Meaningful Connections

A POTENTIAL SILVER BULLET RE THE VA DELAY of ACCESS CRISIS

A PROPOSED SOLUTION FOR THE VETERANS CRISIS AND OTHER RELATED CRISES   EFFECTIVELY COPING WITH THE MULTIPLE CRISES PARALYZING OUR COUNTRY   The Problem:   The United States is overwhelmed by a number of complex problems seemingly defying adequate answers. Among these many problems are: PTSD issues including excessive delays in providing requisite treatment; a continuing epidemic of drug and alcohol addiction; an epidemic of veteran suicides, numerous negativeside effects due to costly and often over prescribed anti -anxiety and anti–depression medication; an epidemic of gun violence, bullying, domestic violence and rapes both in the military and non-military sphere; and a predicted severe shortage of health care providers coupled with costly and inappropriate use of hospital emergency facilities. Each individual issue is experienced as a crisis. Collectively they add up to a climate of crisis calling for adequate and action as yet woefully missing.  New thinking is sorely needed in creating strategies aimed at obtainingcrisis intervention which is immediate, cost effective and long lasting. The most effective crisis intervention would occur at the first meeting by identifying and focusing on underlying causes for the long term, not simply providing exercises and pills to obtain short term symptom relief. The Cause: Research has identified the underlying cause of all crises as affect intolerance to ‘negative feelings’ including frustration, anxiety, depression, and stress. Additional feelings include feeling stuck, helplessness, hopelessness, ambiguity, ambivalence, not knowing, confusion, and the likes. The Solution: To provide a roadmap for first responders to help those in crisis learn to identify and overcome their allergy to negative feelings. Obtaining longterm mastery over the feelings of anxiety, depression, frustration, and stress requires that a person assume responsibility for addressing the underlying causes not just focusing on the surface symptoms associated with a given crisis. This is accomplished by making a CHOICE to change an initial negative ATTITUDE about negative feelings to one that is positive by shifting one’s attitude towards them from avoiding and masking them to actively confronting and mastering them. Note:   The Attitude Shifting Manual is an e book detailing a five step cost effective, relatively easily to implement method to help first responders help those in crisis to identify and work through their underlying cause.See Amazon:   I am a psychoanalyst in private practice in NYC for the past 46 years specializing in substance abuse and crisis intervention. See my websitewww.gibbsonline.com for more information. I may be reached at:[email protected], and at my office phone: 212 254 1084 See Amazon:http://www.amazon.ca/Attitude-Shifting-Gibbs-Williams-Ph/dp/146812997X

IF WE IF WE ARE A RELIGIOUS NATION THEN SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE

THE RICH GET RICHER AND THE POOR GET MORE NEGLECTED There is a lot to be be proud of being an American at this important time of Easter and Passover, but compassionately and appropriately attending to the needs of the poor is not one of them. Note the following quotation from today's New York Time in an article called: WELFARE LIMITS KEPT POOR ADRIFT AS RECESSION HIT - April 2nd, 2012: By Jason Deparle. "The poor people who were dropped from cash assistance here,mostly single mothers, talk with surprising openness about the desperate, and sometimes illegal ways they make ends meet. They have sold food stamps, sold blood, skipped meals, shoplifted, doubled up with friends, scavenged trash bins for bottles and cans and returned to relationships with violent partners - all with children in tow." For these people the American dream is a nightmare. The two parties despite their rhetoric to the contrary have chosen to support the middle class and or the wealthy each in their own way. Corporations are people is an absurdity. Money buys the congress is a fact for both parties. Meanwhile the truly poor barely subsist. True they are not left to die in the streets but many barely subsist. I think we can do better as a country. What do you think? Happy Easter and Happy Passover

 

THE POPE"S UN- CATHOLIC DEFENSE of his ROLE in the CHILD ABUSE SCANDALS

THE BUCK STOPS HERE or IT SHOULD STOP HERE

The Pope and associated leaders are in big trouble with widening reports of childhood sexual abuse   surfacing on a daily basis. There is no other choice for the Pope and the leaders but to respond to these serious charges directly and to do so with vigor. This is precisely what the leadership of the Vatican have initiated. The jist of their defense is not to assume final responsibility letting the chips fall where they may but counter attacking by blaming the over generalized "media" implying that they are all anti Catholic and waging a vicious campaign to discredit the Pope and the Catholic Church.

