The Psychology of your 20s

We all have something about our behaviour or our lives we really want to change. But every time we go to try, we find we lose motivation very quickly and end up back where we started with the behaviour still in tact. Whether it's quitting smoking, exercising more, wanting to eat healthier, sleep better, stop gossiping, be a better partner; bad habits usually all have the same psychology. 

In today's episode we invited on Harva...

Your hobbies may be just as important as your friendships in your 20s. But whilst you may dedicate 10-15 hours a week to your friends, most of us can go a week or two without actually performing our hobbies. Why is that, and what is the consequence?In today's episode we break down the psychology of why our hobbies are so important, including: 

• The debate around what makes a hobby 
• How many hobbies do you actually nee...

We’re all familiar with the story of the boy who wouldn’t grow up: Peter Pan. But when someone displays similar traits in real life - issues with commitment, responsibilities, and adulting in general - they might be experiencing what’s referred to as Peter Pan Syndrome. In this episode, we break down the psychology of Peter Pan Syndrome, including why it happens, the frustration it causes those in its orbit, and h...

Being your own harshest critic can feel productive, protective, even familiar, but over time, it becomes less of a motivator and more of a cage. In this episode, we explore the psychology of self-hatred - where it begins, how it becomes a deeply ingrained, and what it actually steals from us over time. 

We explore:

•        How early experiences shape the inner critic
•       &nb...

Weed can be relaxing, funny, creative, and social - until it isn’t. In this episode, we look at what weed is actually doing in the brain, why it can calm one person and overwhelm another, and how it can change from something enjoyable into something we start leaning on for out emotional wellbeing.

We explore:
•        What actually happens to our brains when we’re high
•    ...

When we’re detached from our emotions, things can feel a little… flat. But though our brain might be trying to protect us from harm, emotionally detaching stops us from being able to appreciate the true richness of life. In this episode, we’ll unpack why emotional blunting occurs, the ways we might be avoiding our true emotions, and look at some ways to actually start to process your emotions.

We explore: 

Endless studies show that the strength of our relationships is the biggest indicator for our happiness and wellbeing. So when we fall out with a friend, it can feel absolutely devastating, and leave us wondering how to repair and reconnect. In this episode, we explore why friendship break-ups can be more painful than romantic ones, how our ego gets in the way of reconnecting, and ways that we can rebuild a fractured friendship.

We ...

In our 20s, we can feel intense pressure to be extraordinary, to stand head and shoulders above the pack, to thrive across all aspects of our life. But when we put pressure on ourselves to be extraordinary, we can fall victim to social comparison, lose sight of what we really want, and experience long-term feelings of inadequacy. In this episode, unpack where the pressure to be extraordinary comes from, and reframe our thinking tow...

Anxiety has a way of making ordinary moments feel life-or-death. A simple interaction can feel significant, a passing thought can spiral into catastrophe, and your body can react as if something is deeply wrong - even when rationally you know you’re probably okay. In this episode, we get into the neuroscience behind anxiety - why your brain becomes obsessed with certain thoughts, why false alarms feel so convincing, and what ...

Most people would know the term: dopamine. It's the world's most famous neurotransmitter, known for it's role in happiness and pleasure. What if I told you, most of us have it all wrong. In today's episode we break down the secret history and psychology of dopamine, including: 

• The controversy around it's discovery
• How it became known as the 'pleasure' hormone
• Why that's actually not true
• It's true role in movement, motiv...

When we’re ‘in a funk’, we might feel that things just aren’t going right for us, we can’t catch a break, and that life generally feels pretty flat. What’s more, we can tend to look at the world through a negative lens - which makes things worse. 

In this episode, we look at why we get stuck in a funk, how our approach to fix it can lead us astray, and how we can get ourselves out of one by ...

It’s easy to believe that being liked by as many people as possible is a positive attribute. But when we chase this, we risk compromising our sense of identity, alienating ourselves from others, and being confused and burnt out by a string of inauthentic connections. In this episode, we examine what drives us to people please, acknowledge our need for human connection, and learn to recognise how to shift unhealthy patterns to...

Where did this myth that our frontal lobe develops at 25 actually come from? What does the death penalty and Leonardo DiCaprio have in common? You've probably seen TikToks, videos, tweets, memes, but what is the truth about brain maturity? That is what we're breaking down today, including: 

• Why brain development is a lot more complicated than a number
• The specific role of the frontal lobe 
• The early 2000s research th...

TW: this episode includes discussions of eating disorders. 

What happens when millions of people watch you grow up online? How do you navigate change, love and making mistakes in front of a massive audience? And how do you rediscover your creativity after creating content about your life, becomes your job? In today's episode we talk to one of the original YouTube 'it-girls', Arden Rose, about early fame, body image, art a...

Why does it suddenly feel like everyone has a diagnosis? From ADHD and autism to anxiety, trauma, burnout, and depression - mental health language is everywhere right now. But are rates actually rising? Or are more people finally being seen after years of being overlooked, misread, or excluded from the stereotype? In this episode, we unpack the psychology, politics, and culture of diagnosis: how diagnostic criteria have changed, wh...

It can feel like the world - and our future - has never been more precarious or frightening. It’s a very normal response to feel anxious about it - and in many ways, being concerned is just a sign that you’re alive, switched on, and care about the what’s going on around you. But what happens when this anxiety becomes overwhelming, and we’re consumed by worry about the future? In this episode, we unpack:

&bul...

It’s not a hot take to say that most of us are incredibly addicted to our phones. But when our usage bleeds into full-blown ‘technoference’ - technology interference - there can be significant, harmful consequences. In this episode, we explore how phones can harm our friendships and romantic relationships, including:

•  How phones are replacing in-person interaction 
•  Why we can't hel...

We are bombarded with ideas about how we should look, behave, and be. But instead of trying to constantly strive for the societal ideal, we can cut through the noise another way - and that’s by cultivating self-love. The funny thing is, psychology actually shows us that the more confident and self-loving we are, the more attractive we become. It’s a win-win… if we can get there. Today, we're going to talk about h...

Your 20s are sold to you as the “best years of your life” - which is hilarious, considering how many of us spend them underpaid, overthinking, heartbroken, living in transitional housing, and finding a new identity every 6 months. So what does it actually mean to ‘romanticise your 20s’? In this episode, we break down romanticising as a real psychological skill - how your brain constructs meaning, why attenti...