Author Archives: David Joel Miller

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About David Joel Miller

David Miller is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Clinical Counselor, faculty member at a local college, certified trainer and writer.

Dangers of Binge Drinking

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9

By David Joel Miller, MS, Licensed Therapist & Licensed Counselor.

Drinking

Binge drinking.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Binge drinking may be more dangerous than we thought.

One drink per day for thirty days, for many people this is no big problem. No drinks for thirty days and then binge drink thirty drinks in one day, that would be a huge, maybe fatal, problem.

Thirty drinks, if consumed rapidly enough and kept down would result in a “theoretical” blood alcohol level of .60 which is enough alcohol in one person to have made seven and a half people legally drunk. At that blood alcohol level, the person would probably not need treatment. They would already be dead.

Blood alcohol levels of .50 to .60 are likely to be fatal. But even lower levels can kill or permanently injure a person. Alcohol kills more people in the United States every year than ALL DRUGS, legal or illegal combined (not counting nicotine.) Even when people die from other drugs, they typically have alcohol in their bloodstream.

To be fair, not everyone who drinks, binge drinks, and gets drunk. About half of all Americans old enough to drink have not had a drink in the last thirty days. Those who drink a lot, damage themselves and others a lot.

The twenty percent of Americans who consume the most alcohol, the frequent binge drinkers, consume 80% of all the alcohol sold. The majority of all the people in prison around here were drunk or high in the 24 hours before they committed the crime that sent them to prison.

People who drink rapidly and reach high blood alcohol levels are likely to have blackouts.

Even at much lower levels, we find that “binge drinkers,” those who consume larger than typical amounts of alcohol on one occasion, are 55 times more likely to attempt suicide.

The damage alcohol does to the body depends on the level of alcohol in the bloodstream. Our way of assessing risk, based on the number of drinks during a single “drinking episode” is biased towards underestimating the extent of binge drinking. Not everyone who drinks gets the same result.

The blood alcohol level is dependent on a number of factors and the number of drinks is only one of those factors.

Body weight influences blood alcohol levels. If a one hundred pound person and a two hundred pound person have the same number of “standard drinks” the one hundred pound person will have a significantly higher blood alcohol level.

Alcohol is soluble in water, the more water in the system the lower the blood alcohol level. Men have more water per pound of weight than women. This means that if a man and a woman of the same weight drink the same amount of alcohol the woman ends up with a higher blood alcohol level.

Liver function also affects the body’s ability to process alcohol. A damaged liver and the drink will stay in your system longer.

Age is a factor. You can put color on your hair but you can’t pretty up your liver. As you age the liver gets old and tired. It won’t process as much alcohol per hour. An old liver will result in higher blood alcohol levels. Studies tell us that the “safe” level of alcohol consumption for an “older person” is maybe half what it was for a younger person.

If one glass of wine a day is good for you at age 30, three glasses a week will be your max at age 80 or so. I know there are exceptions, don’t email about your grandparent who still drinks a tall one every day and is in good health. Studies say that for the elderly, most of them, 3 drinks a week would be all that is safe.

Binge drinking is defined as 4 drinks on one drinking occasion for a woman and five drinks for a man. We have already underscored that for people of low body weight or the elderly or woman these numbers are way too high.

Who is at the highest risk for medical problems from binge drinking? Four groups are at highest risk, the young, the old, the pregnant, and the alcoholic.

The young have more drinking problems.

They don’t know the risks and the results. They can get drunk, hurt someone, be in trouble and there goes the life. Almost all people with a substance use disorder become alcoholics or addicts before the end of their twenties.

The elderly have lots of substance use problems.

These folks are not exempt. In more than half of all hospital emergency room admissions of senior citizens, the elderly person is drunk or high when the accident occurs. One reason seniors are falling down and breaking hips is they are stoned.

Seniors may become depressed when they retire or end up living alone. They may drink; take prescription drugs and even illicit drugs. Put that all together and it is easy to have substance abuse get out of control in the elderly.

The pregnant should not drink.

Any alcohol is bad for the developing fetus, the more alcohol the worse the damage. We can’t always see the damage as it can hide in lower IQs, retardation, and learning disabilities. Alcohol induces “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder” which is the largest source of preventable birth defects.

The alcoholic will not be able to safely drink.

As many an alcoholic will tell you “one is too many and a thousand is never enough.” The hallmark of alcoholism is the loss of control. An alcoholic has lost control of how much they will drink once they get started. The only “safe amount” for someone with a history of alcoholism to drink is – none.

Many drug addicts get into recovery and then fool themselves by thinking “I never had a problem with alcohol so I can drink safely.” Scratch a drug addict and you will find an alcoholic. The same seems to hold true for anyone who has had any other form of impulse control problem.

Consider for a moment. If you drink multiple drinks, most days or end up drunk when you drink you may have a drinking problem. If you binge drink, drink with the intent to get drunk or buzzed, you are in the highest risk group.

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Seven David Joel Miller Books are available now!

My newest book is now available. It was my opportunity to try on a new genre. I’ve been working on this book for several years, but now seem like the right time to publish it.

Story Bureau.

Story Bureau is a thrilling Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic adventure in the Surviving the Apocalypse series.

Baldwin struggles to survive life in a post-apocalyptic world where the government controls everything.

As society collapses and his family gets plunged into poverty, Baldwin takes a job in the capital city, working for a government agency called the Story Bureau. He discovers the Story Bureau is not a benign news outlet but a sinister government plot to manipulate society.

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Dark Family Secrets: Doris wants to get her life back, but small-town prejudice could shatter her dreams.

Casino Robbery Arthur Mitchell escapes the trauma of watching his girlfriend die. But the killers know he’s a witness and want him dead.

Planned Accidents  The second Arthur Mitchell and Plutus mystery.

Letters from the Dead: The third in the Arthur Mitchell mystery series.

What would you do if you found a letter to a detective describing a crime and you knew the writer and detective were dead, and you could be next?

Sasquatch. Three things about us, you should know. One, we have seen the past. Two, we’re trapped there. Three, I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to our own time.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Author Page – David Joel Miller

Want the latest blog posts as they publish? Subscribe to this blog.

