Dependability is an underrated personal quality. I say that because so many of us have difficulty either developing it or sustaining it.

You might even think that you’re very dependable, but in reality you’re not.

It’s easy to get distorted when thinking about this because in our hearts, we may feel as though we can be counted on, especially when it is important. The “important” part is where the distortion takes place.

When you make a mistake or are disappointed in yourself for something you did (or didn’t do), do you react by beating yourself up?

Does it help?

Not usually. It may relieve some of your guilt, but most times not. More likely, it makes you feel worse.

The term “Narcissistic Personality” is currently popping up a lot in the news, so I thought it would be a good subject for an article. Any time a mental health diagnosis begins to surface regularly in popular culture, distortions and misunderstandings occur about what it means.

Let’s start with a definition of “personality disorder.”

Gossip is a part of life. Most everyone has engaged in it. It starts early in life, usually in elementary school, but it gets a big boost in middle and high school. You’d hope that it would be left there as people grow up and move into adult life, but that’s not the case.

Go in any office setting and you will hear it, or just sit in a restaurant with you ears open. Better yet, go on Facebook and you’ll see every kind of people bashing imaginable.

Jane is a 44 year-old woman who has been in three abusive relationships. The last one was particularly bad and it took a lot of courage and help to free herself.

Not surprisingly, Jane grew up in a family where her father regularly abused her mother both physically and emotionally. He didn’t physically abuse the children, but he was emotionally abusive to them at times.