Young woman with mobile phone in hand. Internet addiction

Social Media Companies Harm Young People — Here’s The Evidence

Anxiety

Big Tech

Social Media

A young woman on Instagram holds up an armful of green blankets. Every time she feels stressed about the state of the world, she makes a leaf or moss blanket.
“As you can see,” the young woman <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMOjfJWR8nQ/?igsh=cTlvajd6bWY3aHA1">says</a>, referring to the mound in her arms, “the state of the world has not been great.&#8221;
A mother <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/06/health/climate-anxiety-therapy.html">describes</a> the wave of guilt and shame that floods her when she contemplates buying plastic-wrapped snacks at Trader Joe’s. College students in an exercise designed to help them create plans to achieve their goals <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2025/05/how-to-age-up-on-a-warming-planet/682762/">struggle</a> to envision anything but blankness or the apocalypse when picturing the future.
All around us, adults and children are struggling with their mental health after years of being bombarded with messages that a climate catastrophe is both inevitable and imminent. These feelings of dread and helplessness, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/17/gen-z-depression-anxiety-future-workforce">particularly</a> in the youngest generations, have inspired a new term: “climate” or “eco” anxiety.
Widespread climate anxiety is fueling the growth of a new specialty, with some psychologists building practices around treating the problem. Yet how to approach treatment has caused its own controversy. Mental health professionals like me are trained to keep our own views out of a counseling relationship. This would include offering any opinions about anthropogenic climate change. Other groups, such as climate activists, react poorly to viewing what they consider well-founded anxiety over climate as dysfunctional thinking.
But any thought patterns that inhibit daily functioning and contribute to depression, social withdrawal or distressing feelings need to be treated. In trying to raise awareness of a changing climate and potential implications, authority figures like teachers, topic experts and even hyperbolic climate news articles have gone too far.
Dr. Sarah Ray is the professor who <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2025/05/how-to-age-up-on-a-warming-planet/682762/">discovered</a> her students simply couldn’t envision a positive future. “It wasn’t just that they were living in a scary world,” she said. “It was that they were getting information about a scary world in a very particular way.”
The answer is to stop scaring people. Fear is rarely motivating. People have to feel as if they can make a change or a difference. Fear tactics only encourage feelings of helplessness and overwhelm, leading to avoidance and disconnection.
Adults must learn how to navigate these issues for their own improved mental health, as well as for effective parenting and education of the next generation. Teaching children about climate change has too often strayed from providing necessary information to dumping unfiltered fears on impressionable kids.
“It&#8217;s essential for adults to learn how to manage stress and anxiety in their own lives so we don&#8217;t pass it on to the next generation,” licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist Amy Morin said in <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/202408/10-reasons-todays-kids-are-more-anxious-than-ever">Psychology Today</a>.
This might look like building better habits, such as limiting exposure to articles about climate (stop doomscrolling).
Another technique used in cognitive behavioral therapy is redirecting attention from something distressing to something lovable as a step towards finding agency. For example, I am passionate about reducing landfill waste. When I feel afraid and angry about the size of trash piles in the ocean or how much garbage we export to other countries, I try to remember that the feelings are secondary emotions pointing to what I love. I care because I love my community and my country. I care about the world. I love my children, and I want them to inherit a planet that is healthier, not more diseased from human carelessness. I believe we are called to be good stewards.
I can’t teach my children those values by yelling at them for being wasteful or terrorizing them with scary photos, just as I can’t keep them from using drugs by enrolling them in DARE. Instead, I have to teach them to live for something beyond themselves, but also to know that while they can’t solve massive problems on their own, there is hope in performing small positive actions.
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If they are not overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem, they are better positioned to engage in the first place, individually and then in community. They will also be less vulnerable to misrepresentation of the facts if their ability to apply critical thinking is not shut down by the fear-triggered “fight, flight, or freeze” response of the amygdala in the brain. For example, instead of believing we should abandon fossil fuels, which would actually destabilize communities, they can evaluate the possibility of using technology to lessen their impact while pursuing more sustainable solutions.
Dr. Thomas Doherty has built a practice around helping people with climate anxiety. Along with coauthor Susan Clayton, they were among the first nearly 15 years ago <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-09485-003">to suggest</a> that climate change would have a psychological impact on people. After Portland experienced a high-pressure system called a “heat-dome” that sent temperatures soaring, one client asked Dr. Doherty if they were all doomed.
“Dr. Doherty listened quietly. Then he told her, choosing his words carefully, that the rate of climate change suggested by the data was not as swift as what she was envisioning.
‘In the future, even with worst-case scenarios, there will be good days,’ he <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/06/health/climate-anxiety-therapy.html">told</a> her, according to his notes. “‘Disasters will happen in certain places. But, around the world, there will be good days. Your children will also have good days.’”
Humans won’t be able to solve the problems we are facing if, in pursuit of gaining acknowledgement of serious problems, we believe and have taught our youngest generations that there is nothing to live for. Dr. Ray may have put it best.
“We just need better thoughts,” she <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2025/05/how-to-age-up-on-a-warming-planet/682762/">said</a>. “It’s not about 10 things you can do to save the planet. There’s a hundred million books out there. This is like 10 things you can think about to save the planet.”
Better thoughts can be practiced. In the next encounter with a dramatic headline about climate change, try to pause. Remember first that every climate news and opinion article today has one goal: to get a reader to click. Headlines are written with that sole aim in mind. Fear sells. Don’t fall for it. I tell my clients to notice their feelings, then to redirect their thoughts to what they love and the specific things they are practicing to stay true to their values. This will energize people to continue to be part of solutions rather than perpetuating a cycle of impotent fear.
* * *
Alysha Tagert, MSW, LICSW, is a mental health professional specializing in anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma and PTSD.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Youth Climate Strikes Break Out Across The U.S.

