Category Archives: mental illness

DEPRESSION, OR THE PIT

Posted on March 10, 2020 by jalesy55

Seeing just the walls of your pit, you perhaps heard me calling. Yet I heard nothing from you but the pain filling your silence.  

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THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE: A REVIEW

Posted on November 12, 2019 by jalesy55

In his recent book The Body Keeps the Score, Dutch-born psychiatrist Besselvan der Kolk presents a comprehensive overview of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  It also describes the often-troubling history of modern psychiatry. Dr. van der Kolk is well equipped to understand … Continue reading →

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LEGAL JUNKYARDS

Posted on March 19, 2018 by jalesy55

As a writer I’ve had success in a number of genres.  The one gaping exception is on the subject of mental illness, or our society’s neglect of it.  It’s one topic that people don’t want to deal with. A number … Continue reading →

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A NOTE ON MY PLAY GENOGRAMS

Posted on January 8, 2014 by jalesy55

Sometimes an event is planned: a wedding, a graduation, a party, a football game.  It doesn’t happen.  It gets cancelled.   You try not to think about it.  But you spent too much time before the event mentally rehearsing the things … Continue reading →

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A YEAR AFTER NEWTOWN

Posted on December 28, 2013 by jalesy55

A year after the Newtown school was devastated by a gunman, our state and federal governments have still failed to address gun violence.  New York passed a gun law targeting mentally ill patients.  In Congress, a gun control law was … Continue reading →

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TOWARD A POLITICAL THEATRE

Posted on August 8, 2013 by jalesy55

Theatre artists generally have mixed feelings when it comes to plays with political topics.  So much of political art is badly done.  Many writers and painters assume that their art will be compelling merely because it tackles political issues.  They … Continue reading →

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MENTAL ILLNESS AS A TARGET

Posted on March 17, 2013 by jalesy55

Newtown’s mass killer Adam Lanza destroyed his hard drive before he took his weapons to the school.  Police have tried to have this hard drive repaired in an effort to reconstruct  Lanza’s state of mind.  But his state of mind … Continue reading →

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NEW YORK GUN CONTROL

Posted on January 29, 2013 by jalesy55

They say that bad facts make bad laws.  During the mid 1980’s, a famous basketball player died of a drug overdose.  Tip O’Neill, then the Speaker of the House, responded by rushing the federal sentencing guidelines through Congress.  By these … Continue reading →

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THE CONNECTICUT SHOOTINGS: SEEKING CHANGE

Posted on December 18, 2012 by jalesy55

After a crazed gunman in Arizona shot a number of people, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, I posted a blog saying that the issues of gun control and mental health need to be finally addressed.  Last Friday, a gunman with serious … Continue reading →

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