Dr. Gary Bell's Absurd Psychology

Dr. Gary Bell's Absurd Psychology

Not for the faint of heart or sensitive spirit, Dr. Gary Bell's Absurd Psychology is about helping our lives in the insane world we exist today. It is a sarcastic, smart and witty view of the lives we cope with, including straight answers, real information and new perspectives to bring LIFE back to our existence. Dr. Bell brings deep insight, common sense and weaves general knowledge of how the brain is operating under various circumstances. Dr. Bell challenges us all to OWN our lives. How do we become change in an ever changing world? If anything, you might sound smarter to your friends. Everyone is an armchair therapist, but now you will know enough to be dangerous. No whining or caterwauling allowed! This is a search for essence, passion and meaning as we exist surrounded by mediocrity, insecurity and insignificance. Take your medication and listen. You might learn something.

Episodes

February 3, 2026 59 mins

It's not easy to break a covenant. Grounds for divorce in a
covenant marriage are limited to abuse or adultery; otherwise couples must seek counseling and wait two years, as opposed to the
six-to-12-month separation that is imposed in no-fault divorces. Tune in and learn all about staying in a covenant marriage!

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In the realm of psychological inquiry, much focus has been placed on the "knowledge-action gap," which separates what we know from what we do. However, another critical yet underexplored area is the "question-answer gap." This gap is where uncertainty, the unknown, and the unknowable live, marking the distance between the questions we pose and the answers we seek. Tune in and learn all about how to live in uncertainty!
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January 20, 2026 59 mins
Erikson's old age, the age of wisdom, started at 50. In his 1950 book, Childhood and Society, Erikson called the eighth stage of development, old age, a crisis of integrity versus despair, a stage of generalization of sensual modes with the basic strength of wisdom. Tune in and learn al about how aging effects us and how to realize we are getting old!
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January 13, 2026 55 mins

Childhood trauma significantly impacts brain development and function, leading to long-term psychological effects like anxiety, depression, PTSD, emotional dysregulation, trust issues, and self-esteem problems, alongside physical issues such as chronic health conditions, sleep disturbances, and altered stress responses, often manifesting as behavioral challenges, learning difficulties, and relationship problems in adulthood. Trauma...

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January 6, 2026 59 mins

Human development is influenced by, but not entirely determined by, our parents and our genes. Children may have very different personalities, and different strengths and weaknesses, than the generation that preceded them. Caregivers should pay attention to their children's distinct traits and the pace of their development, and not assume that the approach to parenting that worked for their mothers and fathers will be equally succe...

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BDSM is an umbrella term for a wide range of sexual practices that involve physical bondage, the giving or receiving of pain, dominant or submissive roleplay, and/or other related activities. The acronym is a combination of Bondage/Discipline, Dominance/Submission, and Sadism/Masochism. Though BDSM has long been socially stigmatized or thought to be a sign of mental illness, recent research suggests that it has no clear connection ...

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December 23, 2025 57 mins
Anxiety is both a mental and physical state of negative expectation. Mentally it is characterized by increased arousal and apprehension tortured into distressing worry, and physically by unpleasant activation of multiple body systems—all to facilitate response to an unknown danger, whether real or imagined. Tune in and learn all about anxiety and how to overcome it!
 
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December 16, 2025 58 mins
Our lives begin within our most intimate tribe, our family, whose job it is to protect and nurture us until adulthood. But then gradually, over time, we get introduced to members of other related tribes — our racial and ethnic groups — with whom we share many of our most basic traits, including our phenotypes, genetics, and cultural histories. And then there are the tribes we choose, based on religion, politics, the places we ...
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December 9, 2025 55 mins
Thoroughly woven into the tapestry of American culture has been the mythology or cult of the millionaire, a term which originated in France (by Disraeli in 1826) but was rarely used in the United States until the late 19th century. The word was reportedly first used in America in a newspaper obituary for Pierre Lorillard I, founder of the tobacco empire. "Mr. Lorillard was a 'millionaire,'" the obit read, this was made possibl...
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December 2, 2025 55 mins
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (c-PTSD or cPTSD) describes a set of disruptive symptoms that emerge after experiencing inescapable traumatic life events, especially those of a horrific or threatening nature or which recur or accumulate over a period of time. Such events are typically interpersonal, often involving abusive relationships with parents, caregivers, or other responsible adults at a young age. It may also be...
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November 25, 2025 56 mins

With marriage having a fifty percent no‐go rate it's obvious that people don't follow their best thinking, just like people don't eat healthfully even when they know what's good for them. Paradoxically, it's in our most enduring and important relationships that we're least likely to be our most mature and thoughtful selves. Tune in and learn what it takes to be married!

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November 18, 2025 60 mins
Constant criticism, even if it's self-inflicted, slowly chips away at your sense of self-worth over time. Before you know it, you're left feeling inadequate and like you can never measure up. Tune in and learn how constant criticism can effect a person!
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November 11, 2025 48 mins
Schadenfreude[emdash]the sense of pleasure people derive from the misfortune of others[emdash]is a familiar feeling to many, yet it's poorly understood. The complex emotion may provide a valuable window into the darker side of humanity. Tune in and learn how people derive pleasure from others pain!
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Intercultural relationships are increasingly common, especially in "hyperdiverse" Western cultures, where mixed marriage has been steadily rising over the decades. What used to be controversial, even anathema, is now commonplace, at least in progressive Western urban centers. Because the concept of race is misleading, contemporary scholars have moved away from describing mixed marriages as "interracial", preferring the term "interc...

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Transactional communciation helps people see how these three states operate within them and how they shift between states in different situations. It can be applied flexibly. It may be brief and solution-focused, helping clients address specific issues quickly, or it can be used in longer-term therapy for deeper exploration of unconscious patterns. Transactional communication's versatility extends beyond psychotherapy, with ap...
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October 21, 2025 57 mins
The conscious mind can be described as whatever you are currently aware of. What you are feeling, doing, seeing, touching, experiencing. You are conscious of it, or aware of it. Consciousness does not involve stored information. It is what is happening now. It does involve thinking and making decisions. It is easy to control your conscious mind because you are able to use it to make choices. Tune in and learn all about how you...
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October 14, 2025 56 mins
Relationships thrive on emotional and physical connections, and one of the most intriguing aspects of romantic bonds is the concept of a "turn on." But what does it really mean to be "turned on" in a relationship? Is it purely physical, or does it go deeper? The phrase "turn on" is often associated with physical attraction, but in relationships, it encompasses much more. A turn-on can be anything—emotional, intellectual, or se...
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October 7, 2025 57 mins

Transhumanism is a philosophical and intellectual movement that advocates using advanced technologies—such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and genetic engineering—to enhance human physical, cognitive, and emotional capabilities beyond natural limitations. The goal is to improve the human condition, potentially achieving longer lifespans, eliminating diseases, and even transcending mortality toward a "post...

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September 30, 2025 56 mins
•Repentance is not so much a feeling or sentiment but rather a process.  It's the process of honestly and thoughtfully reviewing one's past actions, one's motivations, sentiments, and underlying "issues," and committing oneself to the task of "turning away" from old, negative patterns and making a conscientious effort to adopt and reinforce very different, healthier ways, thus becoming a new and better person.  It's an arduous...
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September 28, 2025 60 mins
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition characterized by unusual shifts in mood, energy, and ability to function. These shifts involve extreme "highs" (mania) and "lows" (depression), sometimes accompanied by symptoms like racing thoughts, sleep problems, impulsive behavior, and feelings of hopelessness. Psychology plays a key role in understanding bipolar disorder by studying its symptoms, causes (like genetics and envi...
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