TRT

 

What to Know About the New Obsession With Testosterone as a Lifestyle Drug" was found in the May 24, 2026 edition of The New York Times.  The article highlighted how testosterone went from a heavily regulated medical treatment to a lifestyle drug for millions of men seeking to compensate for their feelings of inferiority and insecurity regarding their irrational understanding of  masculinity.

Testosterone is a male sex hormone also found in  females.  This male sex hormone is produced in the testicles and secreted by the testes.  Major aspects of testosterone include: 1.  Promotes libido aggressiveness and sexual desire.  2 .Stimulates the growth of certain organs.  3 .Promotes protein anabolism. 4 .Stimulates sperm production.  5.  Nourishes all tissues of the male urinary and reproductive systems.  6.  Regulates the production of prostaglandin, which seems to keep prostate growth under control.

Levels of testosterone gradually drop in men over time .However,it's estimated that testosterone levels in 20% of men after age 50 will drop to abnormally low levels and these hormonal changes result in impotency and/or libido problems.  It's also known that testosterone production is affected by a number of external factors such as illness, medications, psychological states, obesity, smoking and excessive alcohol intake. Also, factors such as reduced activity, nutritional deficiency, diabetes, growth hormone deficiency can also contribute to lower levels of testosterone .

Men diagnosed with hypogonadism, a loss of sex drive/inability to maintain an erection; fatigue; irritability; depressed mood; aches and pains in the joints; dry skin; osteoporosis; loss of weight; absent or regression of secondary sexual characteristics  have received  appropriate medical TRT treatment.  Further  TRT  studies of men  with  a hypogonadism diagnosis aged 55 and older have reported better sexual performance , initiation of sexual intercourse and increased ability to maintain an erection.

In the article, Kennedy Jr.called the declining world wide levels of testosterone over decades an existential  threat to humanity.  With that being said , Trump , Oz,Hegseth,Cristine and others are  behind TRT(testosterone replacement therapy).  Also on board are other Trump media faithfulls .

In fact, it's even promoted as an antiaging treatment by some. Additionally, there are many young men ,without a hypogonadism condition , purchasing the steroid hormone from doctors online, clinics and even unregulated underground labs. These individuals  continue to use this  drug, irrespective of the  health risks.  Some complain that they can't get the drug from their doctors so they find other sources.  And these younger individuals are pursuing this  drug to compensate for their incompleteness  by employing  defense mechanisms to justify their actions.

Drugs and sports go hand in hand and are hardly an issue for professional athletes and bodybuilders.  Barry Bonds, José Canseco, Lance Armstrong, Roger Clemens,Mark McGwire, Sammy Sousa  etc. are just a few  and are no strangers to drug use.  Bill Pearl, Mr. America, Mr. California ,a bodybuilder, decided to enter the 1961 Mr. Universe contest.  “ By then steroids were out of the experimental stage and well known to most competitive bodybuilders.  They were no longer an underground item.  I remembered the fast progress I'd made using them and decided to do so again.  Looking back, I think they were a crutch.  I didn't really need it, but at the time it seemed easier to take them-so I did.  I won the contest, but something inside me wasn't happy with steroid use.  So I quit them again, this time for good."

The following are health risks with some potential side effects from TRT : 1.  Fluid retention, leading to swelling in legs or ankles.  2.   Possible mood swings or increased aggression.  3.  Risk of enlarged breasts in some men. 4. Possible development of sleep apnea leading to disrupted sleep patterns like excessive daytime sleepiness.  5.  Increased risk of cardiovascular issues such as a heart attack or stroke.  6.  Changes in libido, which may increase or decrease. 7.  Changes in cholesterol levels potentially affect heart health.  Unfortunately, much of the research  data that exists on TRT is for older men diagnosed with testosterone deficiency.  The TRT side effects for young men without testosterone deficiency is not clear  Yet online.everyone is saying that testosterone is the solution to all of your problems.

If you believe that this is a miracle drug, and will fix your "masculinity “ consider the following from the Mayo Clinic .  With older healthy men, there is little evidence to support the use of testosterone in otherwise healthy men. From the American College of Physicians ,testosterone therapy might improve sexual function somewhat in some men, with little evidence that it will improve other functions such as vitality and energy. 

Is testosterone replacement therapy  the ultimate antiaging formula?  Only , if you believe online testimonials , GOP  characters and their podcasts. Reality, the health benefits   of testosterone replacement therapy for age-related decline is not clear.

In conclusion, it's known that an individual's lifestyle, including the physical, emotional, and sexual factors affect testosterone levels.  Diet , physical and mental exercise , and lovely Linda have worked well for me . I have never used “drugs “,with the exception of Marijuana ,nor have ever taken Testosterone supplements in my lifetime.  And today, at Ironworks Fitness, I began by performing numerous chins; followed by bench pressing the 200 pound maximum on that  machine; doing another (my variation)  biceps/ triceps exercise with 200 pound maximum, on a different machine; doing a shoulder shrug on another machine with a 300 pound maximum in each hand and working out with other machines, barbells and dumbbells. After that workout, I went to the treadmill and varied the speed over 10 minutes and then finished my workout with more chins. That’s my magic pill .

PS

Are our fickle leaders health symptoms of fluid retention-swelling in  ankles, increased aggression; sleep apnea leading to disturbed sleep patterns like excessive daytime sleepiness and numerous tweets in the early hours of the morning, enlarged breasts and increased risk of cardiovascular issues associated with TRT?

Reference

Klatz,Dr. Ronald and Goldman, Dr. Robert.  Stopping The Clock

Pearl, Bill and Moran, PhD and Gary T.  Getting Stronger.

Parenthood

 

An article titled  "Why Are More and More People Passing Up Parenthood?"  was found in the May 10, 2026 edition of The New York Times.  This article pertains to the decrease in children presented primarily with economic and sociological factors.  My response is as follows.

