According to Dr. Jeffery Young, Some of the problems that can emerge as a result of being raised in the unpredictable family environment include the following emotional and social impact: Read the rest of this entry »

The recent news has been filled with the images of grieving parents who now are living with one of the most horrific events that can occur in a family.  Last week I read that actor Andrew Koenig, the 41-year-old son of actor Walter Koenig, who played Pavel Chekhov on Start Trek,  committed suicide in Vancouver, BC.  The former child actor, who starred on the show Growing Pains long suffered from depression.  Earlier this week it was reported that Michael Blosil, the son of Marie Osmond, committed suicide‎ by leaping to his death.  The news has been tragic.

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One of the things that are very common in family communication is that people operate in a rather mindless way.  Frequently we are unaware of what our silent messages are really communicating.

One time a client spent considerable time trying to convince me that she wasn’t communicating anything to her husband or children when she refused to speak with them or would behave sulkily.  Of course through a discussion of this she finally came to realize that these silent communications were often louder and clearer than the verbal things she might say.

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A lot of people that are really introverted have intensely close good friends; they’re just few in numbers. What I would suggest, if you may find yourself possibly facing the holidays alone, is that that you reach out and make a phone call. Talk to these close contacts and see what they are doing. Maybe you’d find that you’d be welcome to share in these holiday events with them.

It’s the unusual person that isn’t connected to someone or several people. The problem is that people that are feeling isolated and alone, and this is part of the depression, they tell themselves that they don’t have anybody in their life. Read the rest of this entry »