Let's take a closer look at this strategy.

It has been said that "The best defense is a good offense." This often used quotation implies that anything goes in defense of your position as long as it works to get you off the hook. This tends to work effectively among many lay individuals and groups. But it is problematic for the Pope and his cabinet. This is so because for the Pope - the self proclaimed and widely accepted intermediary between Christ and mankind - to attack the vicious 'media' as their core defensive strategy is to expose the Pope's vulnerability in his failed claim of infallible moral authority. The Pope has a responsibility to demonstrate consistency and integrity in judgment and action. And when he and others are admittedly wrong he and they must do the right thing and resign. Such an act would be earth shaking for the church and the world - in a positive way. To continue stonewalling try to shift their issue to the "medias issue is an obvious and pathetic transparent attempt to change the focus.  

To claim ignorance of the facts - if this is indeed factual  - is to acknowledge being asleep on the job. If, on the other hand, the Pope's defense is to rationalize poor judgment it represents nothing less than  elevating the selfish needs of one man who supposedly knew or should have known better over the pain and suffering of thousands of innocent children. What kind of moral superiority is this? 

I think Montaigne aptly puts this issue into its proper perspective: "Super-celestial thoughts breed subterranean conduct." In other words beware of the intensely pious as over and over again they turn out to be the biggest hypocrites among us. It is high time for the Pope and the leadership of the Catholic Church to shift their focus from what supposedly awaits us in the supernatural after life and better attend to righting glaring wrongs currently happening on our natural earth plane.

 

 

TIGER WOODS: THE PERSONIFICATION of the AMERICAN DREAM and/or THE AMERICAN TRAGEDY

BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT

Is it possible to be objective about the fate of this fallen hero? Perhaps the Greek formula for tragedy is a fit interpretation of Tiger Wood’s fall from grace: Korus, Hubris, Ate. The translation is pride goeth before a fall.

The usual extreme evaluations flow forth like multiple downpours. They range from the “moralists” who want to consign him to hell and worse, to the ‘psychologists’ who are quick to diagnose him as dissociated, a character disorder, schizoaffective disordered, an obvious sex addict and the likes.

All are understandable responses. But his story – like the man – appears to be much more complex than the small labels pinned on him. In my mind he seems to simultaneously embody both the American Dream and the American Tragedy.

The American Dream, at least for multitudes of American men (and maybe American women as well), appears to be the surface image of what Tiger Woods has been pictured. He’s young, good looking, charming, remarkably talented and skillful, uncommonly disciplined, at least with respect to his being a professional golfer. Added to the list is his huge fortune, attractive family, powerful influence, you name it. Up to now, with a snap of his fingers, he appeared to “have it all” literally in the palms of his hands. So appears the  shiny surface.

On a deeper level – from a depth psychological perspective – he appeared – up to recently – to be able to beat the system: the existential system. Freud believed that all neurotic behavior can ultimately be traced to a person being mired in an unresolved Oedipus complex. The two legs of that complex is that a man presumably wants to “marry” his mother and in so doing steps over the “dead” body of his father – his rival. This is the positive Oedipus. There is also the reverse where the man wants to “marry” his mother and kill off his rival mother–the negative Oedipus complex.

Both halves of this unconscious romantic drama presumably exists in everyone whether they are aware of it or not and whether they care to care about it or not. For some people the positive complex is more prevalent, whereas for others – the reverse. But the core point is that this drama is in fact real and determines a great deal of what motivates human beings to act – often in seemingly incomprehensible, often contradictory and self defeating ways. (Women are not exempt from this complicated psychological layering. Their romantic drama is referred to as the Electra complex). It is not uncommon to find that people unwittingly pick their psychological compliment like heat seeking missiles.

In any case – this normal drama is generally experienced as set of interlocking fantasies. But although fantasies, they have enormous motive power. They help to greatly explain why some people are fearful of success, are unreasonably guilty, suppress their aggression, choke when they are on the verge of winning a competition, scared to death they will be cut down in their prime of their lives, sometimes live split lives: one public and straight as an arrow, the other secretive and associated in many people’s valuations with the “cult of degeneracy.”