For videos, see: Counselorssoapbox YouTube Video Channel

Anxiety – fears and phobias can be treated.

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By David Joel Miller, MS, Licensed Therapist & Licensed Counselor.

Fear

Get rid of fear.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Are you afraid of spiders, snakes, or public speaking?

If you are afraid of a particular thing or situation and go to lengths to avoid that thing you may well have a Specific Phobia. Specific Phobia involves the fear that a particular thing is going to harm you. This fear may be irrationally strong even when you have never been harmed this way before and the risk is low.

There are five types of specific phobias, Animal type, Natural environment type, medical type, places, and “other” type. Other type includes diverse things like a fear of choking and a fear of costumed characters. People with a specific phobia, except very young children, know their fear is excessive and is interfering with their life but they will go to great lengths to avoid the thing that scares them and to avoid getting treatment for their phobia.

Animal type refers to the spiders and snakes as well as any number of other creatures great and small that may scare us. Some animals may really be harmful or dangerous but a phobia is not restricted to only those things we should fear but is enlarged to fear all creatures whether they are likely to harm us or not.

Natural environment phobias include heights, weather, and water. The “medical type” includes such things as blood, needles, and medical procedures. Place phobia is best known for fear of flying and elevator fear.

A closely related anxiety disorder “Social Phobia” includes things like public speaking and eating in public. In social phobia, the fear is not of being physically injured but a fear of doing something that is embarrassing or uncontrollable.

Both social phobia and specific phobia are treatable. For some people, medication can help to manage symptoms in the short run but over time the symptoms of anxiety may reappear. A specific counseling method called systematic desensitization or exposure therapy is especially helpful for treating specific phobia and a related method works well for fear of public speaking.

If the phobia becomes excessive someone may seek treatment. Here is an example of a treatment episode for a mother; we shall call Ellen, who had a terrible fear of snakes. She was practically pushed in the office door by her husband Bob. Her son and her husband Bob both wanted to go camping and she had refused. While on vacation they had wanted to visit a zoo. Both of these activities might involve snakes and snakes terrified Ellen.

The therapist began by teaching Ellen how to relax using deep breathing and other relaxation techniques. It is impossible to be both frightened and relaxed at the same time. Over the next week, Ellen practiced her relaxation methods every time she became anxious, whether it was about snakes or just day-to-day life.

At the second session, they discussed what things about snakes provoked what level of fear. Could Ellen write the word snake on a piece of paper with only modest fear? Could she say “S-N-A-K-E.?”

For each item on the list, they assigned a number from one to ten. The goal was, to begin with, the “snake’ exposures that were the least frightening and progress to the more threatening ones. Her fear hierarchy might come out something like this.

  1. Write the word snake on a piece of paper.
  2. Say snake.
  3. Talk about snakes.
  4. Read a word book about snakes.
  5. Look at pictures in a book about snakes.
  6. Watch a video about snakes on T. V.
  7. Visit a local pet store with her son and look at snakes in the cages.
  8. Touch a snake while the pet shop owner held him.
  9. Visit the local zoo and look at snakes in the Herpetarium with her son and husband.
  10. Go on a camping trip where they might encounter a snake.

After developing the “snake fear scale” Ellen practiced her relaxation. She was then able to write down the list of “snake steps” and read them back to the counselor at the second meeting.

By the third session she was reading an article the counselor had brought in about types of snakes and some of the good things snakes can do.

Her efforts to look at pictures in a book took longer, several times she had to stop, do her relaxation exercises, and discuss her feelings with her therapist.

Ellen watched the snake video in the counselor’s office, being prompted to do her breathing and relaxation as needed. She was able to take the video home and watch it a second time with her family and reported it went well and she did not have to close her eyes even once.

By the time summer came Ellen reported to the counselor she had completed steps one to nine.

This same sort of method can be used for social phobia. A common fear is public speaking. Many people report they are more afraid of public speaking than death. The old approach to fears and phobias was the “throw them in the deep end and they will sink or swim.”  Too many people were traumatized by that approach and never went into the water again.

Turns out that Bob, (Ellen’s husband remember?) was not afraid of snakes, but he was terrified of speaking in public. His company wanted him to make a presentation later in the year at a large convention and Bob was terrified. The counselor worked with Bob for a while on relaxation techniques and then gave Bob some choices.

For those with a fear of speaking there are classes at the local college or adult education and there are clubs whose purpose is to help people overcome their fear of speaking in front of others. Working with a small group of others who are all trying to learn to speak in public can ease the tension. Building up gradually from talking around a table to standing up and speaking to the group and finally to speaking in front of progressively larger audiences can build your confidence.

Bob took the college classes. He was able to complete the class and began speaking to groups his company sent him to speak at. Things were going fine. – Sort of.

Then the counselor got a frantic call from Bob and Ellen. Despite all their efforts and all that progress, Bob was terrified of the speech he needed to give at the convention, he was thinking of quitting his job to avoid it. Ellen had been in the bedroom crying for the last week. She was not going to the convention with Bob, as much as she wanted to be supportive because that meant the camping trip after the convention and her fear of snakes had returned with a vengeance.

Why after all that work had Bob and Ellen had a relapse of Anxiety? We know systematic desensitization works to reduce anxiety.

Stay tuned for a post on what causes an anxiety relapse.

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Seven David Joel Miller Books are available now!

My newest book is now available. It was my opportunity to try on a new genre. I’ve been working on this book for several years, but now seem like the right time to publish it.

Story Bureau.

Story Bureau is a thrilling Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic adventure in the Surviving the Apocalypse series.

Baldwin struggles to survive life in a post-apocalyptic world where the government controls everything.

As society collapses and his family gets plunged into poverty, Baldwin takes a job in the capital city, working for a government agency called the Story Bureau. He discovers the Story Bureau is not a benign news outlet but a sinister government plot to manipulate society.

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Dark Family Secrets: Doris wants to get her life back, but small-town prejudice could shatter her dreams.

