Dr. Gary Bell's Absurd Psychology

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a disruptive behavior disorder that emerges during childhood or adolescence and is characterized by persistent angry or irritable mood, unruly and argumentative behavior, and vindictiveness. It frequently manifests in hostility toward authority figures. Tune in and learn how to understand and raise an oppositional defiant child!

Contrarian psychology explores the mindset of individuals who habitually reject popular opinions, social norms, or expected reactions to think or act in direct opposition to the crowd. Tune in and learn all about these crazy-makers and how to deal with them!

Humans are highly social creatures and wherever we go we subtly modify our behavior to fit in with others. Rudeness signals that one is not welcome in this group, activating pain regions in the brain. Rudeness also shows that others don't trust us. Tune in and learn how manners can change your life!

A "control freak" is a colloquial term for someone with an intense, persistent psychological need to dictate or manage people, situations, and environments. In psychology, this behavior is rarely about pure power or malice; instead, it is usually a maladaptive coping mechanism driven by underlying anxiety, fear of uncertainty, and deep-seated vulnerability. Tune in and learn all about control freaks and how to not be one!

Recognizing how resentment can act as a psychological safeguard offers a profound perspective on trauma recovery. Resentment is an intricate emotion, often lying beneath the surface, yet it can greatly influence our mental health and relationships. Unlike the more familiar emotions of joy, fear, or anger, resentment tends to be more subtle, quietly shaping our inner experiences. Its hidden nature and potential impact on our well-being make it crucial to understand and address. Tune is and learn

Women have long been discouraged from the awareness and forthright expression of anger. Sugar and spice are the ingredients from which we are made. We are the nurturers, the soothers, the peacemakers, and the steadiers of rocked boats. It is our job to please, protect, and placate the world. We may hold relationships in place as if our lives depended on it. Tune in and learn what is driving this phenomenon!

Feeling down every once in a while is a normal part of life, but if these feelings last a few weeks or months, you may have depression. Read on to learn about depression in older adults, the common signs and symptoms, treatment options, and ways to provide support. Tune in and learn how to recognize and prevent!

In psychology, temptation is a motivational conflict where an immediate, short-term reward clashes with a long-term goal or value. It triggers a struggle between the brain's emotional reward centers and logical self-control systems. Tune in and learn all about temptation and how to work through it!

In pop psychology, as well as everyday conversation, people often toss around phrases like “I just want to feel safe” or “Being numb helps me cope.” But as research and clinical observation show, emotional safety and emotional numbness are distinct psychological states, and confusing the two can slow your growth, isolate you from support, and leave you stuck in patterns that feel safe but aren’t. Tune in and learn how so many people live this way without even recognizing it!

Doomscrolling is the compulsive habit of endlessly reading negative or scary news online. It happens because our brains are wired to look for danger to stay safe. Phone apps use random rewards—like a slot machine—to keep us swiping for more. Tune in and learn all about doomscrolling and its effects on our lives!

Psychologically, stubbornness is a defense mechanism rooted in anxiety, a desire to protect one's ego, and a need for control. It often stems from an inability to tolerate the discomfort of being wrong, leading people to rigidly stick to familiar habits rather than risk the unknown. Tune in and learn how to deal with these kind of people in your life!

Insight in psychotherapy is defined many ways, but most experts agree it is a new way of understanding your experience which resonates emotionally. It is not a thought, but a discovery that reverberates in your bones. When a dawning insight is then put into words, it can revise our self-narratives (beliefs). It’s important to recognize that insight is not merely an intellectual exercise. If you are simply using your mind to analyze yourself or rework a familiar story, this may be interesting, bu