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Ever stood at the edge of a cliff, balcony, or tall building and felt a sudden urge to jump—even though you're not suicidal? You're experiencing the High Place Phenomenon, and you're far from alone. In this extended deep dive, we explore the neuroscience behind this unsettling experience, why your brain creates these intrusive thoughts, and what it reveals about your survival instincts. We'll examine detailed case studies from climbers, bridge workers, and everyday people who've experienced this phenomenon, dive into the latest research on misinterpreted safety signals, and explore the connection between HPP and other forms of intrusive thinking. You'll learn practical protocols for managing these moments and understand why this experience might actually indicate good mental health rather than poor impulse control. This episode expands on our YouTube video with additional research, real-world applications, and the neuroscience your brain doesn't want you to know.

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If this episode resonated with you, take a moment to pause before moving on to the next thing. Burnout thrives on momentum without reflection.

New episodes explore the psychology of work, stress, identity, and recovery through research-backed insights—not hustle culture clichés. The goal is clarity, not motivation.

If you found value here, consider following the show and sharing this episode with someone who might need it. Conversations like these are how awareness starts—long before burnout becomes collapse.

You can also follow along on YouTube for upcoming episodes and related content:

https://www.youtube.com/@thepsychfilesyt

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Healing from trauma isn't just an emotional journey—it's a literal reconstruction project happening inside your brain. When you start therapy or attempt to change long-standing patterns, your brain doesn't just "let go" of the old wiring. Instead, it fights back. You might feel worse before you feel better—panic attacks intensify, old habits resurge, emotions you thought were buried come flooding back. This is the extinction burst, and it's not a sign you're failing. It's proof that your brain is rewiring itself. In this episode, we explore the neuroscience of neuroplasticity, why building new neural pathways is physically exhausting, the concept of "rupture before repair" in therapy, and why emotional release happens when safety is finally established. We break down real therapy case studies showing why the darkest part of the tunnel is actually the exit, and give you the "Pause, Don't Panic" technique to navigate healing setbacks without giving up.

Support the show

If this episode resonated with you, take a moment to pause before moving on to the next thing. Burnout thrives on momentum without reflection.

New episodes explore the psychology of work, stress, identity, and recovery through research-backed insights—not hustle culture clichés. The goal is clarity, not motivation.

If you found value here, consider following the show and sharing this episode with someone who might need it. Conversations like these are how awareness starts—long before burnout becomes collapse.

You can also follow along on YouTube for upcoming episodes and related content:

https://www.youtube.com/@thepsychfilesyt

Send us a text

Have you ever sat down to work, stared at a screen for an hour, and accomplished absolutely nothing—then blamed yourself for being lazy?

What if that wasn’t laziness at all?

In this episode, we dismantle one of the most damaging myths of modern productivity: that exhaustion is a personal failure. Drawing from decades of psychological and medical research, we explore how burnout actually unfolds—not as sudden collapse, but as a slow, invisible progression that most people don’t recognize until it’s too late.

Grounded in the original burnout research of psychologist Herbert Freudenberger, expanded by Gail North’s multi-stage model, and supported by the World Health Organization’s ICD-11 classification of burnout as an occupational phenomenon, this episode walks you through the five critical stages of burnout most people miss—starting with excessive motivation, not exhaustion.

You’ll learn:

• Why burnout often begins during your most “productive” phase
• How chronic stress rewires your nervous system to shut you down for protection
• Why irritability, numbness, and detachment are warning signs—not personality flaws
• How emotional emptiness leads to compulsive coping behaviors like doomscrolling and binge-watching
• Why total collapse is not weakness, but your body’s final safety mechanism

We also break down research from Christina Maslach’s Burnout Inventory, Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome, and the American Psychological Association’s findings that burnout has reached epidemic levels in the modern workforce.

Finally, you’ll hear a counterintuitive but science-backed recovery strategy: the “Do Nothing” rule—a radical shift away from productivity culture that allows your nervous system to reset before damage becomes permanent.

This episode is for high-functioning professionals, caregivers, educators, and driven people who feel stuck, empty, or chronically exhausted—and can’t understand why “trying harder” keeps making things worse.

You’re not lazy.
You’re burned out—and your body has been trying to tell you.

Support the show

If this episode resonated with you, take a moment to pause before moving on to the next thing. Burnout thrives on momentum without reflection.

New episodes explore the psychology of work, stress, identity, and recovery through research-backed insights—not hustle culture clichés. The goal is clarity, not motivation.

If you found value here, consider following the show and sharing this episode with someone who might need it. Conversations like these are how awareness starts—long before burnout becomes collapse.

You can also follow along on YouTube for upcoming episodes and related content:

https://www.youtube.com/@thepsychfilesyt