Casino Robbery Arthur Mitchell escapes the trauma of watching his girlfriend die. But the killers know he’s a witness and want him dead.

Planned Accidents  The second Arthur Mitchell and Plutus mystery.

Letters from the Dead: The third in the Arthur Mitchell mystery series.

What would you do if you found a letter to a detective describing a crime and you knew the writer and detective were dead, and you could be next?

Sasquatch. Three things about us, you should know. One, we have seen the past. Two, we’re trapped there. Three, I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to our own time.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Author Page – David Joel Miller

Want the latest blog posts as they publish? Subscribe to this blog.

For videos, see: Counselorssoapbox YouTube Video Channel

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Is everyone Bipolar?

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By David Joel Miller, MS, Licensed Therapist & Licensed Counselor.

Person with masks

Bipolar.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Just how common is Bipolar Disorder?

There are people out there with Bipolar Disorder as we currently understand Bipolar. Some people who really have this issue never get diagnosed and miss out on the treatment they need. From some of the things on the web today it is hard to see how anyone could escape getting this diagnosis. For more on this dilemma see the post, Bipolar – Misdiagnosed or missing diagnosis?

If professionals give out a diagnosis too freely then it stops having any meaning. So just how common is Bipolar Disorder and what should we think about people who sort of have it?

Some perspective

Humans are not the only creatures on earth who act “bipolar.”

Think about some of the symptoms. Elevated expansive mood, reduced need for sleep, increased impulsivity and heightened sexuality. Hum—

It is hot here now, but only a few weeks ago it was spring. From the window in my office, I watch the birds in the trees and on the lawn. There are a lot of native doves in my immediate area. For a while, just after Valentine’s Day, those doves woke me up in the morning. They were cooing constantly and then mating – can’t describe that and stay P. G. rated. When pursuing and being pursued by mates their temperament can best be described as irritable. Are doves Bipolar? Are they only Bipolar in the spring time?

Every spring the days start getting longer, the creatures on planet earth respond by becoming more active, they and we humans with them, think about reproduction. If birds breed in February they have babies by Easter. Humans seem to breed just as fast but we take longer to get the babies done.

Then in the fall time, the doves seem to disappear. So do the humans on my block. All those exercise freaks stay indoors. As the days get shorter the mood among humans gets gloomier. This may be one reason we have so many holidays in the fall and winter, Halloween, American Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years all in a couple of months. We do this to cheer ourselves up. We also see extra depression during those months of less light.

If birds are affected by the changes in weather, humans are affected, and other animals also, it is difficult to go on describing these mood fluctuations as a mental illness.

We know that some people are affected by the seasons more than others. The degree and magnitude of mania and depression vary from one person to another. When have we crossed the line and turned normal human emotions and feeling into a pathological disorder?

There are also milder variations in human behavior we call “personality.” Talking about personality types, wondering why we are the way we are, is an interesting study. One needs to be careful in learning about personality to not make the first year student mistake and start seeing pathology where none exists. Not everyone who is moody, sleepless, irritable, or extra sexual needs to be diagnosed and put on medication.

As a therapist, I know there are lots of folks who would benefit from talking to a counselor about their problems. We also know that insurance wants us to be sure they are mentally ill and meet the criteria for “medical necessity” before insurance pays for the treatment. The challenge is to stick to the criteria and make sure only people with a real mental illness get treated using insurance money, while still trying to help all the people we can. Professionals continue to debate exactly where the lines of a disorder should be drawn.

At this point, we have three for sure reasons why someone’s symptoms get severe enough that they get the diagnosis.

1. Your issue interferes with “occupational functioning,” which includes school, for children and volunteer work if you are disabled.

2. It interferes with “social functioning” which mainly means you have poor or no relationship with family and friends.

3. Your issue causes you “subjective distress,” meaning a whole lot of emotional pain.

Having a personality that is not as you would like it may be painful but I hesitate to throw that in with mental illness. So if you are too introverted, impulsive or have some such personality trait, you can work on that, but you are not likely to be severely enough impaired to be diagnosed with a mental illness.

Some people may have “bipolar trait” or a “bipolar temperament” these are things you may or may not choose to work on in yourself improvement projects. “Hyperthymic Temperament” and Hyperthymic Personality Disorder” is just such a condition. Hyperthymic Personality Disorder is a common name NOT a specific diagnosis. DSM Personality Disorders are far more severe than Hyperthymia.

My thinking is that if you have characteristics like this you may want to consider being screened by a profession and keep an eye out for the possible development of Bipolar Disorder.

One thing we professionals should avoid doing is turning everyone who is different, into a pathological condition.

So is everyone Bipolar? The DSM-4 reports that the prevalence of Bipolar I and Bipolar II combined is more or less 2%.  Irritable, moody, impulsive and sexual people – that is just about all of us.

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Two David Joel Miller Books are available now!

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Casino Robbery is a novel about a man with PTSD who must cope with his symptoms to solve a mystery and create a new life.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Amazon Author Page – David Joel Miller

Want the latest blog posts as they publish? Subscribe to this blog.

Want the latest on news from recoveryland, the field of counseling, my writing projects, speaking and teaching? Please sign up for my newsletter at – Newsletter. I promise not to share your email or to send you spam, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

For more about David Joel Miller and my work in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, and Co-occurring disorders see my Facebook author’s page, davidjoelmillerwriter. A list of books I have read and can recommend is over at Recommended Books. If you are in the Fresno California area, information about my private practice is at counselorfresno.com.

Do people really forget what happened when drinking? – Blackouts

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22

By David Joel Miller, MS, Licensed Therapist & Licensed Counselor.

Liquor

Alcoholic beverages.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Memory, Blackouts, Alcohol, and Drugs.

Alcohol and other drugs can impair memory in a number of ways. Alcoholics frequently say they can’t remember what happened while drinking. People who have never had a blackout question if the drinker really can’t remember, or do they just not want to take responsibility for their actions. Both are possible. Alcohol is not the only reason someone might do something and then have no memory of the occurrence. Consider the following examples.