The normal course of the oedipal complex is that the idea of “marrying” one’s mother (or father) without  their experiencing a painful sense of inadequacy and guilt and castration anxiety is indeed just a fantasy. If the normal three year old little boy could actually mate with his mother or father what would be the outcome in reality? The thought is absurd but in the unconscious all wishes are capable of coming true.

One such wish is that in a triangular affair i.e. for example a boy, his mother and father; or a grown man, his wife and one or more mistresses, in a “perfect” world “ no one’s nose would get out of joint. There would be no dust ups, absolutely no inner or outer conflict – only perfesion – perpetual perfect ease. Everyone would be loving, accepting, no disappointment, no jealousy, no envy, no conflict. It would be a quintessential romantic dream come true characterized by a sustained state of  absolutely no realistic limitations.

Perhaps you can see where I am going. To be an integrated grownup – the Oedipus complex – positive or negative – must be renounced as an understandable childhood wish that cannot in reality ever be fulfilled without great psychological peril to the actor outer.

Obviously there are people who believe they have won the Oedipus, believing they have beat and can continue to beat the existential system. This fantasy of no limitation clearly has childhood origins but is continually reinforced by adult influences. Among them are a collective need of heroworshippers, advertisers who wish to promote fantasies of perfection for rather obvious reasons, all sorts of people who need to feel that at least a few people are capable of “beating the system” fueling their own desires for having it all with no undo push backs. Such people really believe or would like to believe that it is possible to truly always have a free lunch with no strings attached.

Our society tends to promote and encourage many of us to act out this dream. Indeed for a while and sometimes a great long while – it actually looks like some really can escape realistic limitations and have it all. And indeed it often does work for a long while until…. The Achilles heel of the person in question is pierced by a poison dart (public exposure) and that person’s American Dream turns into their American Tragedy….

No additional comments are necessary… everyone who is over 12 understands that to which I am alluding.

Lessons to be learned – (1) Be careful of what you want. (2) Real life, differentiated from the wishful driven life of a set of perfect childhood fantasies, is infinitely more complex than most of us would care to imagine and face up to.

To free oneself from this psychological mess requires the “fallen” to take a trip into his inner space, identify the splits, and dedicate himself to reconciling them. Or to put it more simply – the key to peace of mind is, as Socrates so aptly put it: know thyself. Plato added: cultivate a sound mind in a sound body. And Aristotle joined in: discover your own personal balance point.

Good sailing Tiger.

 

Tags: the absurd notion that freud is dead, significant psychological change, tiger w

PUSHING BACK on the INSURANCE COMPANIES and BIG PHARMA

Profit is Fine Except for Those Who Don't Profit

If you are an Aetna shareholder who lacks compassion you will love the following headline.

Aetna Forcing 600,000-Plus To Lose Coverage In Effort To Raise Profits . Although the company was profitable last quarter they weren't profitable enough. So their ingenious, creative, and oh so subtle way to increase profits is to dramatically increase the price of medical insurance which they know will result in at least 600,000 people dropping off. And guess who those people are who can't afford the increases.

I imagine that if Aetna actually pulls off this stunt the other insurance companies can be expected to follow suit. Who or what force is there to stop them?

So in this case where the profit motive outweighs the public good then it is time for a change or at least an alterntive for those who can't afford the increases to still have affordable medical insurance. Now this perhaps radical point of view assumes that those in power join the world wide bandwagon to incorporate some sort of public option into their health care plans to able to accomplish this task.

So much for the Insurance Companies. Onto my primary concern: the tyranny of Big Pharma.

As a practicing psychoanalyst for the last forty some years I have had it with the deception of the drug companies (in league with other groups)  promoting the false idea that "popping a pill" is the most sensible, medically sound, and cost effective way for people to manage their anxiety, stress, and depression. Logically this way winds up in creating a nation of drug dependent citizens. There has to be a better way. THERE IS!

If any one wishes to explore in detail how such an option can easily be implemented I invite you to a free webcast the detials of which can be found at:

(http://www.attitudeshifting.com/webcast.hm). Hope to see you there, would love thear your feedback, and tell your friends.

Isn't it time for interested parties to push back?

The President Steps Up: A Response to Obama's Afganistan Speech

You Think You Can Do Better Go Ahead and Try

This article is a response to another article written on this subject:

President Obama Explains Decision to Send Troupes - Shows Excellence! /Dexter S.

