Rather than just write off compulsive behavior as neurotic, as contemporary culture encourages us to, we need to look beneath the surface to see what those urges are really calling for. Then we can understand the deeper intent and how these urges could contribute to our wholeness. Otherwise, if we just dismiss compulsive behavior as pathological, we miss the potential purpose and meaning underlying it.
I often write about how essential it is for perfectionists and compulsives to let go...
People who are compulsive and perfectionistic struggle mightily with disorder and unresolved situations. These may...
I just came across an inspiring story by Sylvia Baer, a literature professor at Rowand...
Those of us who are driven tend to lean forward and try to push our...
People who are compulsive, workaholic or Type a personality have a, well, special relationship with anxiety. It propels them to get lots done, but it also makes it hard for them to enjoy life. And those at the unhealthy end of the compulsive spectrum, those who have Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD), have such pressing anxiety that they may never enjoy life.
Living authentically feels good and is the best way to create the diversity we need to solve problems. But it’s not so easy to do, and, unrestrained authenticity is not such a wise approach all the time anyway. Unbridled authenticity in the wrong places can lead you to be rejected and hurt, and it can lead to hurting others needlessly if you say everything that comes to mind.
I just got back from seeing the play, The Lifespan of a Fact. I keep...
Ebenezer Scrooge, the curmudgeonly, compulsive money hoarder and eventual hero of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas...
I lived next to the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on the north shore of Long...
The Healthy Compulsive book is now available in paperback in addition to hardcover and e-book format:
Healthy Compulsive Book
© 2025 · Gary Trosclair, The Healthy Compulsive Project