Let’s say that the people in one of the classes I taught all became very close and the group decides they would like to have a celebration after the last session. We decide on a pizza party. We get out the phone book and look up the number. We are all old school, imagine the days before cell phone Apps. I read off the number and one of the students runs downstairs to make the call. In this building, there is almost no cell phone reception.

When they return I ask “Did you order soda?” They tell me they didn’t.  Well, we need something to drink with the pizza so go call and add some soda to the order. The students reply?

What was the number?

Why can’t they remember that number?

Now I just gave them the number why can’t they remember it?

Many things in life are held in short-term memory only as long as needed. Once the need for the information is gone the memory is discarded. You may remember what you ate for breakfast today but not many people could report what they had for breakfast all of the last 365 days. Even if they had the same thing every day they would not be able to tell me which day was better or worse.

Alcohol interrupts the transfer of information from current working memory to long-term memory. Since the memory could not be saved there is no memory remaining. Ever turn off a computer or close a file and then realize you hadn’t saved the work? Computers have programs to ask you if you want to save that, otherwise, we would lose a lot of work.

Cell phone designers had to include this factor in the design. They know that phone owners will want to call people back and that the human brain will not remember the number even if you just dialed it a minute ago. The phone holds the memory for you.

Blackouts are most likely to occur when the blood alcohol level rises rapidly. A few sips an hour, no blackout. Knock down the whole fifth in a couple of minutes and the rest of the night may be gone.

Blackouts are not the only reason alcohol and other drugs may alter memories.

State-dependent learning.

Consider this scenario. Someone goes to a cocktail party. During the night they talk with a lot of people, exchange some business cards, and generally have a good productive time networking. Only they also drink too much.

Next morning they find the business cards in their pocket, only they can’t remember who these people were or what they talked about. They weren’t drunk enough to have a blackout but they did talk to a lot of people. Why can’t they remember these people?

Later in the day, they go to lunch, say they have drinks with lunch, nothing huge, just one or two drinks. They go for something in their pocket and there are those pesky cards. And suddenly they remember who these people were and what they talked about.

This is called state-dependent learning.

Information is filed away in the brain but it is as if there are file cabinet drawers for memories that are only needed in certain situations. One file drawer is for things to remember while intoxicated. These memories are harder or impossible to find unless drunk.

Students who pull all-nighters to study for finals and use lots of chemicals to stay awake may have the same result. The brain puts those memories in a drawer labeled only needed when high on stimulants. Next day in class they forget everything they studied. The lack of sleep didn’t help either. Two weeks later over some espresso, they remember something they needed for the final.

This is also why some things just can’t be learned in a classroom. Swimming and diving are examples of this. All the classroom time in the world and suddenly when you are in the water everything changes. State-dependent learning can involve things other than alcohol or drugs. Internal states, like hunger and thirst, and external states like places and activates can affect your ability to remember things.

In addition to blackouts and state-dependent learning, there are several other ways in which alcohol and drugs may be affecting memory.

Poor physical and mental health impairs memory.

When you are depressed or overtired, things may not stick in your memory. Over time there can be physical and chemical changes in the brain. Alcoholic’s brains shrink. Some drugs kill or damage nerve cells. Aging and normal memory loss may also be accelerated by substance abuse.

Memory also has a situational component. I use multiple computers at multiple locations. They each have different passwords. When at one office I will remember the password for that office and automatically enter it. Most of these passwords have to be changed every month. Last month I thought why not use the same password I just entered at the other office this morning? I could not remember it. The next day back at the first office I entered that new password without a thought and then realized, I remember passwords by the surroundings.

Doorway effect on memory.

The “doorway effect” also is likely to be more pronounced when you abuse substances. Doorway effect is the phenomenon of moving through a doorway, going from my home office to the kitchen for some water, and when I get to the kitchen I can’t remember why I am there. This confusion and the available food may explain that mysterious weight gain. This is a normal occurrence for people who do not do drugs but my experience working in substance abuse programs suggests that substance abusers are more likely to find their memories erased by moving from one place to another.

There are some thoughts on blackouts, state-dependent learning, situational memory, and the doorway effect coupled with the effects of drugs and alcohol on memories.

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Seven David Joel Miller Books are available now!

My newest book is now available. It was my opportunity to try on a new genre. I’ve been working on this book for several years, but now seem like the right time to publish it.

Story Bureau.

Story Bureau is a thrilling Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic adventure in the Surviving the Apocalypse series.

Baldwin struggles to survive life in a post-apocalyptic world where the government controls everything.

As society collapses and his family gets plunged into poverty, Baldwin takes a job in the capital city, working for a government agency called the Story Bureau. He discovers the Story Bureau is not a benign news outlet but a sinister government plot to manipulate society.

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Dark Family Secrets: Doris wants to get her life back, but small-town prejudice could shatter her dreams.

Casino Robbery Arthur Mitchell escapes the trauma of watching his girlfriend die. But the killers know he’s a witness and want him dead.

Planned Accidents  The second Arthur Mitchell and Plutus mystery.

Letters from the Dead: The third in the Arthur Mitchell mystery series.

What would you do if you found a letter to a detective describing a crime and you knew the writer and detective were dead, and you could be next?

Sasquatch. Three things about us, you should know. One, we have seen the past. Two, we’re trapped there. Three, I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to our own time.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Author Page – David Joel Miller

Want the latest blog posts as they publish? Subscribe to this blog.

For videos, see: Counselorssoapbox YouTube Video Channel

What is double depression?

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5

By David Joel Miller, MS, Licensed Therapist & Licensed Counselor.

Depressed person

Depression.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Double Depression – Morning Question #12.

Double Depression is a common term, not a recognized mental health diagnosis. In Double Depression, someone who has Dysthymia, profound sadness, and depressed mood which does not quite meet the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder moves from a little sad and depressed to a lot sad and depressed. They develop a case of Major Depressive Disorder superimposed upon the Dysthymia. People with this condition may see the Major Depression respond to treatment but they are still generally sad. Continued treatment for the Dysthymia is recommended.

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Seven David Joel Miller Books are available now!

