Dr. Gary Bell's Absurd Psychology

Sleep Paralysis: Paranormal or Normal

14 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sleep paralysis can be a terrifying experience that is surprisingly common. It can involve the inability to move, auditory and visual hallucinations, ...

Depression and Anxiety: Two Sides of the Same Coin

07 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Are you anxious or are you depressed? In the world of mental health care, where exact diagnosis dictates treatment, anxiety and depression are reg...

Loneliness

31 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Though our need to connect is innate, many of us frequently feel alone. Even some people who are surrounded by others throughout the day—or are in a...

Birth Control in the Zombie Apocalypse with Robin LaCross

24 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In anticipation of an never-seen-before birth crisis after October 2020, a whole new set of zombies are about to inherit the earth. Robin LaCross is a...

The Viral Panic Attack: CV 19

17 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When a health problem like Ebola or coronavirus comes from abroad, we have poor information about it than we do about health problems in this country....

Coincidence

10 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

One thing is certain about coincidence. The phenomenon fascinates believers and skeptics alike. It's a porthole into one of the most interesting philo...

Death Anxiety

03 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The awareness of death is the downside of human intelligence. Life must end for all living beings, but only humans may grasp its existential meaning....

Hidden Rage

25 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Despite popular opinion, anger issues aren't only of the loud/screaming/throwing things variety. Sometimes the signs are a lot more subtle, and may ev...

Ghosting: Where did you go?

18 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ghosting means suddenly discontinuing all contact with another person to end a relationship. Ghosting can be failing to respond to a text exchange wit...

Pride and Humility: Which is more powerful?

04 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We all live a constant battle of pride vs humility, which is really just a war against two half's of the same person. It's you verses you. You are...

Set Boundaries or Have Your Life Hijacked

28 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Each of us tries to erect a boundary around the parts of ourself we want to keep private, or at least shielded from those with whom we're not intimate...

Attitudes and Behavior

21 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Although we might use the term in a different way in our everyday life (e.g., "Hey, he's really got an attitude!"), social psychologists reserve the ...

The Atheist and Agnostic: The Post-Christian Western World

14 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

No matter what their reasons or how they approach the question, agnostics and atheists are fundamentally different, but also non-exclusive. Many peopl...

Politics, Media and Anxiety

07 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Political uncertainty can be challenging, regardless of your beliefs or where you might fall on the political spectrum. For many Americans, the transi...

Pornography and Porndogs

31 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Pornography, often colloquially referred to as porn, is any sexually explicit material—written, visual, or otherwise—that is intended to sexually ...

Eudaimonia: Becoming Our Best Version of Us

24 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The ancient Greek philosophers were pretty much obsessed with the idea of a good life. Their whole way of life was organized around ideas about what m...

Judgy People

10 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We're constantly taking in information about our social world, and this can involve judging people. These judgments can be super quick and automatic....

Borderline Personality: The Art of Gaslighting

03 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Borderline personality disorder is a chronic condition that may include mood instability, difficulty with interpersonal relationships, and high rat...

Raised By Abuse

26 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The brains of children raised in violent families resemble the brains of soldiers exposed to combat, psychologists say. They're primed to perceive thr...

Seasonal Depression

19 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When daylight hours start to decrease and it gets colder outside many people may find themselves experiencing symptoms resembling depression. For some...

Emotional Flooding: Fear Strikes

12 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of the biggest relationship challenges that people struggle with is emotional flooding. It's something that happens to everyone sometimes, and if ...

The Power of Resilience

05 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Adversity is a fact of life. Resilience is that ineffable quality that allows some people to be knocked down by life and come back at least as strong ...

False Memory and Manipulation

29 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Although memories seem to be a solid, straightforward sum of who people are, strong evidence suggests that memories are actually quite complex, subjec...

The Law of Attraction

22 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You may have a pretty good idea about what it is you're attracted to: hair color, eye color, height, smell… Smell? Believe it or not, your subconsci...

Diagnosis STUPID

15 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Stupidity is in all of us. However, the degrees of stupid varies. . We are influenced by various cognitive biases that we are not aware of. The music ...

