were talking about the brain today, on my psychology podcast. People. More

research is needed, he said. More research is always needed. When are we going

to understand the brain, I ask you?  Does

the brain really cause our behaviors like you’re thinking?  Or doesn’t it reflect our behaviors?  Don’t we cause our behaviors?  I think we do, more than “the brain”. Just a

personal opinion.

does it mean to look beyond the mark? 

It’s the same as seeking for things we can’t understand, is it not?  Surely. And why do we do that?  The answer is right before us, if we’ll have

it, isn’t it. It’s easier than we’re thinking. We over-complicate things.

That’s what we do, isn’t it. Some of us, at least.

is it. We have the answers not that far from us sometimes, but we don’t want

them. Is that what I do?

Mar 27, 2020

it possible that as a society we could all be missing the mark together on a

subject as big as this?  Well we do with

religion, right?  We can all miss it

together.  But not everybody. 

Necessarily.  Some people might

know the truth, and it's just the general population that's missing it.  But with depression and anxiety, seems like

there's no group of people that get it, even an enlightened group.  It would be on the internet, right?  Somewhere. 

Surely somebody can figure it out and the word can spread, even if to a

small number who are willing to hear it and understand it.

the thing.  Satan is involved, and

self-deception is involved, but the person isn't necessarily condemned before

the Lord.  We can't judge, right?  You go against the light, you self-deceive,

and your path is darkened.  We're all

fallen.  We all fall short.  We are all in need of the atonement.  Why do we need to judge each other?  We can say in our hearts that another has

caused his own difficulties.  Well that

may be true, right, but isn't it the same with our own difficulties?  Surely it's possible for us all to cause some

of our own difficulties.  And some

not.  We want to say officially that

nobody causes their own difficulties, but that's not true.  Sometimes we do.  But that's no reason not to have compassion

on one another.  Right?  Because don't we all do the same, in one way

or another?  We all do it, from the least

to the greatest.  Just not Jesus Christ.

talked about "What can we do?" 

What do you think we can do? 

What's the answer to that question? 

Or the answers?  Is it many

possible things, and they may be different for each situation?  Surely that's it.  But surely we can also find some commonality

in our answers and give suggestions to each other.  Which we do. 

Mar 28, 2020

this podcast to be more fun.  I imagine

more laughing.  Do I need Skye?  Or do I need to be more relaxed when I do it?

Mar 31, 2020

anxiety just a big excuse?  Think about

addiction.  There is something appealing

about anxiety and depression. There’s a reward, make no mistake about it.

Addiction needs a reward. Well anxiety and depression have rewards. The excuse

is the reward. Excuse for what?  In the

case of anxiety, for not doing what you need to do that’s hard and requires

ignoring your fear.

case of depression the reward is the excuse for being happy. That’s why it’s

expressly miserable. That’s the definition of depression - misery, the opposite

of happiness. Misery gives us our excuse for…not being happy. It can be hard to

be happy. It requires giving up our pride sometimes. Giving up our misery can

be hard, it can take a hard swallow of pride. We can humble ourselves by being

happy, by being grateful, by realizing how blessed we are.

this is it.

mechanism of self-justification and self-deception is hard to pinpoint - what

the excuse is and what the deception is. It’s a little hard to think

about.  Can I make some headway that way?  Find the pattern, the universal description?

depression is a big excuse. And anxiety is a big excuse. Not like we think

maybe, but it is.  Excuse for what?  For not being happy, and for not being

peaceful, respectively. It can be hard to be peaceful. You don’t get to have

the excuse of being nerve-wracked. You have to face whatever it is alone, with

just you and your laziness. “I was lazy, and a little bit rebellious.”  Look that up.

is good. (Is not this real?). Thinking about it from the outside though this

sounds terrible. How do I say this?  With

love.

a trap. It gets worse the more you indulge.

anxiety is a big excuse, and depression. 

But remember we are not necessarily condemned by God (right?)  There are many reasons we can be in that

pattern.  But oh, it's there.  You can't throw that away just because it's

hard.  And none of this is an excuse to

stop loving anybody.  That's always

there, too.  You can have issues and

still deserve love.  Everyone deserves

our love.  Surely the two are true at the

same time.  That we are excusing

ourselves from going against the light in one way or another, and that we

deserve love and are loved by our Heavenly Father.  It's just the mechanics of this fallen

world.  Yea, this is going to go over

great in the world.

there's a chemical aspect of depression and anxiety, like a bunch of things,

and whatever else goes along with it. 

But I tell you that these things with self-deception are going on too,

in every case.  Oh yes, every case.  Does that mean it's the

"cause"?  We've gone over

this.  No, not necessarily.  This is a principle, like internal

combustion, that is necessary but goes without saying, as long as you

understand it.  But understand it.  Understand it.  You would want to know about internal

combustion to understand your car, and you might as well understand this to

understand psychology.  Understand

self-deception.  Understand there is a

light we either conform to or self-deceive. 

Take it or perish.  You never win

going against it.  But we do all the

time, and that's part of life and frankly, it's ok as long as we're trying and

if we believe in Jesus Christ and do works meet for repentance then we'll be

saved, we'll be ok. 

you can't do evil to yourself or anybody else, with impunity.  Depression is doing evil to yourself. 

since self-deception, self-justification are part of depression and anxiety,

how do you combat them?  Exercise.  Sleep. 

Eat better.  Work on your

relationships.  All those things they say

to do.  But just don't expect that you

can do them and hold on to your grudge against yourself, or give in to the lie

of anxiety.  Those things have to be

done, too.

is an imperfect podcast…  I try to be as

right as I can, while treading on some ground that is new.  I hope you'll forgive me if I lead you astray

in any way.  I think, I hope, you

understand the nature of this podcast. 

It's theoretical, it's not meant to take the place of therapy.  I'm not saying all the things you need to

hear, necessarily.  It's imperfect and

I'm acknowledging that.  Most of all I

hope you don't think that since you're doing these things that there's something

wrong with you.  Believe me, you're very

normal.  And I can tell you your Father

in Heaven loves you, more than you can imagine. 

Maybe with His help you can deal with this thing.  Maybe you'll get a lot better, maybe you will

continue to struggle with it for the rest of your life to some extent.  I pray you'll be able to get to a point where

it will be at least tolerable and you'll be able to perform whatever mission

your Father in Heaven has for you on this earth, despite your

difficulties.  None of us are perfect and

many of us have to deal with very hard things, perhaps our whole lives to some

extent.  Hang in there.  Don't stop trying.  Maybe pray that we'll get a better

understanding of these things.  Try to do

the things you can do.  Your Heavenly

Father loves you.

April 2, 2020

is involved.  He sure is.  No question about it.  Hate to say it, I know it's unpopular, but he

is.  He's involved.  These things are traps.  His traps. 

And his lies.  And his power.  All darkness is of him.  All captivity is of him.  You better believe it.  Don't have to, but if you want to understand

psychology and life then you do.  No

other way, sorry.  (The brain.) 

of this means God doesn't love you - He does, and though you may be in a trap,

He's there for you, He's with you and wants you to be happy.