Keyword: dependency

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Addiction as a Survival Strategy August 8, 2013

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Andrew Tatarski, Deborah Hillman, Dr. Harold Urschel, Emily Anthes, Roberta Maria Atzi
Category: Addiction & Compulsion, Identity & The Self

Addiction is not weakness but a misfired survival mechanism rooted in perceived isolation. Armand DiMele and co-host Roberta Maria Atti trace compulsive behaviors, from substance abuse to sex and food addiction, back to what they call the refugee syndrome, drawing on interviews with Dr. Deborah Hillman, MD, Dr. Andrew Tatarsky, Addiction Psychologist, Dr. Harold Urschel, Author, and science journalist and author Emily Anthes.

Addiction as a Survival Strategy August 7, 2013

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Andrew Tatarski, Deborah Hillman, Dr. Harold Urschel, Emily Anthes, Roberta Maria Atzi
Category: Addiction & Compulsion, The Mind & Neuroscience

Every addiction, from food to sex to opiates, traces back to one root: the terror of being alone and unmoored. Armand DiMele and co-host Roberta Maria Atti develop their “refugee syndrome” framework, while a recorded conversation with Dr. Harold Urschel, MD examines brain chemistry, medication, and why comprehensive treatment outperforms willpower alone.

Signs of a Toxic Relationship July 24, 2012

Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Love & Romantic Relationships

Armand DiMele and co-host Lisa work through 25 warning signs of a toxic relationship, from verbal put-downs and jealous isolation to emotional dependency and manipulation. A story about a mentor’s muscle-pressure test frames how people differ in their tolerance for pain, and why some stay far too long.

The Dependent Personality June 19, 2012

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Lisa Arnone
Category: Identity & The Self, Personal Growth & Change

Dependency gets reframed as a workable strategy rather than a simple flaw. Armand DiMele, working with supervisee Lisa Arnone, LCSW, walks through dependent personality disorder, the hidden advantages it offers both the dependent person and their partners, and why independence is no guaranteed path to happiness either.

Why People Worry April 18, 2012

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Anxiety & Fear, Identity & The Self

Chronic worry is not random nervousness but a survival strategy rooted in childhood fears of abandonment and rejection. Armand DiMele draws on Jeffrey Young’s maladaptive schema theory to walk through the major life traps, including abandonment, mistrust, dependency, and vulnerability, showing how each one drives the worrying mind.

Safety and Danger in Love March 7, 2012

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Anxiety & Fear, Love & Romantic Relationships

Is the feeling of safety in relationships a genuine need or an illusion? Armand DiMele argues that craving safety actually signals underlying anxiety, that chronic worriers cannot truly love, and that real intimacy requires tolerating danger rather than eliminating it. Callers share stories of dependency, caretaking, and long-term relationships shaped by depression and mental illness.

Dependency and Autonomy July 5, 2011

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Linda Vanella
Category: Addiction & Compulsion, Identity & The Self

What is the real opposite of dependency? Armand DiMele argues it is autonomy, not independence, then unpacks the dependent personality with Linda Vanella, LCSW-R. The episode covers how dependency forms, how it fuels serial relationships and narcissistic dynamics, and why genuine autonomy must be a conscious choice rather than a reaction to fear.

The Illusion of Power September 1, 2010

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Depression & Mood, Emotions & Inner Life

Power is mostly illusion, Armand argues, and refusing to accept powerlessness is a fast road to depression, rigidity, and compulsion. Through caller conversations, he examines where the hunger for control really comes from, including how unmet childhood needs quietly drive adult behavior.

Why We Refuse to Ask for Help Undated

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Personal Growth & Change

Most people would rather struggle alone than ask for help, and Armand DiMele digs into why. Drawing on Jung’s archetype of the beggar, he traces the fear of asking to three roots: surrender of control, shame of appearing flawed, and the deep belief that no one is truly there for you. Callers bring the ideas to life.