Dr. Phil's Facebook page deleting comments from veterans

Dr. Phil has made a name for himself by being a daytime TV talk show host focusing on psychiatric problems and dynamics within families and society. On Thursday he aired a show on Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.

Dr. Phil's show dealing with PTSD which aired on April 19th was titled "Heroes to Monsters." The title and some of the content of the show has disappointed many Veterans with PTSD. Veterans and caregivers have taken exception to the stigma the title further places on them or their loved ones and decided to take action by protesting on Dr. Phil's Facebook page. The comments have been deleted.

The veterans and caregivers are aghast with the behavior of the TV Psychiatrist who they claim only cares about the ratings he recieved from the title of the show. Some even questioned the content and claimed that Dr. Phil's entire agenda for the Thursday show was to simply sell a product.

Veterans already have difficulty finding or accepting help due to thier PTSD and the stigma placed upon the diagnosis. The label of monster further complicates things in a world of civlians who fear the amped up media image of people who suffer from war related PTSD. Caregivers also have a tough time combating the stigma especially when they are the ones who usually fight the hardest for their veteran's care and benefits.

Did Dr. Phil's show help those who suffer from PTSD? Some comments on his page seem to give the impression that the negative portrayal of veterans has been winning out with people saying the monsters deserve no care from the people of America because of thier violent and evil actions. All in all, perhaps Dr. Phil's show did more harm than good.

A Man Who Hits A Woman Ain't No Man At All

[caption id="attachment_13976" align="alignleft" width="300"] Illustration, husband beating his wife, wikimedia commons[/caption]

Carol Forsloff - Dr. Phil’s show scheduled for Monday, January 16, is said to include the story of Penny, a victim of violence, who will tell her story about how she was shot, raped, tortured, cut up and left for dead.  The man found guilty of these terrible acts was given six years for them and nearly paroled at four years, but a Facebook group launched a crusade to ensure the fellow was not set free.

“A Real Man Never Hits a Woman” is raising money for an awareness campaign and has thousands of members devoted to calling attention to the problems of domestic violence.  The money raised is to assist with the launching of a documentary called “Silent No More. “  About this project, the Cause Campaign says this:  'SILENT NO MORE TOUR' films members stories of survival and hope along with experts in the field of psychology, social services, Law enforcement and State and Federal Congressmen. This project is a journey of tears, hope and laughter.  This will be shown in schools, women's groups, women's shelters, churches and a possible special for television. The documentary is based on empowerment of women in conjunction with the United Nations Dream Project. This then will be used as an educational tool for school age girls and women.
We are in a war and we will make all people aware of this.”

The problem of violence against women has been chronicled in many ways throughout the world.  But it still has not produced a society aware of the generational problems caused by violence and the risks to the greater culture when victims do not receive support and perpetrators found and brought to justice.

In 1979 Honolulu had a candlelight vigil for women who had been victimized.  As a counselor and daughter of a woman who had suffered physical and emotional abuse for years, I had some understanding of the problems of domestic abuse.  I wrote a song and performed it live at the vigil.  It was taped the following year and used as the introductory song on a show called “Too Many Lickins” produced at the University of Hawaii.  I had not performed it again until the weekend proceeding the commemoration of Martin Luther King’s birthday.  King struggled against violence in all its forms.  The following video was made on Sunday, January 15, 2012 in honor of King’s work, the victims of violence, and those devoted to helping victims and educating others.

Addictions of any size difficult to beat, not impossible

Samantha Torrence - Many people battle addiction in the world. You may be addicted to something as significant as heroin, or maybe it is just that video game you play. No matter what your addiction is it is important to remember that once it reaches to the level of addiction it is not healthy.  Beating the addiction in your life that is holding you back from health, happiness, and prosperity is difficult in this age of stress, but it is not impossible.

There is nothing like waking up in the morning to a cold glass of Dr. Pepper. The ice clinking in the glass, the coldness, the fizziness, and let’s not forget the caffeine. Pop/Soda was the alternative morning caffeine drink of my desire since I didn’t really enjoy hot drinks and I certainly did not enjoy the taste of any kind of regular coffee.  Tea presented the problem of not only being warm, if it wasn’t iced tea,  but also not having the same caffeine kick to it that helped me start moving in the morning. My morning pop addiction extended to almost all the drinks of the day and as a way to relax at night. When it dawned on me that I was drinking pop to relax as well as get going I then realized it wasn’t just the caffeine that I needed, it had become a habit formed addiction. I needed the ice, the fizzy, and the sweet taste.  I have battled with this addiction for years now going yo-yoing in my resolve, but I have never really accomplishing my goal to just quit craving it.

People do not realize how powerful an addiction is until they are caught up in one. It could be pop, like me, or cigarettes, or even MMORPGs. Each of these items has an addictive part of a routine that helps you calm down and alleviate stress. Some accomplish this through a chemical means and by helping to establish a control in their routine, while others reshape reality for a short time to something that is a little more tolerable. Some addictions start of as simply benign hobbies, while others are harmful from inception.  All addictions are like a weed, unless you get the root out it is going to come back.

When I was younger and used to bite my fingernails I read that to make a habit it only takes a week, but to break a habit it takes 21 days (3 weeks). If it takes that long for a simple habit then an addiction is only going to be more difficult. The breaking of an addiction is the wall that many people crash against. It is the mountain that is insurmountable without the correct tools. So what are the best tools for breaking an addiction?

Dr. Phil has listed his opinion on the best way to break addiction on his website.

The Summary:

• Acknowledge the purpose – each addiction starts from a need for fulfillment in a part of your life


• Think rational thoughts instead of denial – admit you have an addiction and that it is serious


• Use alternative coping skills – find some other way to fulfill your need that is positive


• Identify your danger zones – who, what, where, when, or why do you begin to feel the need for your addiction?


• Make lifestyle changes – Plan your life away from your danger zones and towards your health


• Be accountable and have a support system –You can’t do this alone. Have someone you trust hold you accountable and be there to help you before or even after you slip up.


• Reward yourself – Changing your life away from addiction is difficult. Be kind to yourself; pat yourself on the back when you make progress.

Dr. Phil has very good insight into how to break an addiction. For me personally I could not get past the “Think rational thoughts” part until I realized that almost all of my conditions are exacerbated by drinking soda. When this realization dawned on me I was ready to move forward in my progress. Now I have switched from Soda to green tea with ginseng and honey. My drink is still in a glass with ice, still has some caffeine although not as much, but far less harmful to my body.

If you need support while you break a habit, find a group in your area or even an online forum of fellow travelers where you can find people to hold you accountable and give you the emotional support that you need.