In this article it was pointed out that 1.  Birth increases when economics are on the upswing and with high levels of equality in the home and in society.  2.  Worry about sending a future child to school with unvaccinated classmates 3.  Affordability 4.  Future uncertainty -life expectancy, AI ,immigration, global trade and climate change 5.  American women with less education have more children.  6.  Current and future employment. concerns  7.  Marked decline in marriage 8.  Increased social isolation 9.  Median age of first-time homebuyers-40 10.  In  South Korea-a construction company offered its employees roughly twice South Korea's annual per capita income,to  women who had a baby.  Last year the company reported 36 births and an increase of about 60% compared to the average before the program began

According to the article, there is a focus on economic uncertainty in the present and future affecting today's couples.  Uncertainty suggests anxiety and insecurity and is likely masking underlying issues regarding  parenting  .  1.  Have they considered or have they had individual , marital therapy or a medical consultation ?  The issues were?

2.  What  ego needs are being met and which are not?

3.  Are there  health issues?

4.  What would be the advantages and/or disadvantages of having a child? How important is having an offspring?

5.  How did they spend their time away from work?

6.  What did they like about being a child?

7.  What type of additional support do they expect after the birth of the child?

8.Use of TRT. Testosterone  Replacement Therapy is associated with low sperm count.

These questions are starting points in evaluating the issue of parenting for these couples .

Low birth factors  in our culture, aside from 24% of males experiencing ED,  pertaining to declining birth rate  include a masculine dominance created by men associated with morality,  religion, capitalism and science suggesting female inferiority.  It took how long for women to be able to vote in this country ?  The male masculinity stereotype is that man is the king of the castle, earns more, is more aggressive, withholds  emotions and females are passive, inhibit aggression, inhibit display of sexual urges, less competent, less independent, less objective and less logical.

Another factor of low birth rate from a psychodynamic point of view, suggests female penis envy in which  the clitoris is conceived of as a phallus. Within  Oedipal complex dynamics , a female with penis envy gives rise to the desire for a child  which then forms the basis for a love bond with father and subsequently a femininity orientation .With this attachment to the father results in the existence of a desire for penis and a desire for a child. However, with  the occurrence of a negative attachment to the father, a femininity orientation is  rejected. This psychological dynamic becomes associated with an unconscious wish , a desire to be a "man"  in orientation with its advantages .

 From this penis envy role of inferiority, the female has to master this desire to be a man throughout life and deal with men.Simply put, is motherhood going to be a handicap and significantly interfere with professional goals and achievement ?

Further, some "masculine" oriented women have an attitude of hostility towards men.  Sometimes it takes the form of depreciation and/or castrating them in the process.  Essentially, these women have dismissed father as a sexual object and simultaneously recoil from the feminine role altogether.

Other factors interfering with having children are the fear of pain,and/or  injury with  penis penetration ; frigidity, along with the dread of childbirth.  And , the anxiety related to this fictitious male role allows the woman to escape from the feminine role, even though burdened by guilt and anxiety.

On the other hand traditionally feminine oriented limited education females have adapted themselves to the wishes of men as exemplified by the religious right which promotes a stay at home mom with many children .along with help from the Supreme Court ‘s Roe vs Wade decision .

 Erikson's seventh psychosocial stage is characterized as Generativity vs Stagnation presents another factor to consider .  Erikson presents the following: 1.  Mutuality of orgasm.  2.  With a loved partner 3.  Of the other sex.  4.  With whom one is able and willing to share mutual trust.  5.  And with whom one is able and willing to regulate the cycles of a.  Work b.  Procreation c. Recreation 6 So as to secure to the offspring, too, all the stages of a satisfactory development.

Psychologically , the crisis is about  establishing and guiding the next generation to their own or to another's offspring coupled  with the  attitude of the belief in the species along with making the child a welcoming trust of the community- progeny?

 Progeny , is not  effectively valued in our society There's an absence of effective gun legislation; gutting of the Department of Education; inadequate funding for the schools; inadequate teacher salaries; insufficient staff , nurses, school psychologists, master teachers; lack of school safety; book banning, and the rewriting of US history

 Parents, for their own narcissistic needs, are too involved in their children's sports, arts and school social activities with their overprotection, smothering and controlling patterns not allowing for autonomy, separation and independence.  They've spoiled their children with harmful technology and monetary bribes.

 On the other hand, there's child abuse,  neglect, and dead beat dads with  their child support. Further, there are numerous reasons for parents not to have children.  For example, an article titled "The Anxiety of Influencers" found in the May 24 2026 edition of The New York Times described how parents are monetizing their children by posting content of their kids wearing various brands, skimpy clothing,  exposing intimate details about their children on Instagram, YouTube, Tik Tok and even selling photos of the young children to men.  Apparently this is a multibillion-dollar influencer industry and about parental exploitation.

Should All females become mothers?  Not if that mother is unable to provide unconditional affirmation for her child's life and its needs.  This means and relates to her ability to care and be responsible for her child's life and growth.  For instance, can the mother instill a positive attitude  for the  love of life and it's good to be alive in the child ?  Turning to the Bible, the Promised Land  symbolizes the mother, with Milk and Honey . Milk symbolizes the first aspect of love and Honey symbolizes the sweetness of life.

In order for the mother to give "honey," that female must be good and happy. She has to be able  to transmit an attitude of being unselfish and altruistic. It's  emotionally easier for the mother to love her small infant, but the crisis is being able to love her growing child. The child must be able to grow and emotionally separate  in order to become a complete human being.  Can the mother still love her child as a separate human being?

The government  plays their part also with inadequacy in school lunch programs; health insurance; daycare and other  after school programs; maternity time off : attacking vaccinations and not assisting with  limiting cost of college and the inordinate amount of school debt. And,there are few employment opportunities for recent  college graduates .

 

In conclusion, there are a number of psychological, sociological, economic, political components affecting whether or not couples should have offspring in our capitalistic society.  Once our K-12 model of education was superior.  Not so today.  Yes, the anxiety of uncertainty without control is not new.  But  our capitalistic society, with discrimination has unfairly affected the majority as far as income inequality ,health insurance , education and  other safety net programs are concerned. Our health industry is too expensive, and our current political power structure is dreadful and shameful.  It's not surprising that there's  isolation ,less sex ,relationship issues and a decreasing health and birth rate in our country with its  negative attitude,values and policies regarding children. And, importantly, not all couples are psychologically or morally equipped to become parents. Bring back Roe vs. Wade and remove Alioto from the Supreme Court for starters .