Maniacs: Bi-Polar Disorder

08 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Bipolar disorders, or manic-depressive illness, is a group of disorders characterized by the presence of pronounced high-energy phases known as manic ...

Shaped by Attachment

01 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The emotional bond that typically forms between infant and caregiver is the means by which the helpless infant gets primary needs met. It then becomes...

Self Entitlement Revealed

24 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Self-entitlement is when an individual perceives themselves as deserving of unearned privileges. These are the people who believe life owes them somet...

Sex Addiction: Human Horn Dogs

17 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For some people, persistent sexual desires, thoughts, and behavior can become problematic. Such individuals may become preoccupied with sexual fantasi...

Despicable Us

10 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We are all despicable in various forms of despicableness. If we all could come to grips with that, than we understand that what makes us despicable ar...

The Truth

03 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Truth tends to lead to successful action. In that much, truth has instrumental value. But truth also has intrinsic value. Given the choice between a l...

Magical Thinking, Extra Sensory Perception and GOD

27 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

ESP has been defined as 'anomalous processes of information or energy transfer, processes such as telepathy… that are currently unexplained in terms...

Hate Crimes: Psychopaths Among Us

20 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

People victimized by violent hate crimes are more likely to experience more psychological distress than victims of other violent crimes. Specifically,...

Old Farts: Aging

13 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

By 2030, the number of Americans age 65 and over is projected to be about 71.5 million, of which nearly 10 million will be at least 85. As more people...

Pre-Marriage: Before You Sign That Contract...

06 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Ironically, before romantic love became the basis for marriage—a game-changer that historian Stephanie Coontz dates to the 1700s—marriage was base...

Microaggression: Hidden Prejudice

30 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A microaggression is a subtle, often unintentional, form of prejudice. Rather than an overt declaration of racism or sexism, a microaggression often t...

Alcohol Addiction

23 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For many, beer, wine, and spirits conjure up thoughts of social gatherings and tipsy fun. But alcohol is a nervous system depressant and is also assoc...

After the Abortion

16 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Emotional and psychological effects following abortion are more common than physical side effects and can range from mild regret to more serious compl...

Schizoid, Paranoid and Schizotypal Personalities

09 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Schizoid, Paranoid and Schizotypal Personality Disorders are the most commonly seen personality disorders in the World. They are considered Cluster A ...

Deep Listening

02 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the contemporary culture of speed, how many of us have developed the sensory capacity to hear the world, or for that matter, to truly hear what oth...

Are You Normal?

25 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It is past time that we rethink what we mean by the words normal and abnormal as those words apply to the mental and emotional states and behaviors of...

What Will Your Children Remember?

18 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What will make the most important difference in the lives of our children? One way of assessing the future impact of our efforts is to consider what p...

Sensitive People

11 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It is certain that being insensitive is an undesirable trait, but does that mean that the opposite, 'being sensitive', is a desirable one? Apparently,...

Trapped in Your Life

28 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

All of us will feel trapped at some point, whether that be in a job, house, neighborhood, financial circumstance, religion, family or relationship. Us...

Regret: An Apologetic Life

21 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Regret is a negative cognitive/emotional state that involves blaming ourselves for a bad outcome, feeling a sense of loss or sorrow at what might have...

Greed and Gluttony

14 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The age we live in has the fattest and greediest people ever. With too much stationary time sitting in front of phones, televisions and computers peop...

Who am I?

07 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What is the purpose of life? Is there a God? What on Earth are we doing here? Among life's big questions, the one that has always interested me the mo...

Man and God

30 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Why do people believe in God? For most people in the world, the answer seems obvious: Because it's self-evident that God exists. From the point of vie...

From Self Control to Self Discipline

23 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of the greatest Human challenges we all face is ourselves. Lack of Self Control and moving that to Self Discipline makes our lives productive, mem...

Reading People: Get a Clue

09 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Reading people in this day and age can be hard. Many of our relationships are now on-line, over the phone and rarely in person. However, our meta-comm...

How Poverty and Environment Effect Mental Health

02 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Quality of life is a general term that simply infers stability, health and consistency. However, most of this world operates paycheck to paycheck, ind...