My newest book is now available. It was my opportunity to try on a new genre. I’ve been working on this book for several years, but now seem like the right time to publish it.

Story Bureau.

Story Bureau is a thrilling Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic adventure in the Surviving the Apocalypse series.

Baldwin struggles to survive life in a post-apocalyptic world where the government controls everything.

As society collapses and his family gets plunged into poverty, Baldwin takes a job in the capital city, working for a government agency called the Story Bureau. He discovers the Story Bureau is not a benign news outlet but a sinister government plot to manipulate society.

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Dark Family Secrets: Doris wants to get her life back, but small-town prejudice could shatter her dreams.

Casino Robbery Arthur Mitchell escapes the trauma of watching his girlfriend die. But the killers know he’s a witness and want him dead.

Planned Accidents  The second Arthur Mitchell and Plutus mystery.

Letters from the Dead: The third in the Arthur Mitchell mystery series.

What would you do if you found a letter to a detective describing a crime and you knew the writer and detective were dead, and you could be next?

Sasquatch. Three things about us, you should know. One, we have seen the past. Two, we’re trapped there. Three, I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to our own time.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Author Page – David Joel Miller

Want the latest blog posts as they publish? Subscribe to this blog.

For videos, see: Counselorssoapbox YouTube Video Channel

Degree but can’t find a job.

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3

By David Joel Miller, MS, Licensed Therapist & Licensed Counselor.

Filling out a job application

Job application.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

You got a degree but you still haven’t gotten a job.

Why did this happen and what can you do? Unfortunately, there are more and more people in this boat these days. When the economy turns down, lots of people return to school to get an advanced degree. Student loan debt is moving ever higher.

Just because you get that new degree does not mean you are going to get a job. In some majors, less than half of the people who received the degree ever found a job in their major field. One study found that ten years after graduation as many as 10% of graduates from a major prestigious college still had not found a job.

Many, but not all of the better-paying jobs available today require an advanced degree but there are plenty of college graduates who are unemployed. Why the mismatch?

Finding a job is a separate skill from what you learned in obtaining your degree.

Many college graduates became technically proficient in a narrow skill but they have little or no skills in interviewing. Lots of people want to work in a technical field because they are more comfortable around things than people.

Then when they look for work they find they don’t have the people skills to be able to work in a company. Career counseling can help with this issue. Go to groups and meet people, learn to network. Networking has two advantages, it helps you find job openings to apply for and it may improve your people skills so that you land a job after your interview.

There may be no jobs for your specialty in the area you are planning to live.

Until very recently California did not license professional counselors. Students majored in those areas because that was what they wanted to do. Then they discovered that to pursue this goal they would need to leave the state and move away from family, friends, and social networks. Some chose to go and some stayed and worked in fields unrelated to their degree.

Jobs that are only, sort of related to your major, may not pay what you had expected and you may not be able to maintain your skills if you work outside your degree area. It pays to think about possible job openings and do the research before you graduate. Sometimes even well into your college program, it is worthwhile changing your major or adding a minor in a related field.

Some people may be majoring in a field in which there are few jobs.

This is especially problematic in fields that people enter for emotional rather than monetary reasons. There are way more photography majors than paying jobs for photographers. Most photographers go into business for themselves only to find they should have majored in business, not photography if they want to make a living.  Technical schools and private colleges have been especially at fault here. They develop programs that sound appealing in the ads, but the number of students they are teaching far exceeds the available jobs.

What you learn to get a degree and what you do on the job may be very different.

Teaching is a good example of this. The course of study is about how to be a good and effective teacher. The reality is getting along with parents and administrators and trying to keep discipline in the classroom. Lots of teaching students complain that the reality is more like being a babysitter than an educator.  Before you commit years of study and tens of thousands of dollars to getting a degree consider learning more about what people with that degree actually do. Research working conditions, and job satisfaction. What you see people doing on T. V. is not what most people in that field do most of the time. Interviewing people who are actually working in that career is helpful. Many will be glad to share their experiences with someone who cares enough to ask. Especially ask them, “If you had it to do over would you do something else? Why?”

The narrower the specialty the faster the field changes.

The more specialized the field the more likely that you will need to stay in school or return often to stay current. The computer field has provided lots of examples of this. I know of someone who went to school to become a keypunch operator, computers used to need large trays of punch cards to tell them what to do. By the time this person graduated, the companies in their town were doing away with punch cards. Unless your school and instructor are cutting edge it is possible that even with a degree the firm that hires you will need to retrain you on their equipment and process. More on the retraining issue in the post about Cordwainers and Redsmiths.

Have a realistic expectation for salary; know what salary you should expect.

More than one person I have met has returned to school and gotten a new degree to make a career change only to find that they can’t afford to give up their present job and start over at the entry-level salary that the new field would offer. Do your research on salary and market conditions for a given field before you start and you will be more likely to be satisfied afterward. Monitor the job market while in school and be prepared to take some extra classes or adjust your program if the career field is changing. Salary should not be your only consideration. People who do things they love are happier, more productive, and often more successful than people who are unsatisfied with the job. But make sure you can afford to live on the salary you will get for a given job before you are locked in. Otherwise, you may have a degree in one field and work at something totally different.

The more advanced the degree, the higher the pay the longer it may take to find a job.

Especially if you are limited geographically or because of a narrow specialization. Many recent college graduates expect to find a new job right away. In this economy that rarely happens. Even in good times, it takes longer to find a job that requires and pays for a master’s degree than if you have a two-year or four-year degree. Finding a position if you have a Ph.D. will probably take even longer. The conclusion? A degree by itself will not be enough to get you that good-paying job. Do your research before, during, and after your college experience. Develop job search and interviewing skills in addition to your technical skills. Especially work on people skills, anywhere you go there will be people you need to work for and with. Develop other skills to allow you to use your skills, become better at communicating and expressing your thoughts. Have patience but continue looking and don’t give up.

Best wishes on finding that dream job.

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Seven David Joel Miller Books are available now!

My newest book is now available. It was my opportunity to try on a new genre. I’ve been working on this book for several years, but now seem like the right time to publish it.

