog. But in the big picture, I’ve found ways to be generally happy despite myself. Mood music: Allow me to share. But first, a couple acknowledgements: 1.) I stole this post’s title from somewhere. 2.) I readily admit that despite what…  [Read More]

Change Is Pain, But Not Impossible

by Bill Brenner March 28, 2011 Addiction

Last night’s 12-Step meeting reminded me of just how hard real change is. I used to measure change by who won the next election. I’ve realized that the only real change that matters is within myself. Naturally, it’s the hardest, most brutal kind of change to achieve. Mood music: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqkxDgCIsOw&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0] Last night’s AA Big Book reading focused on steps 8, 9 and 10: 8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and…  [Read More]

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