The Troubling Surge In ‘Climate Anxiety’ Therapy Among Young People

Young People And The Surge In 'Climate Anxiety' Therapy Sessions

Climate Change

Gen Z

Mental Health

Opinion

Psychology

Teenagers

Therapy

As a clinical psychologist, I help people find the words to express what they’re feeling. For most of my career, this was a straightforward process — mostly supporting clients with anxiety and relationship or career issues. But over the past few years, I’ve noticed a shift. More and more, clients arrive not just with anxiety — but with speech anxiety. They’re not afraid of public speaking. They’re afraid that voicing a viewpoint could harm others — or be interpreted as harm itself. 
 
We’re living in a cultural moment where phrases like “words are violence” have moved from the margins into the mainstream. The instinct behind the idea is understandable. It’s rooted in compassion and a desire to protect others from emotional pain. But as someone who works with people in distress, I can say this: equating speech with physical violence doesn’t foster safety. It fosters fragility — and avoidance of the very emotional tools we need to thrive. 
 
Yes, words can hurt. They can be cruel, dismissive, even traumatizing but to label words as violent collapses a crucial distinction. Physical violence is something we’re biologically wired to avoid at all costs. It triggers a primal response — fight, flight, freeze — that can be lifesaving, in the right context. But when we teach people to respond to challenging conversations as if they’re being physically attacked, we inadvertently hijack that same physiological stress response. We turn everyday discomfort into a perceived emergency. 
 
This distinction isn’t just philosophical — it’s embedded in clinical ethics. As a licensed psychologist, I’m legally required to break confidentiality if a client discloses an imminent threat of physical violence. But if a client tells me they plan to say something rude, offensive, or even hateful, I’m not only permitted to keep that information confidential — I’m obligated to do so. That’s because speech and violence are fundamentally different categories of concern. One may call for a conversation. The other may call for an intervention. Blurring that boundary in everyday life creates confusion, not clarity. 
 
This can lead to serious emotional fallout. Clients tell me they’ve ended friendships, distanced themselves from family, or left jobs because of political or social disagreements that they once would have handled with a spirited discussion. They often say they feel “unsafe” around people with differing views — not because of any actual threat, but because of what those views might represent. That interpretation leads not to empowerment, but to chronic anxiety. 
 
Over time, this kind of hypervigilance doesn’t just shape relationships, it reshapes the self. In therapy, I see people move through the classic defense mechanisms we’re trained to watch for: suppression, repression, and denial. Suppression is when you’re aware of a thought or feeling but actively push it down. Repression is when the mind buries those thoughts so deeply that you’re no longer even conscious of them. Denial occurs when a person distorts their view of reality to avoid an uncomfortable truth. 
 
When people feel they must stifle their thoughts or language to remain socially acceptable, suppression is often the first step. But if suppression becomes a habit, it can slide into repression — people lose access to parts of themselves. Eventually, they may engage in denial: reframing a difficult relationship or viewpoint not as a difference of opinion, but as a danger to be avoided. From a mental health standpoint, this is where we start to see symptoms escalate — more anxiety, more relational conflict, and a diminished capacity to process emotions with nuance. 
 
This dynamic also connects to a broader societal trend. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37792968/">declared loneliness</a> a public health epidemic. We are more digitally connected than ever — and yet we feel increasingly cut off. That’s partly because people are afraid to express themselves authentically. If you’re always editing what you say — or editing who you are — you’re not really connecting. You’re performing. And performance doesn’t build intimacy. 
 
The goal isn’t to dismiss emotional pain or encourage rudeness. Psychological abuse is real, and words can leave deep scars. But we must be careful not to overextend the concept of harm to the point where disagreement feels dangerous. When that happens, people don’t just walk away from conflict — they walk away from each other. 
 
We also risk missing the bigger picture: that open dialogue is one of the most effective tools we have for growth, both individually and socially. Research in conflict resolution shows that meaningful change often begins with conversation — not censorship. Even in extreme cases — such as hate group de-radicalization — studies repeatedly show that dialogue, not silence, is what moves people out of entrenched thinking. 
 
What we need now is a more balanced framework — one that acknowledges the emotional impact of speech without mistaking it for physical harm. We should be equipping people with emotional skills: the ability to tolerate discomfort, name their feelings, and respond with clarity instead of retreating in fear. These are the building blocks of psychological resilience and they’re far more protective than trying to sanitize the world of anything potentially upsetting. 
 
In my work, I’ve seen that when people stop fearing their own voices — and stop fearing others’ — they grow stronger. They communicate better. They form deeper, more authentic relationships. That doesn’t happen when we treat words like weapons. It happens when we remember what words are for: understanding, connection, and sometimes, respectful disagreement. 
 
Words can hurt. But they can also heal. Let’s not confuse one for the other — because when we do, we risk losing the ability to use language as the powerful, human tool it’s meant to be.
* * *
Dr. Chloe Carmichael is a clinical psychologist, USA Today bestselling author of &#8220;Nervous Energy,&#8221; and a visiting fellow at Independent Women. Her <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/151078490X/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_apa_gl_i_BPB78R7NVWK0ZVAJQ088?linkCode=ml1&amp;tag=ivba-20">upcoming book</a> &#8220;Can I Say That? Why Free Speech Matters and How to Use It Fearlessly&#8221; (Skyhorse, Nov. 2025) explores the mental health benefits of open dialogue and the costs of self-censorship.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Medium shot of businessman discussing project with colleague