Story Bureau.

Story Bureau is a thrilling Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic adventure in the Surviving the Apocalypse series.

Baldwin struggles to survive life in a post-apocalyptic world where the government controls everything.

As society collapses and his family gets plunged into poverty, Baldwin takes a job in the capital city, working for a government agency called the Story Bureau. He discovers the Story Bureau is not a benign news outlet but a sinister government plot to manipulate society.

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Dark Family Secrets: Doris wants to get her life back, but small-town prejudice could shatter her dreams.

Casino Robbery Arthur Mitchell escapes the trauma of watching his girlfriend die. But the killers know he’s a witness and want him dead.

Planned Accidents  The second Arthur Mitchell and Plutus mystery.

Letters from the Dead: The third in the Arthur Mitchell mystery series.

What would you do if you found a letter to a detective describing a crime and you knew the writer and detective were dead, and you could be next?

Sasquatch. Three things about us, you should know. One, we have seen the past. Two, we’re trapped there. Three, I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to our own time.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Author Page – David Joel Miller

Want the latest blog posts as they publish? Subscribe to this blog.

For videos, see: Counselorssoapbox YouTube Video Channel

Does an adjustment disorder produce depression and mania?

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By David Joel Miller MS Licensed Therapist & Licensed Counselor.

Depressed person

Depression.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Morning Question #11 adjustment disorder, depression, and mania.

Adjustment Disorder is essentially an excessive reaction to a normal stressor. The DSM-4 currently lists 6 types of adjustment disorders. They all involve some combination of anxiety, depressed mood, or behavioral problems.

Once the reaction to the stressor becomes enough to cause symptoms of a Major Depressive Disorder that is what gets diagnosed. If there is any mania or hypomania, that would become a Bipolar Disorder.

Stress can trigger all sorts of mental health issues. Someone with a history of depression or mania or an underlying risk factor like family history could have an episode under stress.

So rather than adjustment disorder producing depression & mania, stress could cause any one of the three.

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Seven David Joel Miller Books are available now!

My newest book is now available. It was my opportunity to try on a new genre. I’ve been working on this book for several years, but now seem like the right time to publish it.

Story Bureau.

Story Bureau is a thrilling Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic adventure in the Surviving the Apocalypse series.

Baldwin struggles to survive life in a post-apocalyptic world where the government controls everything.

As society collapses and his family gets plunged into poverty, Baldwin takes a job in the capital city, working for a government agency called the Story Bureau. He discovers the Story Bureau is not a benign news outlet but a sinister government plot to manipulate society.

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Dark Family Secrets: Doris wants to get her life back, but small-town prejudice could shatter her dreams.

Casino Robbery Arthur Mitchell escapes the trauma of watching his girlfriend die. But the killers know he’s a witness and want him dead.

Planned Accidents  The second Arthur Mitchell and Plutus mystery.

Letters from the Dead: The third in the Arthur Mitchell mystery series.

What would you do if you found a letter to a detective describing a crime and you knew the writer and detective were dead, and you could be next?

Sasquatch. Three things about us, you should know. One, we have seen the past. Two, we’re trapped there. Three, I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to our own time.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Author Page – David Joel Miller

Want the latest blog posts as they publish? Subscribe to this blog.

For videos, see: Counselorssoapbox YouTube Video Channel

What is Mania?

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By David Joel Miller, MS, Licensed Therapist & Licensed Counselor.

Person with masks

Bipolar.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

How is mania related to Manic Depressive Disorder?

Manic Episode or mania, as it is commonly known, is a mood episode, not a diagnosis. Mood episodes are used to decide which Mood Disorder a person has. For all practical purposes mania and its milder cousin hypomania are only associated with one of the forms of Bipolar Disorder.

Having an episode of mania or hypomania is the defining symptom that distinguishes Bipolar Disorders from Depressive Disorders. The connection is so strong that for a long time what we now know as Bipolar Disorder was known as Manic-Depressive Disorder. Changing the name has confused a lot of people. I still see clients who say they have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Manic Depressive Disorder. Sometimes they also tell me they have Depression.

Once you have Mania or Hypomania we forget the Major Depressive Disorder diagnosis and use the Bipolar label only.

A Manic Episode is marked by a period of time of at least a week, or less if you get so bad you end up in the hospital before the week is out, where you have a really high, expansive, or elevated mood. This is not just a little happy or full of energy but a way “off the hook” period of time. Mania is not a good time. A little may feel like fun in the beginning. People with Bipolar Disorder may like a little mania but full-fledged mania is frightening.

Typically people who are manic have grand schemes to do things. These ideas make sense to them but they sound impossible to most other people. This is not the person who thinks they can sail around the world or invent an internet program. There have always been visionaries who plan to do great things and don’t get appreciated. These are people who try to run for president, cure cancer, and beat the house in Vegas – all in one week.

They have a decreased need for sleep, sometimes getting by on three hours of sleep a night and they try to do everything until they crash. This looks like a person on Methamphetamine but they don’t need drugs to be like this. Most people who get only a few hours of sleep may be able to function, but they will be tired and drag all day until they can sleep again. The person with mania can go days on little or no sleep and they feel fine. But the longer they are manic the crazier they act and sound.

Fully manic people talk a lot, pressured speech, the sort that erupts rather than is said. This is not a normal conversation. They know what they are talking about by not many other people can follow them. Because their mind is racing they become angry and irritable when other people cannot keep up.

In full on mania they become very goal-oriented, taking on lots of projects, rushing to do many things, but not always finishing anything. They have difficulty staying on one project, jump from task to task, and sometimes get stuck on something that to others looks meaningless or insignificant.

Since they know what they have in mind they think of themselves as brilliant and important, they become full of self-importance until the manic episode ends at which point they may become depressed and regret all they have done or said. This differs from narcissism in that the episodes of grandiosity go away leaving them ashamed or embarrassed.

A common characteristic of a manic episode is getting over-involved in things that are pleasurable. They may gamble, do drugs, or drink to excess. There is a huge overlap between alcoholism and manic or hypomanic episodes. During manic episodes, they may have excessive, unsatisfiable urges for sex and engage in sex with partners they don’t know.