Reference

Erikson, Erik H.  Childhood and Society.

Horney, Karen  Feminine Psychology

Life and Death

 

For centuries charlatans have proselytized "longevity" while being in an unfriendly world.Despite the irrationality, the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon was remembered for his futile "Fountain of Youth" pursuit . More recently, functional medicine , theories of aging  and even hucksters are pursuing better aging by promoting their various wares and their secrets. And today,  it’s not surprising that AI billionaires are in the transformation. 

A pertinent article titled "The Quest To Reverse Aging" was found in the May 10,2026 edition of the New York Times.  In this article, the focus, in part, was on a number of longevity experiments that included a rejuvenation of  cells in mice which  prolonged life in the laboratory and a search for cures like cancer. 

Existentially, we are a mere isolated speck in the universe . Psychologically ,that paradox is anxiety  related as  individuals are on a quest in  desiring  not only to make one's life matter  but also to find a meaning for one’s life.  That outcome  often results in becoming good at something and /or a  merging of self with another-something greater and a denial of mortality . 

Additionally, a  merging of self with another is related to man's separateness which arouses terror-anxiety.  In fact, the deepest need for man is to overcome his separateness ,his aloneness and isolation .Man has been very “ creative” in attempting to overcome  separateness, transcending his own individual life, finding meaning and denying death .  

Many years ago,  man’s anxiety from isolation was “lessened” with  religion . He   merged , spiritually, with a belief in God, to overcome  the anxiety related to his  separateness .And it did not matter if he was a slave, poor, evil, a tyrant, a criminal, ruthless, or even sadomasochistic . Because , with purgatory ,salvation, repentance and faith in Jesus Christ he could become  loved eternally in heaven.

Briefly, a few other ways of overcoming and/or escaping from the anxiety associated with separateness relates to induced trance, sexual orgasms, drugs, alcohol , sports, political , government  and group associations. Many of these avenues are  not only short lived  and they do not “fix”the existential crisis of finding meaning,alleviating anxiety, or solving the reality of aging or death.

With capitalism and its technology , modern man has  pursued power, possession,  status, and now AI as its new God  to solve his existential existence .

About 6,ooo years ago ,man turned to one God to deal with the terror of living and was able to transcend it by becoming ,identifying and becoming dependent on that supreme being.But, over time, man has fulfilled that dependency, separation anxiety need by being with another, thus replacing God.  A romantic love object became the desire, the ideal to fulfill one's life and  to meet all one's needs within  his existential state.

The love object has been deified in poetry, music, novels , art and movies and can be characterized by a hunger for the experience or a serious emotional yearning for such.  For instance love song lyrics strive as being of divine perfection, being wonderful, sexual objects, devotion, ecstasy, all encompassing resulting in transcendence, a merging with another .  A Hindu song provides an example "my lover is like God, if he accepts me ,my existence is.utilized.  "Love" , a dependency ,is  based on separation anxiety, and the  illusion that it results as a solution for man's  existence .

Although romantic love in marriage and unions have terrible statistics, the behaviors  still exist.  Man can and does not find a solution for his existence in love , marriage  and unions because of some of the following interpersonal characteristics found in these  relationships.  Briefly: 1.  A husband or wife is often the  replacement or rebellion against  one's parents  2.  There's a discrepancy between unconscious and conscious sexual desires and gratification-fulfillment of desires 3. There’s variations in coitus along with frigidity or impotence.  4.  Expectations and degree of love felt are likely overestimates and illusions 5.  Too many personal and professional sacrifices result in affecting one's independence  or becoming a slave. This compromise results in disillusionment ,buried hostility ,distrust ,disappointments  that interfere with monogamy 6.  Others become objects of love as one seeks new love objects when sex becomes tiresome and boring  7. The offspring gets more warmth, care ,empathy and tenderness 8.  Dread of not being able to satisfy is biologically the male as he must prove himself again and again-masculinity 9.  Imperfections don't change over time and become more visible .And, one cannot possibly fulfill all the other's needs.  10.  The ability to support ,lifelong companionship , fidelity and sexual cooperation becomes a tremendous burden placed on those two individuals.

Essentially, no human being can be godlike and everything to another.  Looking for that "perfect human object", looking for someone who will allow us to express our will completely without any frustration is unrealistic.  The object reflects the ideal image of ourselves and no human being can accomplish this.  Everyone has wills ,counter wills, moves against and with actions that offend .Everyone has imperfections and these shortcomings become major threats.

Importantly, fear, hate and  greed are primitive emotions associated with humans. However, being human is man's ability to develop his powers of reason and love. Is AI going to further the ability of man in  becoming more human and solve his problem of existence ?  Should we become disobedient to the propaganda of the  ruling class of AI billionaires like Musk, Huang, Wang ,Altman and others?  Disobedience is saying "no" to these powerful men while utilizing our intellectual capacity. as their passion is clear.

Years ago Adler hypothesized that it was empathy, concern for society and human welfare that directed behavior . However,these narcissists are characterized by  fear,hate and their insatiable greed. Their actions and their monetary accumulation depicts their primitive emotions and devotion to idol worship.  Their insatiable greed cannot ever be fulfilled.

 AI is going to replace many humans in the workplace.  However, AI cannot replace human innovation,  creativity , curiosity and imagination, nor can it provide meaningful mutual interactions with  actual emotional empathy, caring, respect or mutual organisms.

Larry Ellison "I don't want to die; I don't have to die."  Are you going to be ruled ,subjugated and dominated by these,   42%will eventually develop dementia  over age 55 and technology has no answer. How many of these billionaires are going to become dementia free? Add Ai to the threat of global warming, and nuclear war. How much time  is left on the  Doomsday Clock?

Man has developed many actions in dealing with the anxiety from his aloneness.  Some strategies work better than others but some have very bad consequences.  Further, the reality of our mortality  is clear as we all are going to pass.  It makes sense to use our intellectual capacity of reason, an understanding of our primitive emotions, and employing humanistic ethics while navigating our short time in this galaxy.

PS

The best  choices for optimum  health have to do with vigorous exercise , a nutritional diet, affiliation, intellectual  and work productivity while living in reality.

Reference

Becker, Ernest. The Denial of Death .

