We all have one in our life. They come to us, over and over again, with a particular problem or quandary. Yet they don't seem to want to address the problem. Trying to be helpful, we offer suggestions or ideas, each of which is shot down. The process repeats itself again and again, you feeling more frustrated each time.
Surely there must be a better way.
posted by mintchip
on Feb 4, 2013 -
22 answers
Tell me about situations where you've reluctantly cut off contact with a close friend, family member, or confidant -- especially those in which the relationship was good to you but you felt that letting go was the best move for *their* sake.
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posted by renovatio1
on May 27, 2012 -
9 answers
What are some decent-paying jobs for someone who has B.A. degrees in English and in Psychology, and a lot of unofficial and very specialized technical knowledge but no "official" (i.e. paid) experience with such?
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posted by Lakmir
on Nov 20, 2009 -
11 answers
Meta-Meta-RelationshipFilter: Have there been any scientific trials to study the efficacy of talk therapy that involved a placebo as control?
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posted by XMLicious
on Apr 20, 2009 -
21 answers
Help! I am suffering from anxiety and cognitive dissonance on the economy and my current situation.
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posted by bad grammar
on Jan 8, 2009 -
20 answers
Trying to find ways to chill out. I need something that can occupy my mind and entertain me during the evening without putting me in a trance or putting me to sleep. I can't relate to characters on TV or novels, so all I read is non-fiction. With music, it either puts me in a trance or I get bored. I've tried meditation but it just makes me go to sleep. Basically, if I'm not actively engaged with learning something new, being creative, or solving a task, my mind shuts down and I get bored or zone out. Other people tell me, oh that's good that you don't watch TV or anything, but you know, I'm just sick of being so intense. I'm 20, male. Any suggestions, fokes?
posted by Laugh_track
on Oct 9, 2006 -
35 answers
When I'm doing something really mentally taxing, like working on a difficult programming task or doing a really really tough crossword puzzle, I sometimes reach mental overload. I'm sure most of you have this. It makes me sleepy and sometimes a bit dizzy, and if I try to work more, I comprehend less and less. At this point, I generally need to do something else for a while. If I come back to the taxing work the next day, everything is fine. Probably, I can come back to it on the same day, an hour or so later. I CAN'T come back to it five minutes later. I'm interested in tactics that let me return to the mental workout as-soon-as possible. When I quit working, what sort of activity should I do to recharge? How long should I do it? Is there anything I should ingest? Is it better to quit before absolute mental burnout occurs? Are there any studies about this?
posted by grumblebee
on Jul 17, 2004 -
11 answers