Words Are Not Violence And Here’s Why That Matters

Free Speech

Hate Speech

Violence

Woke Culture

Pedro Pascal is everywhere right now: on TV, in movies, and, if a female co-star is nearby, all over her.
Though he’s been lauded by Hollywood for years as the new standard of a leading male — sensitive, progressive, charming — Pascal&#8217;s behavior on the “Fantastic Four: First Steps&#8221; press tour has even his most fervent fans questioning his motives. The “Gladiator II” star is constantly caressing his pregnant co-star, Vanessa Kirby. Whether <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@vanityfair/video/7529742724388375838" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rubbing</a> her stomach or <a href="https://x.com/pascalarchive/status/1817428835173863626" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stroking her arm</a> until she takes his hand, Pascal seems to always be touching the 37-year-old English actress.
In the post-MeToo era, Pascal’s behavior is bound to raise some eyebrows. But to hear him tell it, it’s ok. He’s not creepy. He’s just anxious.
Though Pascal has not specifically commented on this, the claim that he requires physical touch to calm his anxiety while appearing in public has widely circulated on social media.
Pascal famously <a href="https://people.com/style/pedro-pascal-tells-bella-ramsey-his-frequent-red-carpet-pose-is-to-curb-his-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discussed</a> his anxiety in a 2023 interview alongside his “The Last of Us” co-star Bella Ramsey. Placing a hand on his stomach, Pascal told the crowd, “My anxiety is right there.” The clip, and others like it, endeared Pascal to fans, reinforcing the image of a sensitive, self-aware leading man who stood in stark contrast to the “toxic masculinity” that Hollywood had begun to revile.
But Pascal’s penchant for squeezing and rubbing Kirby — who is in a relationship with Professional Lacrosse League co-founder Paul Rabil — has fans rethinking whether the actor is really as sensitive and nontoxic as they thought.
Things have become so dire that some of Pascal’s most vocal supporters now claim he is the target of a smear campaign due to his vocal support of transgender rights. Regardless, the tomcat may be out of the bag. Internet sleuths seem to uncover a new video of Pascal’s red-carpet affections every day. Now, Hollywood’s favorite sensitive star is at the center of a conversation about boundaries, mental health, and whether an anxiety diagnosis could potentially be used as a free pass for inappropriate behavior.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Andrew Hartz, founder and president of the <a href="https://www.opentherapyinstitute.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Open Therapy Institute</a>, spoke with The Daily Wire about the Pascal drama and how mental health is treated in this country more broadly.
“I think I have two initial thoughts about it,” Hartz said of Pascal’s situation. “One is that if somebody has anxiety, it doesn&#8217;t negate your need for personal boundaries.”
“Whether they have anxiety or any mental illness [it’s important] to have personal boundaries about what you&#8217;re comfortable with,” he explained. “And so I think it&#8217;s important to keep that in mind. Regardless of whatever diagnosis he may or may not have, it&#8217;s totally legitimate — and I think important — for other people to set boundaries about what they&#8217;re comfortable with.”
That might seem like common sense, but these lines are crossed all the time, especially when a mental health label is introduced. When asked if using anxiety as an explanation might lead to people excusing otherwise boundary-crossing behavior, Hartz didn’t mince words.
“I&#8217;m really skeptical about these attempts to treat anxiety by accommodating it in particular,” he said. “A lot of times, when you accommodate anxiety, it makes it worse. Like, if you have a fear of elevators, and so you take the stairs instead, what will happen is you&#8217;ll kind of get &#8230; a dopamine hit for taking the stairs because your anxiety goes down. And the elevator gets scarier.”
“So honestly, the more you avoid and use these safety behaviors to cope with anxiety, it can make it worse,” he continued. “I don&#8217;t know of any treatment for anxiety that encourages behaviors like that.”
So, what would actual treatment look like?
“Depending on what the anxiety is — it sounds like [for Pascal] it&#8217;s like a social anxiety — the most effective treatments are exposure, where you&#8217;re exposed to your anxiety without the safety behaviors over time, so that you learn to tolerate it,” Hartz said. “And these other behaviors, not exposing yourself to that and avoiding that, could potentially make it worse and even lead it to generalize.”
It’s not just about ineffective coping, either. There’s also the matter of accountability. Pascal’s defenders, including some of his co-stars, may appear to be fine with it. But what happens when someone isn’t?
“Even whoever he&#8217;s touching, they need to be able to consent based on what they&#8217;re comfortable with,” Hartz said. “And so if they&#8217;re not comfortable with it, his label doesn&#8217;t matter. So I don&#8217;t know if maybe using the label leads people to let their boundaries be violated in ways that they wouldn&#8217;t otherwise allow, which is not healthy.”
In other words, labeling yourself as anxious doesn’t give you a license to touch people who haven’t clearly consented, and shouldn’t make a person more likely to consent based on that diagnosis.
Hartz also pointed to a deeper cultural shift in how mental health is discussed and how some public figures, intentionally or not, may be using diagnoses as a way to shield themselves from criticism or scrutiny.
“The whole reason that the diagnostic labels exist is so that people can get evidence-based treatments,” he said. “So it&#8217;s interesting the way that diagnostic labels have [become] seen as permanent traits of an identity.”
“It&#8217;s so strange because it&#8217;s like the whole reason you have the label is so that you can effectively treat it and not have those symptoms anymore. Not to say, ‘This is who you are, a person with anxiety forever,’ and everybody needs to accommodate.”
“It&#8217;s really strange the way these labels, I think especially on social media, have taken on a life of their own,” he added. “It’s almost like they&#8217;re a permanent, unchanging part of somebody&#8217;s identity as opposed to like a tool for clinicians to help address problems.”
Hartz’s bottom line was clear: “If you have an anxiety disorder, get treatment. That&#8217;s what I would say.”
In a culture that increasingly elevates mental health awareness, it’s also worth asking whether some public figures are hiding behind the language of self-care to excuse behavior that, in another context, might be seen as intrusive or even predatory.
Pascal may see his actions as harmless. But as Hartz said, “The reason why the labels exist is to help treatments develop where people… can get over the symptoms, not so that everybody else in society accommodates.”
In summary: Anxiety is real, but so are boundaries. And one doesn’t cancel out the other.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps World Premiere

Touchy Subject: Does ‘Anxiety’ Justify Pedro Pascal Getting Handsy With His Pregnant Co-Star?