Dexter - Is it possible that you and I are Karmic brothers? I fully agree with your analysis. Finally we have a rational reasonably integrated President who is thoughtful, sensitive, and decisive. It is always a good sign when sides to the left and the right and even in the middle both agree and vilify him. He must be doing something right. At least there is a well thought out position for a change that like all positions carries risk but don't all such positions. To focus on one facet - a tree - and not keep one's eye on the bigger picture - the forest - at this point is futile. For those who dislike one or more positions that the president set forth - dare to do the hard work to come up with a more comprehensive plan that takes into account all of the complex issues. My lord - what a terrible burden. At least we have some light shining in the darkness instead of darkness pretending to be light.

DESPERATELY NEEDED is a JOB CZAR - then A JOBS THINK TANK

   WE ALL HAVE A JOB TO DO

So in a time of instantaneous communication, plus a public spirited citizenry, plus a great deal of creative intelligence, plus a desperate need to generate jobs: if there were ever a time for a coordinated effort to generate new ideas for job creation it is surely now.

Here are some ideas to get the ball rolling:

• The President should appoint a job czar whose first task is to call for the equivalent of the Manhatten Project to generate meaningful jobs... which probably would include training and what ever else it takes to implement such a program.
• If the governement dilly dallies then we need a grass roots call for such action.
• Perhaps some foundation such as The Gates Foundation, or IBM, or a consortium of such large organizations can begin the ball rolling...
• In the meantime - there is a pressing need for intelligent ideas.
• In this connection I invite interested parties to list with brief explanations you ideas for meaningful job creation.
• It is not enough to passively bitch, moan and groan - this is a time to act.
• The following are a few ideas I have:

Meaningful Job Creation Ideas:

1. There is an urgent need to formulate a nation wide (the wolrd included in my scheme) implementation of therapeutic communities treating substance abusers. I know they work - the evidence is overwhelming. They are cost effective, humane, and would generate thousands of positions for mental health workers, grand parents acting as mentors, teachers and trainers etc.
2. There is an urgent need for thousands upon thousands of home care givers to take up the slack of an accelerating older population to say nothing of the thousands of disabled vets returning from the war front who are woefully lacking essential care.

These are only two sound ideas. There are probably thousands more. I urge all of you to respond... and if you have no ideas that come to mind then ask a few of your friends and see if they have some.

This is a call to action..... The times demand action .... Technology makes it possible to do so in relatively short order.

It is a fact that newspapers respond to letters to the editor. So come on folks take a moment, channel your passion into a few key strokes, and respond to my queery.

LOVE HIM or HATE HIM: PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS IT!

    INTEGRITY is REFRESHING

Please imagine the following scenario. You are the President of the United States. You are visiting New Orleans for one day. You wade into the crowd holding a mike to be offered to people you choose to answer their questions. You reach over and down and give the mike to nine year old boy in the fourth grade (who happens to be black). The boy asks why do people hate you adding they are supposed to love you.

My question to you is how would you feel and what would you answer?

If you are interested in seeing how President Obama faired I strongly suggest you hear for yourself. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/15/obama-asked-why-do-people_n_323251.html-

Imagine any of the pompous Republican 'leaders' even daring to ask a fourth grader to ask a question let alone answer it directly and candidly.

Indeed integrity is refreshing.

UFOs - FOR REAL or a BIT OVER the TOP? YOU BE THE JUDGE!