Staying Married After Having Children

26 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When a baby comes into a couple's life, extra stress and strain is understandable. In a healthy relationship, the couple tends to pull together and is...

Dealing with Apathy

19 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Apathy is the opposite of love. People who pass around apathy as their go to emotion are extremely hard too deal with. Their biggest issue is that the...

Metrosexual Evolution and Influence

12 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Metrosexual is a blend of metropolitan and heterosexual, coined in the 1990's describing a man (especially one living in an urban, post-industrial, ca...

How Finances Effect Relationships

05 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Financial issues (especially long term) are one of the top issues relationships and families break apart. When people live paycheck to paycheck they a...

Neighbors from Hell

26 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

At some point in our lives, many of us end up with neighbors from Hell. If it be noise, trash, smelly food, dog poop, party animals, fighting, drinkin...

Positive Parenting: Discipline or Punishment

19 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Parenting can be so challenging in the day and age where technology grows faster than our emotional development. Are are children are little marketing...

Dysfunctional Families: Empty, Lonely and Alone

08 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A family is dysfunctional if they regularly experience conflict, misbehavior, or abuse in a way that causes some members of the family to accommodate ...

Millennials: Narcassist and Friend

01 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Millennials are, arguably, the most reviled generation in recent history, and tons of consultants are working to decipher them. Called the Trophy Gene...

Paraphilias: Freaky Attractions

25 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A paraphilia is a condition in which a person's sexual arousal and gratification depend on fantasizing about and engaging in sexual behavior that is a...

Mind Games

18 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mind games are often subconscious patterns people use to get what they want. Most of these games are learned in childhood and often become assimilated...

Depression and Anxiety: A Life Un-lived

04 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Depression and Anxiety can become you. Over 70% of people with Depression also suffer from Anxiety and vice versa. Both will stop you in your tracks a...

Will, Faith and Trust: Three Keys to a Worthy Life

28 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The philosopher Richard Rorty talks about people's "final vocabulary" words and phrases we use when we're done wondering about something. Will, Faith ...

Unconscious Mind: The Human Operating System

21 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The unconscious is sometimes referred to as the "shadows of the mind," but it is not some black hole of unacceptable impulses waiting to trip you up. ...

Groupthink: Dumb and Dumber

14 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Groupthink happens when a group of well-intentioned people make irrational or non-optimal decisions that are created by the urge to conform or please....

Adjustment Disorder: Dealing with Unwanted Change

07 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Life is a continuous adjustment to events and incidents we can not control. Adjustment Disorder comes from poor or no coping skills around these situa...

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders and Sadistic Zit Pickers

30 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

All the different flavors of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders will be covered. From Body Dysmorphic (unrealistic view of one's body), hoarding, hair pul...

The Histrionic Personality

16 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Histrionic personality disorder is a personality mental disorder characterized by inappropriate attention-seeking behavior, rapid emotional shifts, an...

Birth Order Plus Parenting Equals Learned Behaviors

09 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you're firstborn, middle child, last-born, or only child, birth order can have a big effect on your personality and behavior. Simply by virtue...

Psychology of Success

02 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Our lives are shaped by our successes, failures and breaks. As we live our life in hope and expectations for good to come our way, we have to continua...

Resiliency: When All Goes Wrong

26 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Life can go wrong in a heart beat. Amazingly, we often are not prepared for it. Losing a job, sudden illness, death of a loved one, no justice, no fai...

Impatience: The Cost

19 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We've all been impatient—and we've all made rash decisions when impatience got the better of us. We've left lines that were barely moving, only to g...

How to Make Friends and Keep Them

05 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Deep inside all of us is a yearning to be understood and accepted for who we are. Friendship is a source of our soul's nourishment and growth. Finding...

Feeling Empty: The Cry of the Soul

28 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

People confront feelings of emptiness in life for many reasons.. A sudden change in life circumstances may also produce such feelings. A common sympto...

Panic Attacks: Paralyzed with Fear

21 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Over 2% of the known population of the entire earth experience panic attacks on a regular basis. Panic attacks are a deeply primitive reaction to the ...