Hollywod

Marvel

MeToo

Pedro Pascal

In the fifth and final episode of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/dr-jordan-b-peterson-on-depression-anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Depression &amp; Anxiety</a>,” Dr. Jordan B. Peterson hones in on the topics of identity and the future. The seriousness and gravity of the subjects he discusses in “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/reconstructing-the-future-you" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reconstructing The Future You</a>” match the black-and-white cast of the production, but Peterson’s demeanor brings light to the episode. Posed with information to divulge, he begins, “One of the things that’s come up recently on the political front is this idea that psychotherapeutic care, and medical care for that matter, should be identity affirming. And this is absolutely 100% preposterous.”
Yet this is not a claim he avoids extrapolating. Peterson goes on to explain there are questions that should be asked with regard to identity affirmation: What do you mean by identity? How should identity be properly measured? What is the proper role of a therapist in relation to identity? As a licensed clinical psychologist, Peterson knows the ethical requirements by which therapists are bound. They are not to rely on the reports of sporadic emotion, as doing so violates ethical clinical care. Rather, therapists are to explore identity with their clients.
Such an initiative becomes one of elaboration of identity. Exploring identity is an undertaking a therapist engages in with their client by asking: Who are you? Peterson explains that might involve walking through your whole life: “Where did you come from? Who are you now? Where are you going?” Past, present, and future are all the parts of the whole.
Peterson explains the point of therapy in the context of this episode and the discussion of identity, but he makes a statement that applies to therapy at large: “We’re here so that things can be better for you, and we’re going to explore what ‘better’ means because that’s, in some ways, something you have to determine — conceivably in consultation with me because we’re trying to solve the problem. But you have to define what ‘better’ is.” Again, Peterson provides an element of hope, a running theme throughout this series.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/dr-jordan-b-peterson-on-depression-anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: DR. JORDAN B. PETERSON’S SERIES, “DEPRESSION &amp; ANXIETY,” ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
While Peterson addresses that what you feel moment-to-moment is not incontrovertibly correct, he also explains the importance of developing the skills to discern what is true with regard to identity — and getting the story straight. A therapist can help people confront the traumas of their past, and writing about such trauma, though difficult, proves helpful and predicts improvement. People are able to figure out why and how they might avoid it again in the future.
But it is your future self that Peterson leads to in the conclusion of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/dr-jordan-b-peterson-on-depression-anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Depression &amp; Anxiety</a>.” For years, Peterson has taught on the subject and necessity of aiming up, advocating that we should each do what we can in the confines of our own life in the unlimited expanse of the opportunity of our own lives to aim up. He reiterates this in his concluding episode, saying, “We’re aiming to make things better. I’m on the side of you that wants things to be better, so I&#8217;m an advocate for that — whatever that is. I’m an advocate for that, that part of your identity.” It is the betterment of lives that Peterson continually strives to impress upon his viewers, though it is not an undertaking to pursue without effort.
He explains this to be part of the true essence of effective psychotherapy. Genuine growth does not come from simple affirmation, as growth is by no means “simple.” It requires exploration, reconstruction, and meticulous attention to details of your own life, but it is a task that will lead to a future self worth pursuing.

3GREGORYWOODMAN_DW_GREECE2022020

The Destruction Of Identity-Affirming Psychotherapy And Advocating For Your Future Self