Horney,Karen. Feminine Psychology.

Gen Z

 

Needless to say, there are many problems going on in our Republic.  An article titled "Courtship in an Age of Narcissism" in the March 8 2026 edition of The New York Times depicted another significant concern.  This article stated that Gen Z-ers aren't dating because they're too self obsessed.  My response follows.

According to the article, many male heterosexuals are unable to connect with a romantic or sexual partner. Instead, they offer contradictions and rationalizations like blame  and objectify and denigrate females. They also rationalize that their looks have prevented them from entering into romantic and sexual relationships. Some are narcissistically obsessed with improving their physical appearance; talk about aesthetics as destiny and attractiveness  as a measure of human worth.

With their contradictions, limited reasoning ability,  the use of defense mechanisms,and other self-deceptions ,these teenagers  instead are choosing  AI ,Chatbot and other devices as pseudo-friends with the illusion and mythology.  Their choices are only “security blankets” which do not dismiss their anxiety, depression, boredom, loneliness, insecurities and other figments of their imagination that take place between their ears.

One moneymaking wealthy streamer known as Clavicular claimed that he injected steroids at age 14, to improve his physique ,dabbled in crystal meth and  hit himself in the face with a hammer to heighten cheekbones to create a sharper jawline. He added that dating was a burden in today's hyper- glamorous environment. And, that thinking he could have sex with a woman was perhaps better than the deed itself-it's a big timesaver.

 Gen Z-ers  were born between the years of 1992 and 2012  and have experienced an economic meltdown;Covid-19 pandemic-social isolation; and the technological smart phone revolution.  Online dating and advice  influencers like Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube and streaming sites  have  dispensed warnings about having too many sexual partners, dangers of being excessively attentive , being submissive with uninterested love objects, and so forth . In other words, there's lots of online nonsense, hate,scapegoating and claiming  that  women are the evil ones.

Multiple studies find that  these young people are not dating, having sex or forming meaningful partnerships. It was reported that 30% of its respondents were actively dating and about half of them indicated that they were interested in finding a relationship . They cited a lack of confidence. Less than 40% believed themselves to be attractive and were not comfortable discussing their feelings with another. And only  1/4 % felt confident in approaching a potential partner or  staying positive after a dating  rejection .

The mutuality of  meaningful interpersonal relationships is based on many factors and it is no wonder that there's a declining birthrate in our country.  The Gen Z population is aware of many social, economic, and political problems such as the wealth gap, excessive and outrageous college costs, inflationary trends, online hate,AI, and the cost to rear children.  Also according to AI, approximately 40 to 50% of first  marriages end in divorce; second marriages 60 to 70% ;the average duration before divorce is about eight years; and the divorce rate is highest among individuals aged 20 to 24.  

A few Gen Z statistics follow: 1.  42% of eligible voters voted in the 2024 presidential election 2.  In the 10 to 24 age group, suicide was the second leading cause of death.  3.  54% are living at home with their parents.  4.  56% in the 18 to 25 age group are obese or overweight and 42% in the age group 18 to 24  5.  21% of 18 to 29-year-olds own a firearm.  6.  Average IQ is 101 7.  There is a 10 point decline in reading scores and a 15 point decline in math scores in 2022 8.  Luigi Mangione, Tyler Robinson and Cole Thomas Allen attained notoriety 9.  Teens as a result of  social media sites are  taking over , congregating  and forming  acting out mobs.  10.60% favor Hamas vs. Israel .11, Favor violence for political change.

According to Erik H.  Erikson's psychosocial model, humans proceed through eight psychosocial stages .The following stages apply : Stage 1 Sense of Trust versus Sense of  Mistrust; Stage 5  Identity versus Role Confusion and Stage 6 Intimacy versus Isolation 

The psychological  task in the first stage is to develop social trust which is related to  feeding , sleep, relaxation of  bowels and dealing with the discomfort that follows resulting from parenting. Does the  mother become associated with an inner certainty , predictability, consistency, continuity and sameness during this most critical  period  ?  If so, the infant has much going for him  emotionally and cognitively in tackling the next seven stages  With positive involvement, caring, love and experience and in developing a sense of trust with mother can and does generalize to others.  In other words, an  infant  boy's  emotional relationship with his mother has tremendous implications for future associations and relationships with females.

With the high divorce rate, many of these Gen Z ers are likely to have a single-parent as caregiver. Significant  research with the young has found that sleep difficulties are related to sexual and aggressive difficulties, emotional frustration from earlier unresolved issues along  with bedwetting and anxiety about masturbation. 

 Freud considered enuresis to be a form of "pollution" or masturbatory equivalent.  And ,it has been found that children use this symptom as an aggressive or passive aggressive way in dealing with their parents.Also, night time fears are associated with the identification with the opposite sex parent with fantasies of genital damage . As a consequence, punishment is belted out to the parents  as a result from this power struggle of wills between mother and child.

Defense mechanisms associated with these early childhood issues and conflicts  come into play. For example,Displacement is the mental activity in which the child symbolically exchanges one part for another, or one person for another There is a repressed desire for  bodily sensations, especially one's  masturbation impulses  .Also, in early development ,the feelings of hatred toward  parents are directed especially toward the mother . 

 Another defense mechanism Turning Against Self is when sex is prohibited toward females . This behavior is when the aggressive drive is turned inward , as in masturbation,which means sex is not turned outward.  Undoing is a defense mechanism in which the magic of  abstinence and  virginity annuls the forbidden act.

The defense mechanism of Identification is when the child unconsciously becomes the same as his parents or others as internalization takes place with  similar behavioral aspects .  In a single and two -parent household. The child or adolescent can  attack and even move away from  caring and intimacy with  others just like mother’s behavior .  

Therefore , lack of caring,intimacy or sexual engagement with females are just some of the psychological issues related to single-parent families in which the negative attitudes , values and behavior are openly expressed and transmitted to the children. The mother might constantly badmouth , scapegoat, blame and interfere with visitation and remove pictures of the other verbally, symbolically and behaviorally.  These negative and aggressive attacks toward the other parent  do irreparable harm and affect interpersonal relationships both in the short and long term .

