Remembering Peter Sugarman, another adopted brother who died too early — but not before teaching the author some important lessons about life. The first time I met him was my second day as a reporter for The Stoneham Sun. He was an oddball who wore a jacket and tie to go with his sneakers and …
The author admits that when an obsessive-compulsive person puts down the addiction that’s most self-destructive, a few smaller addictions rise up to fill the void. But what happens when the money runs out? Mood music: http://youtu.be/fKZRcIGnaqE I hear it from addicts all the time. They put down the thing that’s caused the most chaos and …
Despite all the progress I’ve made in managing OCD, there are still times where I forget to use my skills — momentarily, at least. This morning is a good example. I woke up depressed. Two hours later I was angry. Maybe I was getting tired of the winter outside my window. Maybe I was just …
The author vows not to make any New Year’s Resolutions, because he has learned that it’s easier to meet all his objectives without that stupid list. Making New Year’s resolutions used to be a compulsive activity for me. I was always so desperate for something better that I fiendishly and feverishly made lists of what …
The author is hearing from a lot of old friends shocked to read about his past. Thing is, basket cases are good at hiding their craziness in public. To most of my family, the stories I tell in previous posts aren’t all that surprising. They were there. My in-laws may not have known everything that …
In this installment, the author describes years of living in a cell built by fear, how he broke free and why there’s no turning back. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” — Franklin Delano Roosevelt This morning I led a meeting of Over-eaters Anonymous, a task that included standing before a …
In this post, the author reviews the imperfections of childhood relationships in search of all his OCD triggers. Along the way, old bullies become friends. I used to blame childhood bullies and name-callers for all the things that led to an adulthood with OCD. I was bullied, you ask? You betcha. I was called a …
Continue reading “The Bridge Rats of Point of Pines, Revere”
The author looks back at fear of loss and how he learned to enjoy the precious present.
It’s not hard for me to write about OCD, binge eating and pills. These are a part of life for people across political and religious divides. Depression and anxiety will hit you whether you’re Catholic, Baptist or agnostic; Democrat, Republican or Libertarian. Religion and politics. Those are tough. Those who know me know I have …
I wasn’t looking for a soul mate when I met her. It was the summer of 1993 and I was doing just fine on my own. Mood music: I was in a band and we were busy pretending we were really something. This was long before I woke up one day, realized I really don’t …