Depression

Jordan B. Peterson

Seated, poised, and intent, Dr. Jordan B. Peterson begins “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/a-roadmap-to-treatment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Roadmap to Treatment</a>,” the fourth episode of his new series with DailyWire+, asking a pointed question: “What are you afraid of?”
Recalling the seven different domains of life he addressed earlier in “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/dr-jordan-b-peterson-on-depression-anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Depression &amp; Anxiety</a>,” Peterson encourages viewers to challenge themselves by identifying their self-induced blockade. “What are you doing wrong that’s stopping you?” he follows. Then, with a slight softening in tone, he says again, “Ask yourself: Why are you so afraid?” He reassures viewers not to be too judgemental or harsh; objective identification is the first step.
Peterson posits examples of fears the viewer might pinpoint. At first glance, these fears might seem offhandedly offered; however, with even a modicum more of examination, his examples come to light through the knowing mind of an experienced clinical psychologist. “I’m afraid that I’m a fool. I’m afraid I can’t learn. I’m afraid no one will want me. I’m afraid of getting rejected. I’m afraid I’ll make a fool of myself in the interview.”
These are common fears, yet they often go unspoken and remain unrecognized. By stating them, calling attention to them, Peterson takes fears that may seem isolating to the viewer and shows them to be universal. There is comfort in knowing these are not exclusive. By naming them, Peterson calls the viewer out of isolation.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/dr-jordan-b-peterson-on-depression-anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH DR. JORDAN B. PETERSON’S SERIES, “DEPRESSION &amp; ANXIETY,” ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
But it is his practical approach through what has perhaps been paralyzing fears that leads viewers to make progress. One massive fear becomes 30 micro problems — and confronting one is achievable. He acknowledges it must be one you could face and are willing to face. “Pick any one you want,” he says. “Make some progress.” This begins the process of progress.
Transitioning from the topic of “what you want,” Peterson moves on to “where you come from.” The purpose of psychotherapy is to define both areas, a process he emulates in this series. Confronting the “terrible things [that] happened to you in the past that you haven’t dealt with that you’re still afraid of” is part of that process. Peterson contends that memories often come back to people as though the memory is making the decision of when it will appear. They are powerful. But shifting the relationship between a person and a memory is possible, a shift he teaches how to induce.
“Rather than the memory grabbing you, you grab the memory. If you do it voluntarily, you’re a different person when you do it.” For those who experience the hold that memories take, such a shift is empowering. The idea of reconstructing a narrative is empowering and purposeful. By walking through your past and developing a vision of the future, reconstruction of narrative becomes possible — and it is possible.
Calling back to the beginning of “Depression &amp; Anxiety” once again, Peterson names the third reason for therapy: assertiveness training. Having first covered <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/back-to-his-roots-peterson-translates-clinical-research-into-practical-steps-for-healing-in-series" target="_blank" rel="noopener">depression and anxiety</a> (the preceding two reasons), he explains assertiveness training as a need for people who are often too nice. Again, with straightforwardness, Peterson levels with his viewers, asserting that avoiding conflict and doing everything for everyone else can lead to bitterness and resentfulness.
But such a scenario is not without hope, the hope being cognitive reconstructions. In the example he provides — a wife who is afraid to talk to her husband — Peterson explains how to put forward a concern and negotiate a need. Knowingly, he recognizes nuanced problems — not easily perceived, even by the negotiator — that will stand in the way of a resolution. He counters with an effective strategy, one which requires clarity, vulnerability, and articulation. Though potentially daunting, Peterson presents this as possible and obtainable. With each hurdle, he provides imminent hope.
In the latter portion of this episode, Peterson establishes and describes the rewards that come from self-reflective, proactive progress made in one’s life. Alongside those rewards, he pinpoints even small initiatives that have lasting effects. “When someone around you makes things better, acknowledge that — but do not do it to manipulate. There is nothing about this that is not positive. Do this to yourself too. Pat yourself on the back,” he encourages.
But are the long-term rewards associated with therapy worth the arduous effort required? Peterson leaves viewers with no doubt: Most assuredly, they are. With the most insightful of practical approaches, he heartens viewers&#8217; perspectives and carves a pathway to treatment.

The Self-styled “Professor Against Political Correctness” Jordan Peterson Speaks To The Cambridge Union

Overcoming Fear That Cripples: Peterson Offers A Way Out For Those Suffering From Anxiety

DailyWire+

Jordan Peterson

With subdued alacrity, Dr. Jordan B. Peterson closes “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/the-trap-of-catastrophizing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Trap of Catastrophizing</a>,” the second of five episodes of his new series alongside DailyWire+ “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/dr-jordan-b-peterson-on-depression-anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Depression &amp; Anxiety</a>,” with thoughts on freedom at the individual level.
True to form, Peterson speaks as an existentialist, reasoning that a bounded environment of choice protects against the danger of drowning in chaos while, at the same time, creating a reasonable structure with an appropriate level of decision-making capabilities. In other words, the best scenario for any human is one in which you are free to make choices at the level of which you are capable.
The third episode, “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/exposure-therapy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Exposure Therapy</a>,” transitions from the topic of negative emotion to that of positive emotion. “We talked about the amelioration of negative emotion. We can also talk about the facilitation of positive emotion,” Peterson begins. Once someone moves toward even the smallest of goals — micro goals which contribute to a person’s life goals at large — any advancement toward accomplishment activates the positive emotion system. The idea is, according to Peterson, that your brain takes note of your productivity and rewards you with a “kick” of positive emotion.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/dr-jordan-b-peterson-on-depression-anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH DR. JORDAN B. PETERSON&#8217;S SERIES, &#8220;DEPRESSION &amp; ANXIETY,&#8221; ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
But as Peterson makes clear, this is more than an idea; it is a fact of neuroscience. Yet it is a fact he does not jargonize to the point of effectively losing his audience. (After all, not many men could tour the world giving philosophical lectures that draw audiences of thousands.) Peterson captivates his viewers, yes, but the reason for such captivation is his defining feature in this series: explaining scientifically accurate information in an understandable manner, a practice he seems to have honed when writing his 2018 book “12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos.”
Published in 1999, Peterson’s first work, “Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief,” totals 564 pages and ranks in genres of behavioral psychology, medical general psychology, and cognitive psychology. It is a book to be tackled in academic spheres. Almost 20 years later, he authored “12 Rules for Life,” where he outlines precisely 12 practical rules by which to live. Rule six, “Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world,” is a reminder as to why we may need a reframing of perspective, a strategy Peterson incorporates in “Depression &amp; Anxiety,” by reframing both internalizing disorders with a goal of helping people.
This particular rule comes to mind as Peterson gives an example of a micro goal (emphasis on “micro”) that is capable of reinstating the positive emotion system. “Imagine you make a micro goal and the goal might be: This month I am going to clean up my room. So, the first thing you do is organize your sock drawer,” he offers. After pilfering through 30 pairs of socks, deciding which to trash, and fighting off the compulsion to keep them, progress is made.
Peterson explains the brain’s neurochemical influence, and then — true to his own eighth rule, “Tell the truth—or, at least, don’t lie” — Peterson does not mince words, stating that growth is the best option because “it is either that or stasis or death.” But as straightforward as Peterson’s words are, he meets the viewer where they are, empathically acknowledging that even organizing a sock drawer “is harder than it sounds.”
It is Peterson’s explanation of exposure therapy that cinches this episode’s absolute merit. What does exposure have to do with anxiety? Fear. Exposure therapy is the use of voluntary confrontation with challenges. In an example Peterson shares, a woman who is experiencing an anxiety disorder and barely able to leave her house is additionally petrified of elevators. Through exposure therapy, as described by Peterson, she overcomes her fear — but it is fear at the core of her paralysis.
Though exposure therapy must be engaged carefully, Peterson knows it works “because it’s thinking, and thinking works.” Usually people come to the understanding they are less afraid than they thought, and Peterson further claims, “There’s no difference between exposure therapy and learning.”
Peterson does not simply convey information in this series; he makes it accessible. He does not sit posed as a cavalier therapist; he empathizes with viewers, metaphorically reaching across the table with sincerity.
“You think it’s trivial,” Peterson concludes, adding, “No it’s not. It’s death and humiliation and insufficiency in the face of those things — and you’re practicing overcoming it.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/dr-jordan-b-peterson-on-depression-anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH DR. JORDAN B. PETERSON&#8217;S SERIES, &#8220;DEPRESSION &amp; ANXIETY,&#8221; ON DAILYWIRE+</a>