To be continued

A Fearful Species 3

 

This essay is a continuation of "A Fearful Species."  Philosophically, there have been many descriptions and explanations of man's conduct that include motivation, knowledge, instincts, will,free will , consciousness, hedonism, fear, feelings and evolution.  With that being said, anxiety and contentment are significantly pervasive components underlying man's thinking and behavioral actions.

From a neurological point of view, human beings have "three brains."  They include the reptilian brain; the subconscious brain and the conscious brain.  In each of these locations of the brain can be found defending territory, fear, flight, fight ,anger and abstract thought.  Therefore, Homo sapiens are neurologically well equipped for survival- fear and anxiety.

Psychologically speaking, Freud and  Rank, with sophistication, accurately described anxiety as a prototype based on the terror of the newborn's birth.  Freud, in his psychoanalytic model, postulated the mental apparatus consisting of the id, the ego and the superego along with the psychosexual determinants of character and behavior that included the oral ,anal and phallic stages of development.

In the oral stage, the anxious infant is helpless and dependent.  That infant can be characterized as essentially being in a constant or inordinate state of anxiety or tension with no relief and developmentally followed with feelings of "love" and "hate."  Its contentment and/or confrontation is only provided by the ability of the caretaker.

A few of the characteristics that are associated with the oral stage include but are not limited to separation and stranger anxiety, obesity, oral aggression, drug and alcohol addiction, dependency trust, mistrust, passivity, cowardice, gullibility, and wishful thinking with numerous valences.

These conflictual dynamics, if not resolved from the oral stage, are present and transmitted into the anal stage of psychosexual development.  Toilet training becomes a struggle of wills with aggression ,passivity ,tension and anxiety with the caretaker.  At this stage, psychological issues of shame, control, independence, possessiveness, compulsiveness, stubbornness, coldness, suspiciousness and stinginess become apparent.

Moving to the phallic stage of psychosexual development,  are anxiety issues related to competition and sex.  Further ,problems with guilt, intimacy, celibacy, jealousy, adultery, masturbation, herpes, AIDS, sadomasochism, sexual abuse, divorce, and abortion dynamics associated with anxiety, fear, tension and action  are associated in  this stage of development.

Adler presented another  aspect in his theory regarding human motivation that included smallness, weakness, helplessness, and compensation for weak ,injured or absent body parts.  Further, Adler also postulated a psychic compensation mechanism, meaning a striving for superiority and that for him was perfection  which was the ruling principle of life.

In essence, anxiety, insecurity, tension and fear underlies feelings of inadequacy, weakness, and inferiority . When striving for the betterment or social interests of society one becomes confronted with  terror, injustices, income inequality, lies, oppression, wars, and discrimination within that  system of tension .

In Murray's personology theory, he addressed tension reduction and the categorization of needs.  He viewed the brain as an organization of perception, apperception, intellectualization,conation and action that's related to and accompanied by particular feelings or emotions which are associated with those needs.

The abasement need it described as accepting injury ,punishment ,mutilating the self ,seeking and enjoying pain and punishment which underlies anxiety or tension.  In other words, a hypothetical state of tension results in a movement toward a goal.  And with the abasement need, there are many actions related to harming self, which is of course related to character and self-esteem.  In my running of the 100 mile Western States, there was anxiety and pain that was necessary to confront .  This led to the achievement need, which is related to accomplishing something difficult.

Another example is the dominance need, which means controlling one's environment by suggestion ,command or by prohibiting which is also  associated with neurotic behaviors of pursuing power, possession, status, and affection.  Essentially, it's the dreadful experience of anxiety that underlines, needs, motives such as sex, achievement, affiliation, dominance, power, aggression, dependency abasement, and so forth.

From a cognitive point of view, Ellis hypothesized that thinking and emotion are associated and never separated fully from the other executive functions of perceiving, moving and feeling.  He described emotion as an acute disturbance involving marked somatic changes which is experienced as a more or less agitated feeling.  He felt that words can be emotionally charged and have physiological, psychological, and social components.  Further, he added that emotions arose from physical stimulation located in the emotional center of the brain-the hypothalamus and the nerve network of the body-the autonomic nervous system.  Second, through perceiving and moving-the sensorimotor process and third through desire and thinking-conation and cognition.

Rational Emotive therapy is based on the ability to use cognition or thinking to ameliorate one's emotional disturbances - thinking and emoting are related.  Clear thinking leads to sane behavior and irrational thinking leads to neurotic behavior.  And, attitudes, ideas, and use of negative or positive words affect emotions and behavior.

Ellis gave a number of examples of irrational ideas that stand in the way of leading an anxiety free life.  A few examples: 1.  The dire necessity for an adult to be loved or approved by almost everyone for virtually everything he does- need for approval.  2.  Individuals should be thoroughly competent and adequate in achieving in all possible aspects-fear of failure.  3 if something is or may be dangerous or fearsome.one should not be terribly occupied  about it-conquering anxiety.

Homo sapiens have created a capitalistic civilization in which individuals encounter enormous and ongoing fear and anxiety.  Anxiety, fear, tension, stress is pervasive in socioeconomic's religion, politics and government.  Economically speaking, the threat of inflation, savings, bankruptcy, homelessness, insurance ,war, criminal justice, lies ,and immigration is constantly witnessed in newspapers, television news, social media, TV advertisements, movies, novels, music, and so forth.  It seems that just about every aspect of living in our civilization is associated with obstacles and plethora of threats to well-being.

Nature also poses threats from  floods, fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, snowstorms, and global warming.  And man is feeble in his attempts to deal with these threats as exhibited by the injustices of insurance, government agencies, building codes, rules, regulations and so forth.  It's no wonder that i Phone technology has become a security blanket for so many.

Freud, Rank, Adler ,Murray and Ellis have provided insight into man's dilemmas.  Their insights are known, but a major stumbling block to man's security, safety, freedom and well-being lies within the brain's limbic system with its emotional non-evolutionary composition; the intellectual productiveness(cerebral cortex) to falsify, distort reality and identify with"father"saviors of power(defense mechanisms) which perpetuate minority control and take away freedom ,security and well-being .  God messed up!

