Dr David Murphy Physician Psychotherapist

05/31/2026

It's not only doctors who make life or death decisions
We all make life or death decisions all the time about our own lives.
There are lifestyle choices that may prolong our life or may shorten it.
We make decisions about risk. Is it safe to cross the road, is it safe to drive a vehicle or fly in a plane?
And then there are choices about medical treaments for illness that may or may not prolong our life. If the treatment comes with side-effects, are we willing to accept the side-effects? Or, are the side-effects so intolerable that we decide to forego the treatment and accept the risk that we may be or even will shorten our lives?
There will be no guarantee whichever choice we make, after we have listened carefully to our caregiver.
The decisions are ours alone. There will be no right or wrong choice. Just consequences that we will need to accept. It is up to us.

05/31/2026

It's not only doctors who make life or death decisions
We all make life or death decisions all the time about our own lives.
There are lifestyle choices that may prolong our life or may shorten it.
We make decisions about risk. Is it safe to cross the road, is it safe to drive a vehicle or fly in a plane?
And then there are choices about medical treaments for illness that may or may not prolong our life. If the treatment comes with side-effects, are we willing to accept the side-effects? Or, are the side-effects so intolerable that we decide to forego the treatment and accept the risk that we may be or even will be shortening our lives?
There will be no guarantee whichever choice we make, after we have listened carefully to our caregiver.
The decisions are ours alone. There will be no right or wrong choice. Just consequences that we will need to accept. It is up to us.

05/27/2026

Hello,

EXPECT NOTHING AND YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED

Chronic disappointment created by unrealistic or unreasonable expectations can lead to symptoms of depression.

When we expect someone to change or someone to live up to a commitment that they made or something in our environment to change and it does not, it is normal to feel disappointed.

When we repeatedly expect someone to change or someone to live up to a commitment that they made or something in our environment to change and the change does not happen…...again and again, then we might start to not only feel disappointed but also feel helpless or even hopeless.

When we continue to expect change, in spite of evidence that the change is not possible, then that expectation is unrealistic. Having repeated unrealistic expectations leads to repeated disappointment. Repeated disappointment leads to helplessness and hopelessness that are two symptoms of depression. Repeated disappointment can lead to deep feelings of worthlessness or failure and low self-worth, also symptoms of depression.

The good news is that you are in charge of your own expectations, by asking yourself:
“Are my expectations reasonable?”.
“What is the evidence that my expectation is reasonable?”.
“What is the evidence that my expectations is unreasonable?”.
“Can I reasonably expect this particular person to keep to their commitment?”.
“Has this person kept their commitments to me in the past, or not?”
“Is it in my power to create this change……or not?”.

When we have been repeatedly let down in a particular situation, it is time to accept that change is not possible, regroup and do something different.

When we accept that change is not possible, then we start to notice the many other opportunities for change that may be possible.

When we expect nothing and replace expectation with hope, we cannot be disappointed. Then, when change does not happen, we can find acceptance and move forward with an optimistic outlook.

I hope that is helpful.

Dr. David Murphy

Send a message to learn more

05/24/2026

YouTuber Mark Rober on FAILURE:

“Nobody who plays Super Mario Brothers or some video game for the first time falls into a pit and is just like: 'oh my gosh I fell into a pit, I failed, how embarrassing, I never want to play this game again.' You're like: 'okay crap, there's a pit right there. Okay, next time I'm gonna go a little bit faster, I'm going to jump a little earlier.' You immediately learn from the failure and you're stoked to try again.”

04/21/2026

04/21/2026

Comparison is the thief of joy, particularly when it comes to setting outcomes.
Outcomes need to be specific.
When outcomes are specific, the unconscious mind will start producing ideas for fulfilling the outcome.

anxietyrecovery angermanagement mindfulness mentalhealthmatters

04/08/2026

Sray active. It pays off in the long run

The goal is to make fitness a routine you can live long-term with so that it adds to your life, giving you more confidence for your work, energy for your kids, and freedom to enjoy the outdoors.

-Coach Jon

04/08/2026

The goal is to make fitness a routine you can live long-term with so that it adds to your life, giving you more confidence for your work, energy for your kids, and freedom to enjoy the outdoors.

-Coach Jon

04/08/2026

Is it really real or is it really imagined?
When it comes to relaxation, rest or recovery, it really doesn't matter, does it?