A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE MOVIE TRAILER For true believers and the most ardent skeptics I strongly suggest you watch the history channel Monday night. You will see the following: History Channel Airs Acclaimed UFO Documentary 'I Know What I Saw,' Directed By James Fox, On October 19 Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:05am EDT History Channel Airs Acclaimed UFO Documentary 'I Know What I Saw,' Directed By James Fox, On October 19 Film Exposes Covert U.S. Investigation of Worldwide UFO Cases NEW YORK, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Computer hacker Gary McKinnon could be facing 70 years in prison for hacking into government UFO files. He should have just waited until Monday, October 19th @ 9 p.m. ET/PT when investigative filmmaker James Fox (of FCZ Media) provides answers on the UFO phenomenon in his feature-length documentary I Know What I Saw airing exclusively on The History Channel. Fox assembled the most credible UFO witnesses from around the world to testify at The National Press Club in Washington D.C. For the first time, Air Force Generals, astronauts, military and commercial pilots, and government and FAA officials from seven countries speak out on national television, providing shocking evidence that UFOs are real. Narrated by James Fox, I Know What I Saw traces sightings and reports worldwide. Testimony includes high-ranking military personnel, pilots and astronauts from France, England, Belgium, Chile, Peru, Iran and the United States who all call on the U.S. Government to re-open its investigation into UFOs - which the Air Force shut down over 30 years ago. In I Know What I Saw, filmmaker James Fox uncovers new details of a UFO landing at an American Air Force base in the UK. U.S. Air Force Col. Charles Halt recently admitted, "In December 1980 I was involved in a multi night incident where a UFO landed, was touched, photographed and departed rapidly. Two nights later, five or more intelligently controlled objects, assumed to be extraterrestrial, returned to the area and were witnessed by numerous people." Air Force Sergeant, James Penniston, copied strange markings from the landed UFO which filmmaker James Fox has analyzed by an expert symbologist for the very first time. The results are startling. Senator John McCain and Arizona Governor Fife Symington reveal their efforts to investigate the infamous "Phoenix lights" sighting. "I believe that our government should take an active role in investigating this very real phenomenon," said Symington, who was himself a witness to the reported mile wide craft seen by thousands in Arizona while he was governor. For more information about James Fox and I Know What I Saw go to www.iknowwhatisawthemovie.com This is the link to see the trailer. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I would be interested in hearing about any of the Gather population who are convinced they have witnessed a UFO. This is surely more entertaining than watching the Republicans and the Democrats sniping at each other. I am looking forward to any responses providing I am not abducted by an extra terrestrial.

THE BATTLE OVER HEALTH REFORM: HEALTHY or SICK?

                       The Show Isn't Over Until.........

The following article was inspired by my reading Troy's article called:
The Democrats are Becoming Desperate Over Health Reform:

Troy said: 

"As I returned from vacation last weekend I became aware of the desperation of the Democrats and the White House over their socialist takeover of our health care system. After weeks of plummeting poll numbers and running scared at town hall meetings the administration and the Democratic leadership have resorted to the same tired tactics they have used for years. The politics of fear and race baiting has returned in full force in a feeble attempt to resurrect the health care power grab."

The rest of the article argues his point.

 My Response to Troy follows:

Maybe yes Troy, and yet again, maybe not. Try this perspective out. The Democratic leadership is not stupid. They full well have known that for 50 years (or so) health reform has been a great idea that when push has come to shove has not been pollitically push- through -able. There are of course many reasons for this. One glaring one is the obvious official position of the Republicans to deny Obama and the Democrats an historic victory at all costs. No lie, no over simplification, no fear mongering, no distortion of the facts is beyond their kin. So what? So I believe the Democrats and especially Obama,  figured this to be the likely scenario long ago. So how to deal with it effectively? How about the old "give them enough rope" routine with the genuine hope that enough good will and a modicum of by partisanship will win the day over the petty, narrow, sell your soul to the big companies mentality - resulting in good sense, actually prevailing. Well - so much for that sweet idea.! The Republican cynicism is transparent. So I think there is no other alternative than for the Democrats to fight it out among themselves, hammer out the best bill they can come up with - and write the 'clever Republican politicos' off - totally - if they insist that all they can come up with is the most clever obstructionistic ploy of the day. This is the end of the summer. Now the real fight begins. The calculated hot heads and the too easily fear induced populace have popped their corks. I understand that the issues are indeed complex and that is reasonable for reasonable people to strongly disagree. But this issue is too vital to have it lost with a calculated  conspiracy to deny the President (of any party) from achieving an objective that is of true benefit to all the people overlooking those that have no political savy.   What appears at the root of this issue besides greed, are a number of converging fears. Among these fears are: a fear of complexity, a fear of death and dying, and a fear of facing realistic limitations. Perhaps there are more fears but these three are formidable. We need to have an open conversation about coping with fear by facing the facts of reality. We simply cannot - should not - bury our heads in denial and let the loudest voices over ride common sense and reason. My bet is that President Obama will eventually win the day finding the just right note to inspire enough people to push through at least the beginnings of a necessary and significant piece of health reform legislation.