PS

About 15 years ago,at age 71,I wrote in "It Has Nothing To Do With Age," I prescribed seven prescriptions for creating a healthier lifestyle cognitively and emotionally.  Factually, there's no need to make any adjustments as these ideas have served me well.  I recently had a Bruce Protocol Treadmill and the doctor said “ I broke the record with my performance.”  And, Benjamin Disraeli, "action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action."

Reference

Adler, Alfred.  Individual Psychology

Freud, Sigmund.  A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis

Harper, Robert A. and Ellis, Albert.  A Guide  To Rational Living

Lieberman, Frank.  It Has Nothing To Do With Age.

Murray, Henry A.  Explorations in Personality

A Fearful Species 2

 

Experiencing anxiety is at some level present , difficult to acknowledge and label .  This one example illustrates a lack of awareness of  its presence . A friend that we have not seen for awhile stopped by to see Linda. Some of her conversation “ Bill got angry , the last 10 years, when  I  was waving my arms giving him directions when he was backing up the truck to connect with our horse trailer. Now I only give him arm  directions when he is really close. Today, I  complained  to him that he cut me off when we talked .He said I was the one that cut him off . She asked me what she should do. I told her that she came here and was avoiding Bill . She denied it. She also talked about a member in her family not allowing her to visit with their children and  she wants to see them.Also, that her horse was being over fed by this knowledgeable  horse lady . But, this person was not responding to her  feeding request. She also  complimented me on my taking care of Linda . Bill called, she told him what I had  said . He said what’s the matter  and she replied she was leaving shortly. She mentioned that she was eating better, lost some weight  and thought it might or might not help her so she wouldn’t get Alzheimer's.  She added Bill would hire someone to take care of her as opposed to doing it himself

A few warnings of  the presence of anxiety  are associated with fear of being alone, being in public places  in which escape might be difficult , being in crowds, tunnels, bridges,and public transportation.  Is there constriction of normal activities based on fear and avoidance behaviors?  In other words,  avoiding certain situations is one cue -fear of heights, snakes, bugs and spiders and so forth.  

Physiological sensations related to anxiety include palpitations, chest pain, discomfort, choking, dizziness, feelings of unreality, tingling in hands or feet, hot and cold flashes ,sweating ,faintness, trembling or shaking, frequent urination, diarrhea, clammy hands ,lump in the throat high resting pulse and respiration rate.

Other warnings and the presence of anxiety include  paying  attention to the thoughts,worries and stories that take place in one's mind - between your ears .Are the  thoughts recurrent ,redundant, obsessive, persistent, senseless or repugnant?  In other words, anxiety  interferes with one's well-being as the worry often relates to insufficient information, not being in control or some erroneous prediction pertaining to the present or future. The stress and  anxiety are ongoing  and we ,with our cognitive functioning ,have the ability to think, imagine and worry about  all the what if’s .

Because of man’s frequent experience of anxiety( located in the  more primitive  “Old Brain” -Limbic system ) one employs a variety of  unconscious defense mechanisms ( located in a more higher level - the “New Brain” or the Cortex) to distort his reality .These defenses become habits, tendencies, coupled with feelings, emotions, attitudes and actions in an attempt to preserve the self from the  dangerous threat.This means that many are  not aware of  how anxiety becomes associated with ongoing self harm .For example ,repression as a defense helps to block the rage from awareness as it’s often not safe or smart to retaliate ,in the same manner, when hurt and angry.

 Hostility is one consequence  and associated with anxiety .Repressing  hostility  means "pretending" that everything is all right when instead, one should fight ,stand up and become assertive in dealing with the situation. Repression generates a feeling of  defenselessness which reinforces the already feeling of defensivelessness. Then, it becomes possible for others to take advantage of that individual.  And, if that hostility is repressed, the person does not have the faintest idea that he is hostile . And, with  build up, that rage can and  does become highly charged and volatile  when discharged with negative personal and social consequences .

Many cognitive and behavioral actions associated with the presence of anxiety,tension or stress include but are not limited to use of imagination , performing some difficult feat ,  attaining some prominent position, daydreaming about success, as well as other physical  activities-  plays, movies, novels, music ,work ,hobbies, exercise, and keeping “busy.”

A few positive ways to address anxiety are as follows: 1 .Progressive relaxation 2.Self hypnosis 3 .Meditation 4 Autogenics 5.  Refuting irrational ideas.  6. Time management 7. Assertiveness training 8. Biofeedback 9,Thought stopping 10 Exercise 11.Reframing 12. Nutrition13,Medical marijuana, Valium,  Xanax, etc.

Although our composition of a  well-developed cerebral cortex allows us to create works of art with unparalleled beauty ,create technological wonders and unequaled imagination, it  also has the capacity and ability  for  immaturity,irrationality and  worry  and fret about all the  potential losses ,hazards or interferences affecting our well- being  initiated by self  and society .It can not be denied that our fears result and are associated with anger,hate and rage and other negative  behavioral  interpersonal and health consequences  .Thus , because of our nature ,our sense of security is easily threatened and  our  insecurity  and hostility does not bode well both personally and interpersonally .And ,because our emotions are located in the more primitive development of the brain ( limbic system ) it becomes  a  mental health frailty for our species as we  create  and preoccupy ourselves in our ( cerebral cortex) with a multitude of real and  imaginary  dangers in our absurd , contradictory world of fear,anxiety and threat  It’s no wonder why there is a preponderance of  toxicity and inability to get along with others .

PS

 Years ago, Tony and I took our border collies for aversive rattlesnake training.  The trainer ,with the dog in hand ,introduced each dog to live rattlesnakes while using an electric shock for conditioning.  Fear worked ! And, experiments  of subcortical areas which is part of the limbic  structure done with monkeys with the destruction of their temporal cortex which almost always lead to damage of the amygdala were found: 1 Monkeys no longer exhibited responses of fear or anger 2 Monkeys forgot rapidly.  3 Monkeys exhibited hypersexuality demonstrating a sexual drive so strong that they would continuously stimulate their genitalia, copulate repeatedly for long periods of time and sometimes sustain small injuries in the process due to excessive biting.