JODRAN_PETERSON11

Back To His Roots: Peterson Translates Clinical Research Into Practical Steps For Healing In Series

The following is a transcript excerpt from Dr. Jordan Peterson’s “Depression &amp; Anxiety.” In this segment, he addresses the facilitation of positive emotion, the brain’s neurochemical influence with an example of a micro goal, and the acquisition of skills versus counterproductive micro conceptions in relation to depression. Dr. Peterson’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/watch/jordan-peterson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extensive catalog</a> is available on DailyWire+.
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We <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/on-depression-and-anxiety-specifying-the-nature-of-the-problem" target="_blank" rel="noopener">talked about</a> the amelioration of negative emotion. We can also talk about the facilitation of positive emotion. If you break down a person&#8217;s goals into different domains, you can establish micro goals. Then, as people observe themselves moving positively toward the accomplishment of micro goals, their positive emotion systems start to turn back on.
Imagine you make a micro goal and the goal might be: This month I am going to clean up my room. So, the first thing you do is organize your sock drawer, which is harder than it sounds because maybe you have 30 pairs of socks in there that you have had for 10 years. Some of them are ratty, a lot are not stylish, some are uncomfortable, and you have to take them out of the drawer. Then, you have to try them all on, and you have to make the difficult decision about when a pair of socks is a little too ratty to keep. And you have to contend with your obsessive compulsive disorder while you are doing that, a disorder that might make you want to hoard. It is not that easy. 
But if you see yourself doing it and you make a little progress, then your brain marks that progress by producing dopamine. Dopamine is the fundamental chemical that mediates the kind of positive emotion that makes people feel alive and hopeful. It is that drug, by the way, that is made manifest in excess by drugs like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine — all the drugs of abuse that people take to get stimulated. They are all dopaminergic. 
So the dopamine system gives you a little kick and signals, “Yes, that was good.” Then you might think, “What is that kick?” Well, it is a sign that you should do more of that. But that is not all that dopamine does neurochemically. 
Imagine there is a sequence of neurons that were activated as you were progressing toward the successful implementation of that goal. The dopamine makes those neurons grow — either proliferate more, develop more connections, or the connections get thicker. That means those things you did successfully are more likely to become part of you and to manifest themselves in the future, and that is growth. You feel that positively, and it is literal growth. It is biological growth. You think, “We&#8217;re moving toward growth.” It is either that or stasis or death. 
By setting up these micro goals in relationship to broader goals, then you can activate the positive emotion system, and that’s anti-depressant. My online <a href="https://www.selfauthoring.com/?gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwr9m3BhDHARIsANut04bdBE8TQtfWcVzRZ-QsNpm8-BKN3B-oGj_0VhHLVm_U8Y66tWcU148aAnyjEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">self-authoring program</a> helps people get their story straight. Getting a story straight occurs by laying out the past, laying out the present, laying out the future, figuring out what skills to develop, coming up with a strategy for the development of the skills, and laying out a vision of goals. All of that is anti-depressant in the most fundamental sense.
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/dr-jordan-b-peterson-on-depression-anxiety">WATCH: Dr. Jordan B. Peterson on Depression and Anxiety on DailyWire+</a></h4>
Then it is possible, too, that if you are in dire straits and you have a health problem that is associated with depression, that an antidepressant can help with this to get the ball rolling. As I said, if you have a life, sometimes the antidepressant can be quite effective, although that does not necessarily mean it is addressing the underlying cause of the depression, which is often very difficult to specify. But it is better than being paralyzed into inability and suffering terribly despite the fact that you actually have your life together. 
If you do not have your life together, then you can do the process of decomposition (that I just described) and start making incremental movement toward putting each of those domains in order and putting yourself in order in that manner. That will constrain your anxiety and your suffering, and facilitate positive emotion. That is a big part of psychotherapy, all of that — on the biochemical front and also on the behavioral and practical front.
The cognitive behaviorists would concentrate more on re-structuring your conceptual schema. For example, maybe you are talking to someone who is intellectually arrogant but unemployed because they feel that an entry level job is beneath them. You might investigate that by asking: 
<blockquote>Beneath what, exactly? Beneath your intellectual pride? Do you have a better option? Maybe you are conceptualizing the workplace inappropriately, in a manner that is counterproductive with regards to your own stated goals. So you want to be alone and isolated, miserable, unproductive, and non-generous? Or do you want to get the ball rolling?
I guess I want to get the ball rolling.
Are you willing to start at the beginning?
Well, no, I think I should start at the top.</blockquote>
There is a problem in your conceptual scheme because no one is going to put you at the top, and you should not even be there. You do not want to set yourself up for failure. You might as well start somewhere you can start. And that is cognitive modification in some sense. It is the retooling of the categories that the person is using to interact with the world.
Behavioral therapies concentrate on the acquisition of the actual skills. Cognitive therapists deal with the micro conceptions that might be counterproductive. You can see some of those in depression.
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<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/defining-depression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: Dr. Jordan B. Peterson on Depression and Anxiety on DailyWire+</a></h4>
<a href="https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr. Jordan B. Peterson</a> is a clinical psychologist and professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. From 1993 to 1998 he served as assistant and then associate professor of psychology at Harvard. He is the international bestselling author of “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Maps-Meaning-Architecture-Jordan-Peterson/dp/0415922216/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maps of Meaning</a>,” “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/12-Rules-Life-Antidote-Chaos/dp/0345816021/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">12 Rules For Life,</a>” and “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Order-More-Rules-Life/dp/0593084640/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;dib_tag=AUTHOR&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.nbV0WtVit9busCddbjMST-Oe7hjueQrxfqnQ4L3HXXUFdIaqlEBr0sp9HQWIq9ut9NlHDAFA0YQoDWVZfDtKNJI7VvlzWv2rMhs2KcAAIIppPRMWq4GIiFerkrssvBABAjeKlg3OFs3H8IHs5D8ktJ5uBg3K-SZ4hpKltaKkrhY6j-RKn-tTkBz29JZXP3Rhm9SB14rHUX1nol5d4z4Fi6f8fwhxXWCVGgkvOHSqG6E.iVF1NljuBEwrpumO9rQBh9FotnzaIo4K7K8HvNnC46k&amp;qid=&amp;sr=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beyond Order.</a>” You can now <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/the-jordan-b-peterson-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listen to</a> or <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/watch/jordan-peterson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">watch</a> his popular lectures on DailyWire+.
Be sure to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Who-Wrestle-God-Jordan-Peterson/dp/0593542533/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_w=38kcw&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.f911c8db-3a2b-4b3e-952f-b80fdcee83f4&amp;pf_rd_p=f911c8db-3a2b-4b3e-952f-b80fdcee83f4&amp;pf_rd_r=133-1833056-3520340&amp;pd_rd_wg=3zvBk&amp;pd_rd_r=93a1419a-853b-4c49-a764-cbaa90d3073a&amp;ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PRE-ORDER</a> Dr. Peterson’s newest book: “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Who-Wrestle-God-Jordan-Peterson/dp/0593542533/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_w=38kcw&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.f911c8db-3a2b-4b3e-952f-b80fdcee83f4&amp;pf_rd_p=f911c8db-3a2b-4b3e-952f-b80fdcee83f4&amp;pf_rd_r=133-1833056-3520340&amp;pd_rd_wg=3zvBk&amp;pd_rd_r=93a1419a-853b-4c49-a764-cbaa90d3073a&amp;ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We Who Wrestle with God</a>” (Portfolio/Penguin. November 19, 2024.)
The views expressed in the series “Depression and Anxiety” are presented for educational and informational purposes and are not intended a medical or psychological advice.
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On Depression And Anxiety: How Micro Goals Facilitate Positive Emotion