Someone who is experiencing a manic episode may become so impaired that they have hallucinations. These hallucinations will go away when the mania ends, unlike psychotic hallucinations that are more long-term. It is also possible to have a “mixed episode” where the person is both manic and depressed at the same time.

If someone has these kinds of symptoms we reserve judgment as long as they are able to work, have friends, and are not upset about the episode. If it starts to affect functioning then the diagnosis is given. If someone is doing drugs or has a medical problem that is causing these symptoms then we don’t think that is mania and recommend they stop the drugs or get the medical problem treated.

If you have ever had a Manic Episode I would recommend you talk with a doctor, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional. Treated early you still can have a productive life. The longer you wait to go for treatment the more the risks that while manic you will do something you can’t take back and the mania will likely get worse each time you have an episode.

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Seven David Joel Miller Books are available now!

My newest book is now available. It was my opportunity to try on a new genre. I’ve been working on this book for several years, but now seem like the right time to publish it.

Story Bureau.

Story Bureau is a thrilling Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic adventure in the Surviving the Apocalypse series.

Baldwin struggles to survive life in a post-apocalyptic world where the government controls everything.

As society collapses and his family gets plunged into poverty, Baldwin takes a job in the capital city, working for a government agency called the Story Bureau. He discovers the Story Bureau is not a benign news outlet but a sinister government plot to manipulate society.

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Dark Family Secrets: Doris wants to get her life back, but small-town prejudice could shatter her dreams.

Casino Robbery Arthur Mitchell escapes the trauma of watching his girlfriend die. But the killers know he’s a witness and want him dead.

Planned Accidents  The second Arthur Mitchell and Plutus mystery.

Letters from the Dead: The third in the Arthur Mitchell mystery series.

What would you do if you found a letter to a detective describing a crime and you knew the writer and detective were dead, and you could be next?

Sasquatch. Three things about us, you should know. One, we have seen the past. Two, we’re trapped there. Three, I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to our own time.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Author Page – David Joel Miller

Want the latest blog posts as they publish? Subscribe to this blog.

For videos, see: Counselorssoapbox YouTube Video Channel

Do therapists have to report a crime?

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By David Joel Miller.

Do therapists have to report a crime?
Picture courtesy of pixabay

Do counselors report crimes? Morning Question #10

The general answer is NO! The more you can talk to a therapist about the more likely you will be helped to change your behavior. Therapists have a legal and ethical duty to NOT repeat what you say. Any exceptions to that rule are determined by law. See my posts on “How Much Should You Tell a Therapist?” or “Why pay a therapist when you can just talk to a friend?”

So could a government somewhere make a law that the therapist had to report a crime? Sure could.

There are laws in many places that protect patient and psychotherapists communication, very similar to doctor and patient privilege. The relationship between a patient and a psychotherapist is held to be special, like that between a person and a religious priest.

The principle exceptions to not having to report crimes are, abuse of children, the elderly, and the disabled, (see – Does abuse of seniors and the elderly get reported?), and if you are suicidal or plan to kill someone else. Also if you are being investigated by homeland security we may have to report. As long as homeland security confines their investigations to known terrorists I am OK with this, as it falls under that duty to protect other intended victims. Some therapists have worried that this could be interpreted as needing information of a particular religion or political party and we would mostly be opposed to that sort of reporting.

Short answer: past crimes usually do not get reported, future and ongoing crimes like abuse or a plan to kill probably will be reported.

See also – How much should you tell a therapist?

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Seven David Joel Miller Books are available now!

My newest book is now available. It was my opportunity to try on a new genre. I’ve been working on this book for several years, but now seem like the right time to publish it.

Story Bureau.

Story Bureau is a thrilling Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic adventure in the Surviving the Apocalypse series.

Baldwin struggles to survive life in a post-apocalyptic world where the government controls everything.

As society collapses and his family gets plunged into poverty, Baldwin takes a job in the capital city, working for a government agency called the Story Bureau. He discovers the Story Bureau is not a benign news outlet but a sinister government plot to manipulate society.

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Dark Family Secrets: Doris wants to get her life back, but small-town prejudice could shatter her dreams.

Casino Robbery Arthur Mitchell escapes the trauma of watching his girlfriend die. But the killers know he’s a witness and want him dead.

Planned Accidents  The second Arthur Mitchell and Plutus mystery.

Letters from the Dead: The third in the Arthur Mitchell mystery series.

What would you do if you found a letter to a detective describing a crime and you knew the writer and detective were dead, and you could be next?

Sasquatch. Three things about us, you should know. One, we have seen the past. Two, we’re trapped there. Three, I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to our own time.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Author Page – David Joel Miller

Want the latest blog posts as they publish? Subscribe to this blog.

For videos, see: Counselorssoapbox YouTube Video Channel

Treatments for Depression and Dysthymia

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By David Joel Miller, MS, Licensed Therapist & Licensed Counselor.

Depression.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

What are the available treatments for Depression?

So you have symptoms of depression. Is it Major Depressive Disorder, Dysthymia, or an adjustment disorder? First, I recommend you see a professional and make sure you have the problem you think you have. Remember this is a general description of the treatments available; I can’t diagnose or treat you over the internet. If you need treatment this is not a do it yourself project, see a professional.

The first stop should probably be a medical doctor – Primary Care Physicians.

Some mental illnesses look like psychical problems and vice versa. Most people who commit suicide have been to see a primary care doctor in the 30 days before they attempt. When you feel bad it is natural to think there is something medically wrong with you. Most people are surprised to find out they are depressed or have Dysthymia.

Many doctors will spot Major Depression; sometimes they identify other mental illnesses. They can be especially helpful in ruling out things like brain tumors or heart problems. If you do have a medical illness, treating that issue will often reduce or eliminate the problem, but not always. You could have a physical issue and a mental illness.