Higher Conscious: The Voice of Our Soul

14 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Higher Conscious is a term that came out of religion and has manifested itself into philosophy, meditation and people striving to discover their true ...

Damaging Words and Phrases

07 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Words and phrases that stick in our minds as repeated self-talk can define parts of who we are. These tracks have either been said to ourselves, said ...

Healing Power of Humor

31 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Laughter is a reflection of our state of mind. It communicates hope, faith and many good things. Humor is always best directed at ourselves and not to...

Infatuation vs. Love

24 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Honeymoon Phase (beginning of a relationship) is so powerful chemically and emotionally that we often fall into the negative outcome of making com...

Victimology: Living as a Victim

17 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In life, we all become victims in small ways daily and sometimes largely. Being a victim is to have lost all sense of security to people or a circumst...

Narcissistic Rage: Can't Accept Human

10 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Narcissistic rage is the inability to accept rejection and forcing people to be labeled by their vulnerability or mistakes. There is no such thing as ...

Intuition: Gut Feeling or Paranoia?

19 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Every day, we are met with intuitions that appear to provide the answers to questions in our lives. We step outside on a sunny day, and a nagging feel...

Sexual Orientation

12 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Diversity in sexual orientation—whether gay, straight, bisexual, or somewhere in between—has sparked long-standing controversies across the globe....

Overcoming Shyness

05 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Shyness is the awkwardness or apprehension some people feel when approaching or being approached by other people. Unlike introverts, who feel energize...

Binge Eating

29 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

At the heart of binge eating, we find men and women who seem to lack any and all control surrounding their food consumption. An entire episode of bing...

Gaslighting: Am I Crazy?

22 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Gaslighting is an insidious form of manipulation and control. The victims of gaslighting are mislead and forced to doubt what they know to be true, ev...

Get a Better Partner Picker

15 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

People all across the world who exercise free will to pick whomever they choose to have a relationship with. Mostly, it is based off of looks, impulse...

Stripping Down the Labels and Connect to the Person

08 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

My special guest Lauren Nile (author of RACE: My Story and Humanity's Bottom Line) is also on Voice America's Variety Channel with her show The Fate o...

Sexual Misconduct

01 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sexual Misconduct is and has been rampant in our work force and day to day life. From unwanted passes, rape, touching and groping, the list goes on an...

Hoarders and Shop-a-Holics: Empty Inside

17 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Hoarders make up about 5% of the known US population and nearly 9% of the worlds population. People who develop emotional attachments to objects have ...

Conversion Disorder: Where Mental Pain Becomes Physical

27 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Conversion Disorder (DSM V- Somatoform Disorder) is nearly 60% of all medical conditions that enter the doctor's office for treatment. All of this is ...

Surviving Trauma

20 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Truama happens every day with big life threatening events to little ones. Depending on the person, the reaction to having your life be out-of-control ...

Psychopaths: The Mind of a Killer

13 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Psychopaths have been around since the inception of mankind. We constantly challenge ourselves with the question of why they kill. This show will answ...

Redefining Divorce: A Peaceful and Budgetable Approach

06 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Redefining Divorce is a flat fee concept that Attorney Zina Gleason has created. She has teamed up with therapists, mediators and herself as an attorn...

Indecisive Crazy-Makers

29 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Indecisive Crazy-Makers make up a huge majority of people in this world. They are insecure, incomplete people who have little character or clue about ...

Cognitive Dissonance: What We REALLY Believe

22 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Cognitive Dissonance is the darker side of who we are. It is our Inner-Hypocrite that is rarely allowed to speak because our beliefs would be so contr...

Recovering Widow-er

15 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Becoming a widow(er) is a life changing event that happens to nearly all people who marry or remain in long term relationships. To fall in love, make ...

Psychology of Indentity Politics Radicalizing America

01 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

For many years the media has brainwashed the globe by establishing hypothetical identity politics in order to label any person by attaching their perc...

Alternatives to Mental Health Medications

25 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

There are some highly effective alternatives to Mental Health medications. Especially around depression, anxiety and many other stressed based disorde...

The Need for Gratitude

18 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Gratitude is the most magnetic human quality we share. However, to be negative and critical is what the vast majority of people in this world focus on...