All You Need is Love. . . or Do You?
The Beatles tell us that all we need really need is love, and in her famous song, “People,” Barbara Streisand proclaims that “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” But is this really true?
Fabrice asks David whether love is a human need? David describes hearing Dr. Aaron Beck proclaim that love is not an adult human need, and feeling shocked, during one of Dr. Beck’s cognitive therapy seminars in the 1970s. Although initially skeptical, David did a number of experiments to test this belief, and came to a startling conclusion. David describes the impact of needing love on his depressed and anxious patients, including lonely individuals who were constantly being rejected in the dating scene.
You’ll find this podcast provocative, controversial, and hopefully interesting. We’ll also include a survey you can complete below, indicating your thoughts about this topic!
In the next Feeling Good Podcast, David and Fabrice will discuss Tools, Not Schools, the title of David’s TEAM-CBT eBook for therapists, and the following podcast will discuss Relapse Prevention Training, since the likelihood of relapse after successful treatment is 100%. But if the patient is prepared and knows what to do ahead of time, the relapse, while often painful and disturbing, doesn’t have to be a significant problem.
Thanks David and Fabrice for covering this topic!
Thanks,
Rajesh
Glad you enjoyed it! david
The University of Hippo (Hippocampus) joke was so bad it was good. 🙂
There is so much wisdom in this podcast David. Sometimes I find myself getting away from others and walking by myself in nature, or reading a good book in a coffee shop to experience profound peace and joy.
Thanks, Rob! d
So Dr Burns proves that it is good to alone by having dinner on his own while secure in a marriage ? He really doesn’t get it, does he.
No, he’s got a lOT of blind spots, and doesn’t get a LOT of things. I know, because I actually KNOW him! I’ll pass your message along to hhim, too! Best, david
I agree 1000%! Many folks that are “alone” are very productive because of minimal distractions. I love the the University of Hippo (Hippocampus). I understand they have a great fraternity, the Medulla Oblongata?
Thanks, and you’re so right. In addition, when working alone without distractions, time passes quickly because of the Temporal Lobe. d
Great podcast! One kind of compulsive feeling popping up when I am alone/single is envy. Other people have better parties, better evenings, more fun, cooler friends etc. etc. I searched for this concept in Feeling Good and Feeling Great – to no avail. What are your/CBT thoughts on envy? Thank you!
Do you use the search function I emphasize in every Ask David episode? There is a podcast on this topic, search jealousy. d