More than half of all the psychiatric medication prescribed is prescribed by primary care doctors. If you get a prescription for antidepressants and you didn’t really need them, most of the articles I have read say taking them won’t hurt you. It just may not help. But if you do have serious depression the meds alone are rarely enough. If you don’t change your circumstances or your thinking, eventually the meds may stop working. The medication will help you work on your problems; the meds won’t solve problems for you.

We hope doctors take seriously the presentations and if after checking the person out they decide this is more likely a psychiatric problem than a physical one, they may try you on an anti-depressant. If that does not help, most likely they will make a referral for you to see another professional.

In my experience medication is absolutely essential for someone with psychosis. It is highly recommended for anyone with Bipolar Disorder. People with Major Depression respond well to medication but need therapy or the meds stop being helpful after a while. The research seems to tell us that meds are not all that helpful for Dysthymia.

The primary care doctor may refer you to see a psychiatrist.

Psychiatrists specialize in treating mental illnesses. They have lots of knowledge about psychiatric medication; they know which meds could make a physical problem you have, like high blood pressure, worse. They also know about new medications and can prescribe medication a primary doctor would not want to prescribe. For psychosis or Bipolar Disorder, a psychiatrist is highly recommended.

A psychiatrist will probably not be enough. They are trained to prescribe medication. Few if any will have the time or the inclination to spend more than a few minutes with you. Ten or fifteen-minute med check appointments are the rule. If you need someone to help you deal with your problems day-to-day, the psychiatrist will probably refer you to a counselor or therapist.

What treatments will a counselor use that the doctor didn’t?

In a previous post, I wrote about the differences between Therapists, Counselors, and Social workers. What is important to you, if you have depression, is finding someone, preferably knowledgeable and licensed, who knows how to help you with your problem.  The therapist will probably use one of the theoretical approaches below.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT.)

This is my preferred method for treating Depression and a lot of other things. Not all therapists use this but there is a whole lot of research data to recommend this approach.

CBT is based on the idea that a change in thinking can change your feelings; a change in feelings will change your behavior. This works in reverse also, so if you begin to make small changes in your behavior, your feelings will start to change, and eventually, your thinking will change. A change in thinking will result in a change in the neurochemicals in your brain.

In CBT the therapist helps you see your problems from different viewpoints, helps you perform experiments or do homework and in effect, they coach you through becoming able to change yourself. This is sometimes called getting a “new pair of glasses” or simply cleaning the glasses you have.

If you are looking out at the world through dirty glasses, then, of course, the world will look dirty and gray.

Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a close cousin to CBT.

DBT adds skills training to the CBT. It can include mindfulness techniques, meditation, relaxation, or any other calming skill. Other skills can be included as needed. My understanding of this approach is sometimes we get so caught up in the problem or the crisis of the day that we forget to work on learning the skills to have a better life. DBT combines the change-your-thinking part with the learn-a-new-skill part.

DBT is especially helpful if you have multiple problems, several mental illnesses, or a personality disorder on top of your depression.

Narrative Therapy can help you think about things differently.

Most of us have a “story” we tell ourselves about who we are. If you keep telling yourself you are a failure, you will become one. Some of us bought into negative “stories” about ourselves as children and we keep retelling these. A narrative therapist helps you write a new story and tell it. If you tell your new story enough, parts of it start coming true.

Psychodynamic or “Client-Centered” therapy.

I hear the most complaints about these approaches. This is the therapist who lets you talk and says nothing much in return. I recognize some people have a lot of stuff they need to tell about childhood and that sometimes just talking it out is helpful, but it frustrates me and a lot of clients to have to be in pain that long.

This is most likely to be helpful if you have lots of unfinished business from childhood. Victims of abuse or molestation may need to move more slowly and take more time to get things out.

Groups can be very helpful.

Groups are like “way powerful” when it comes to recovering from depression. Groups run by a profession are at the top of the list, but self-help groups can be very helpful also. In person, groups are the best, but online groups are useful also. Groups are hard to find sometimes but worth the search.

“Alternative recovery methods”

Hobbies, religious groups, gyms exercise programs all have their place. Having a good support group or finding a support group is also important. Some people say nutrition was helpful.

Fad treatments worry me. The nutritional supplement or spiritual retreat of the week helps some people, but mostly they end up back at the doctor or the counselor’s office in a few weeks when the weekend collides with the real work week.

Electro Convulsive or Shock Therapy (ECT)

I am not a fan of Electroshock therapy as it has large risks. It is called Convulsive for a reason.

It has helped some people who had found no other help, but the risks are high enough that I suggest you try all the other options first. This is used ONLY with extremely severe Major Depressive Disorder. It is not recommended for Dysthymia, Adjustment Disorder, or milder depressions.

Some clinicians, me included, wonder if ECT should ever be used.

There are some thoughts on possible treatments for depression and Dysthymia, questions as always, are welcome.

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Seven David Joel Miller Books are available now!

My newest book is now available. It was my opportunity to try on a new genre. I’ve been working on this book for several years, but now seem like the right time to publish it.

Story Bureau.

Story Bureau is a thrilling Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic adventure in the Surviving the Apocalypse series.

Baldwin struggles to survive life in a post-apocalyptic world where the government controls everything.

As society collapses and his family gets plunged into poverty, Baldwin takes a job in the capital city, working for a government agency called the Story Bureau. He discovers the Story Bureau is not a benign news outlet but a sinister government plot to manipulate society.

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Dark Family Secrets: Doris wants to get her life back, but small-town prejudice could shatter her dreams.

Casino Robbery Arthur Mitchell escapes the trauma of watching his girlfriend die. But the killers know he’s a witness and want him dead.

Planned Accidents  The second Arthur Mitchell and Plutus mystery.

Letters from the Dead: The third in the Arthur Mitchell mystery series.

What would you do if you found a letter to a detective describing a crime and you knew the writer and detective were dead, and you could be next?

Sasquatch. Three things about us, you should know. One, we have seen the past. Two, we’re trapped there. Three, I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to our own time.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Author Page – David Joel Miller

Want the latest blog posts as they publish? Subscribe to this blog.

For videos, see: Counselorssoapbox YouTube Video Channel