A Fearful Species

 

Because of man's psychological and biological makeup; living in a terrifying chaotic world and experiencing uncertainty with nature, his life is filled with anxiety ,his mind , body , interpersonal relationships,socioeconomics ,culture ,religion , politics, and  nature is associated with  inordinate anxiety, stress, tension and conflict . Man is constantly and often unaware of his  imbalances and quickly employs rationalization,denial and activity to  restore homeostasis..It's the limbic system, with its set of brain structures involved in emotional processing,learning ,memory  and motivation  .

For homo sapiens, frailty begins with the birth trauma adroitly described by Freud and  Rank. This first traumatic  experience sets the stage for conditioning future anxiety ,worry and disequilibrium.  Simply put, anxiety is related to a threat to one's gratification of ego and physiological needs . It’s a fear or warning and is a cue for impending pain and/or danger.  Pleasure and pain found in the limbic system, have been described as major motivations and fear has been skillfully used by authoritarians in controlling and manipulating their flock.

The helpless ,dependent and fragile infant is at the mercy of the caretaker for its feeding ,being cared for ,receiving security, comfort and love.This helpless  infant cannot meet its needs independently which results as a major threat to its well -being. It’s an imbalance accompanied by tension and anxiety . 

The only significant response of that infant is crying which is not always  effective. And ,crying does not reduce that anxiety and tension directly but becomes “associated,’ conditioned ,with  the caretaker. This job is a herculean task and with other unsuccessful parenting experiences results in a sense of danger and uncertainty . 

That uncertainty is embedded ,remembered and conditioned along with the anticipation of helplessness, powerlessness, frustration, punishment, and discomfort.  Erikson called this psychosocial stage  -a sense of mistrusting others.  It's important for that helpless infant to reduce the painful experiences of anxiety which can only be met or not met by the actions of another  with conditioning consequences  of fear,anxiety and helplessness.

Anxiety,tension and worry  seems to be frequently perceived and experienced  with various degrees and intensities.  The ego’s goal is  to reduce or minimize that anxiety.  With development, goal seeking  becomes available and is  associated with tension, psychic energy, perception, thinking, remembering, feeling, and expectations.  Goal attainment might be related to an ego need , physiological desire  or an intention .  And that desire  might either have a positive or negative appeal in various degrees, which can be categorized as being weak, medium or strong.

Man needs to feel secure in his self-esteem.  However, those who are striving to be loved or approved of( anxiety) often go to any lengths to have that wish fulfilled,with the goal of reducing that threat . Those , for instance, who feel, or have the conviction of being unlovable (anxiety), spend an inordinate amount of psychic energy  in an attempt to protect their self-esteem.  However, that desire for affection may arouse fear of dependency and therefore create an emotional struggle.  They might unconsciously block awareness of this psychological state and /or disregard every evidence of perceived affection by insisting that the others are unkind and mistreating them in some ways.  With this being said, a separation might trigger a state of anxiety or tension, but their unconscious conviction of  not  being worthy of love interferes with the goal of reducing that anxiety effectively .Their options might include  giving in and  not taking steps toward self assertion.  Those whose anxious  strivings are dominated by the wish for success , power or possession have a tendency to shut themselves off from people and to be independent of them

As can be seen, it’s  not always easy to reduce the tension because there are barriers, roadblocks, hazards and other conditions interfering with goal attainment.  Sometimes barriers can be demolished or easily avoided.  Other times they are so strong and formidable that one has to figure out new ways to solve that problem.  This means it's up to the ego to reduce that tension or anxiety with energy that imparts a value, creates a formidable force and coping with the barriers that interfere with completing that task

Often with anxiety, ego needs and goal attainment do not always  result with all  positives. When I was in my early 60s, I made a decision to run the Western States 100.  Just thinking about that goal was anxiety producing . I was determined to complete that event because of its challenge which means it had a strong goal valence .Initially, I contacted friends that completed the event and gathered reading materials as well.  Thinking, planning, training and goal setting came into play.  I did not want to become a Jonah syndrome  fatality  and allow too much anxiety  to interfere with goal attainment ..

Up to that point I had competed four years in Ride & Tie competitions ,had training runs of at least 25 miles and competed in one 50 K.  I had to learn about running a 50 mile qualifying event; different training regimens; appropriate running gear, nutrition ,electrolyte balance hydration, pacers ,cut off times; crew , aid stations as well as the barriers and obstacles such as heat ,elevation change, animals,and running in the dark.  Needless to say, there were many subgoals and developing  new and different strategies along the way all  with the presence of tension and anxiety.  Paying attention to  the dialogue between my ears was important and I made sure to reframe with  positives, i.e. one step in front of the other and calculating miles completed were just two examples.

Many ego needs were experienced during that important time in my life.  For example, there was achievement, affiliation ,aggression , autonomy ,dominance ,exhibition and succorance.  Also, the  ego need of abasement was present. I had to deal with and accept the possibility of failure as well as seeking and enjoying pain. In essence, anxiety and fear is associated with  competition, setting high standards and  excelling in sports.

Because our species experiences ongoing anxiety and it’s a driving force with multiple outcomes, it’s beneficial  for the identification of such.  The easiest way to determine the presence of  anxiety is to pay attention to one’s breathing.  Are the inhales(relaxation} long ,deep and slow and the exhales, letting out that tension  deep,slow and easy ?  It's easy to check by being in the here and now. 

To Be Continued

Authoritians

 

Our Republic is characterized by authoritarian rule.  AI synonyms of authoritarian include dictatorial: exercising absolute power or control; oppressive: unjustly inflicting hardship and constraint;; totalitarian: centralized control by an autocratic authority; despotic: exercising power in a cruel or arbitrary way; and autocratic: relating to a ruler who has absolute power.  Antonyms include a democratic system of government by the whole population; liberal favoring individual rights and freedom; participatory involving all stakeholders in decision-making; egalitarian promoting equal rights for all people and freedom not under control of another, or independent.  This  brief essay provides a limited view of a couple of psychological factors associated with  authoritarianism. 

In Sigmund Freud's structure of personality ,the superego is the third and last system to be developed.  Essentially ,it's an internal representation  of the traditional values and ideals of society as interpreted to the child by his parents and regulated by the use of  rewards and punishments directed to the child.  This system is the moral component of the personality and represents the ideal, rather than the real and that strives for perfection rather than pleasure. The system of rewards and punishments pertains to identification and introjection by the child from his all powerful parents .. 