The following is a transcript excerpt from Dr. Jordan Peterson’s “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/defining-depression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Depression &amp; Anxiety</a>.” In this segment, he defines depression, addresses the difference between being depressed and having a terrible life, acknowledges the proper treatment for depression, and outlines how meaningful life pursuits can stave off negative emotion and create a good life. Dr. Peterson’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/watch/jordan-peterson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extensive catalog</a> is available on DailyWire+.
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Generally, when people come to see a psychotherapist, they do it for one of three reasons. They&#8217;re either depressed or they&#8217;re anxious or some combination of the two, or they don&#8217;t do a particularly good job of standing up for themselves, in which case they need what&#8217;s often called assertiveness training. We&#8217;ll walk through all of those, but we&#8217;ll start with depression.
So what is depression exactly? Well, it&#8217;s a preponderance of negative emotion, which seems self-evident. Depressed people are sad and frustrated and disappointed and grief-stricken. They have low self-esteem. They tend to feel all negative emotions simultaneously in a manner that&#8217;s paralyzing. If you have the proclivity to feel one negative emotion more intensely, you have the proclivity to feel them all because they covary, which means they tend to occur together.
That&#8217;s because all negative emotions are the manifestation of the abstraction of a behavioral system that stops you from moving forward or moves you backwards or, in another variant, prepares you to fight. (Anger is a mix of positive and negative emotion, so it&#8217;s a bit more complicated.) If you feel a preponderance of negative emotions, you tend to be paralyzed and to withdraw, to be frozen in place and to withdraw.
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/defining-depression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: Dr. Jordan B. Peterson on Depression and Anxiety on DailyWire+</a></h4>
Now, if you&#8217;re depressed, you also experience an absence of positive emotion. Positive emotion is linked to movement forward, and it manifests itself in curiosity and the desire to play, and more particularly, in hope. It makes itself known as a marker that you&#8217;re moving toward valuable goals. Depression takes you out in a sense such that you don&#8217;t feel any positive emotion in relationship to goals; nothing seems worthwhile, which is the absence of goals, and it also floods you with negative emotion.
Treatment for depression — pharmacologically or behaviorally, psychologically — can address either the deficit of positive emotion, the excessive negative emotion, or both. Antidepressants, known as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tend to modulate the degree to which negative emotion propagates neurologically. Antidepressants, like Bupropion or Wellbutrin, tend to increase the probability that positive emotion will make itself manifest. Sometimes people who are treated biochemically for depression are treated with SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and with drugs like Wellbutrin. (There are mixed antidepressants.)
Because antidepressants work upon occasion, people also tend to think or make the claim that depression is fundamentally a biochemical disorder. That begs the question, what do you mean by fundamentally and what do you mean by biochemical? The situation is much more complex than the mere reduction of the condition to a biochemical abnormality might indicate.
When I was doing differential diagnosis for depression — differential diagnosis means specifying the nature of the problem, distinguishing it from other similar problems, and then formulating something approximating a treatment plan — one of the things I tried to determine as a good behaviorist was whether the person who was suffering a dearth of positive emotion and an excess of negative emotion was suffering because they were ill in this strictly physiological sense, which might also mean that something had gone wrong biochemically with, for example, the serotonin production system, or whether they were suffering from the cumulative micro and macro catastrophes of life.
One question might be, are you depressed or do you just have a terrible life? Although this hasn&#8217;t been well delineated in the research literature because the diagnoses aren&#8217;t done carefully enough, my belief and strong intuition, which makes sense theoretically and biochemically as well, is that antidepressants often work quite well for people who don&#8217;t have terrible lives but are depressed.
Whereas for people who have terrible lives, anti-depressants might help them stave off the worst manifestation of suicidal self-destruction but can&#8217;t put in place the behavioral and psychological structures that are necessarily put in place in order for them to thrive, in order for them to be buttressed against negative emotion, which is generally manifest in response to genuine crisis and to help them gather this sense of positive movement toward a goal that might be necessary to live in the absence of depression.