Simply put, the early formation in the superego is based on authoritarianism.  Parents have omnipotent power and control and they can exercise it either in a loving and supporting manner, or in a cruel ,sadistic or arbitrary way.  The father ,according to folklore, is the king of the castle and has absolute power  as do authoritarians.

Years ago, psychologists and other researchers from the Fells Research Institute, employed interviews, questionnaires, home visits, and  structured observations  to evaluate psychological development associated with parent-child relationships and their effect on development.  With children of pre-school age , they evaluated democratic homes that were defined by general permissiveness, avoidance of arbitrary decisions, high level of verbal contact between parent and child - consultation about decisions, explanations for family rules and supplying answers to satisfy their child's curiosity.  They also evaluated authoritarian structured homes with control- these homes were characterized, in part,  by friction over disciplinary procedures.

A few findings pertaining to authoritarian controlled homes with low democracy  follow . These  children were described as quiet ,well behaved, nonresistant and  were socially unaggressive.  In these homes ,conformity was associated with restricting curiosity, originality, which was obtained at the expense of freedom of expression. Also, in these authoritarian homes, children were punished for manifesting curiosity, spontaneity, self-assertion, and were rewarded for obedience by their parents.  There was conformity with parental standards and suppression of curiosity. Compliance and conformity became strong habits for them.

In another study,  it was found that authoritarian parents did not  always practice what they preached.  They were more concerned with their own ideas and standards than with their child's interests and welfare .These homes were also associated with punitive discipline  and high restrictions.

Aggression and its antecedents were also studied .Findings  are as follows: !. Reinforcement was related to that behavior.  2 . There were imitations of aggressive models with elements of anxiety and guilt 3 .Parental use of physical punishment for aggressive behavior to enforce that aggression did not always work  but  it  actually enhanced the aggression instead 4 . Boys  highly aggressive in preschool were more likely to be highly aggressive in later childhood , adolescence and  adulthood 5 . Frustration and inconsistent discipline ; withdrawal of love, or other socialized techniques were factors . 6.Giving love and affection when the child behaved or withholding these rewards when the child  disapproved produced children who are highly dependent at home.

Another variable relating to authoritarianism relates to cognitive growth and moral development.  Kohlberg found that the average child in preadolescence was limited and able to think about moral issues simplistically. They were more apt to be influenced by conventional moral reasoning .In other words, behaviors approved by others(consensus and conforming) were perceived as good and right. Add social media and its negative affect on cognition and moral thinking which is familiar to those with authoritarian attitudes and orientations .

Developmentally , the next stage of moral development was characterized by more autonomous moral principles which have validity and application apart from the authority of the groups or the person who holds them and apart from the individuals identification with those persons or groups. 

 Many adolescents, particularly the brighter and more sophisticated,  no longer  adopted ,without questioning, the social or political beliefs of their parents.  They thought about moral behavior in terms of general rights and standards which had been examined and agreed upon by society as a whole. 

 As adolescence proceeds ,this orientation toward inner concerns in the individual's own conscience may increase for some as they become less other directed and more inner directed.   At the higher end of moral development, the moral reasoning stage was characterized by being able to formulate and be guided by abstract ethical principles appealing to logical comprehensiveness, universal reality and consistency.  For instance, the golden rule in which good was no longer defined in conventional moral terms of approved behavior to persons or action was considered good only if the adoption by all the persons would work out successfully.  It was not about conforming, but rather consistent internalized moral standards.  Only about 10% of young people over age 16 showed clear-cut principal thinking. This functional level of operational thought ( ability to conceptualize, reason, become more introspective and analytical)  is not associated with an authoritarian conscience.

In our culture, there are common stereotypes transmitted to our children, at an early age, about male masculinity.  For example, males are urged by their parents to be aggressive in the face of attack, independent in  problem situations ,sexually aggressive, in control of aggressive urges and suppressive of strong emotions, especially anxiety and crying. Check out the lyrics to Big Boys Don’t Cry.

 Further, there's great emphasis placed on authoritarian  American males to be adventurous, self-confident, assertive, ambitious,  aggressive with an emphasis on competition ,materialistic values  and less of concern for social justice, truth, reason ,civil rights and inequality about civil rights but wars are ok. These masculine roles are acquired and transmitted , at home, primarily through identification ,reinforcement with the imitation of the parent of the same sex ,like minded peers  especially as boys model themselves in their father's image. 

These male masculine sex roles become  instilled  early on as values , attitudes and  behavior explain why these boys are highly masculine,  In authoritarian households, these male sex role masculine concepts become values and attitudes early on as the result of identification along with  the development in the superego and explain why these boys are highly masculine and aggressive. Little boys play with guns and big boys are proud of their gun arsenal .During one presidential election cycle,  one of my neighbors displayed his Trump poster. This poster had a picture of Trump's head on Sylvester Stallone's Rambo gun holding a muscular body.

Just the other day, I heard an Elvis titled song Surrender and an Olivia Newton John song Hopelessly Devoted To You.  Both songs represent sadomasochistic tendencies associated within an authoritarian character structure. In addition, John Steinbeck's East of Eden novel depicted the authoritarian father Adam and his subservient son Aron.  And his Of Mice and Men novel  portrayed an authoritarian relationship between Lennie and George.  Hollywood has done a  terrific job in their movies depicting Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Henry VIII ,No Country For Old Men , The Wild Angels ,Easy Rider  and of course the Greek tragedy  Antigone by  Sophocles  along with Wuthering Heights and  so many other authoritarians from our history.

Sadomasochistic character tendencies and orientations are not new . According to AI, the word authoritarian is derived from the Latin word "auctoritas" meaning authority and influence  while the prefix "author" relates to the concept of an author or creator. Psychologically speaking , Freud's  super ego,  parent -child relationships , cognitive ,moral  development, masculinity stereotypes, with the  influences of society and culture are some factors associated with authoritarianism , it's no wonder or surprise that there’s  such a preponderance of authoritarian sadomasochistic tendencies in our civilization .Elect a neurotic  narcissistic authoritarian with the most powerful military in the world and nuclear codes and …….

Reference

Mussen,Conger and Kagan. Child Development and Personality.