So you could say to have a good life and therefore not to be depressed, you need a goal, and maybe you need an overarching goal, and maybe you need an overarching goal that unites all the impulsive goals that might otherwise preoccupy you. You need to have enough stability in your immediate environment and your near conception so that you&#8217;re not flooded with anxiety and negative emotion.
How might you understand that in a more differentiated manner if you were trying to address your own proclivity for depression? You need to be engaged in some meaningful life pursuits. You need to know what to do with your life. You need to have some day-to-day routines. You need to be engaged in something that is productive and can sustain you and that simultaneously makes you grow.
Then you might ask more concretely, what might you engage in if you wanted to set your life up so that you were not depressed and nihilistic? One answer to that is, you could look for meaning and significance where other people have found it.
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<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/defining-depression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: Dr. Jordan B. Peterson on Depression and Anxiety on DailyWire+</a></h4>
<a href="https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr. Jordan B. Peterson</a> is a clinical psychologist and professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. From 1993 to 1998 he served as assistant and then associate professor of psychology at Harvard. He is the international bestselling author of “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Maps-Meaning-Architecture-Jordan-Peterson/dp/0415922216/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maps of Meaning</a>,” “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/12-Rules-Life-Antidote-Chaos/dp/0345816021/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">12 Rules For Life,</a>” and “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Order-More-Rules-Life/dp/0593084640/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;dib_tag=AUTHOR&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.nbV0WtVit9busCddbjMST-Oe7hjueQrxfqnQ4L3HXXUFdIaqlEBr0sp9HQWIq9ut9NlHDAFA0YQoDWVZfDtKNJI7VvlzWv2rMhs2KcAAIIppPRMWq4GIiFerkrssvBABAjeKlg3OFs3H8IHs5D8ktJ5uBg3K-SZ4hpKltaKkrhY6j-RKn-tTkBz29JZXP3Rhm9SB14rHUX1nol5d4z4Fi6f8fwhxXWCVGgkvOHSqG6E.iVF1NljuBEwrpumO9rQBh9FotnzaIo4K7K8HvNnC46k&amp;qid=&amp;sr=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beyond Order.</a>” You can now <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/the-jordan-b-peterson-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listen to</a> or <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/watch/jordan-peterson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">watch</a> his popular lectures on DailyWire+.
Be sure to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Who-Wrestle-God-Jordan-Peterson/dp/0593542533/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_w=38kcw&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.f911c8db-3a2b-4b3e-952f-b80fdcee83f4&amp;pf_rd_p=f911c8db-3a2b-4b3e-952f-b80fdcee83f4&amp;pf_rd_r=133-1833056-3520340&amp;pd_rd_wg=3zvBk&amp;pd_rd_r=93a1419a-853b-4c49-a764-cbaa90d3073a&amp;ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PRE-ORDER</a> Dr. Peterson’s newest book: “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Who-Wrestle-God-Jordan-Peterson/dp/0593542533/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_w=38kcw&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.f911c8db-3a2b-4b3e-952f-b80fdcee83f4&amp;pf_rd_p=f911c8db-3a2b-4b3e-952f-b80fdcee83f4&amp;pf_rd_r=133-1833056-3520340&amp;pd_rd_wg=3zvBk&amp;pd_rd_r=93a1419a-853b-4c49-a764-cbaa90d3073a&amp;ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We Who Wrestle with God</a>” (Portfolio/Penguin. November 19, 2024.)
The views expressed in the series “Depression and Anxiety” are presented for educational and informational purposes and are not intended a medical or psychological advice. 
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On Depression And Anxiety: Specifying The Nature Of The Problem

Depression. Anxiety. Two commonly cited words in today’s society. Yet these are not undistinguished terms to Dr. Jordan B. Peterson.
As a clinician, professor, and researcher, Peterson has studied depression and anxiety for more than 30 years over the course of his career. Now, he is sharing his knowledge of both methodology and practice in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/defining-depression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new series</a> on DailyWire+.
Pointedly titled “Depression &amp; Anxiety,” the series aims to educate viewers on these internalizing disorders, specifically as to how they can help themselves and empathize with others. As an author, psychologist, and professor who has dedicated his life to teaching how to plot a course to meaning and identify one’s purpose, few people share Peterson’s combined background of research and clinical practice. But it is his intention of helping others holistically improve their lives that is most evident in these episodes.
“Defining Depression,” the first of five episodes, shows Peterson entering an estate-like room as the soles of his shoes echo. Complete with high ceilings, elaborately draped curtains, marble-accented architecture, refined hardwood floors, and elegant chandeliers, light pours into the room from the imposing window, but Peterson is cast in black and white, a cinematic element uniquely connected to the topics at hand. Peterson settles into a wooden-spindle chair, the only piece of furniture in the room, and begins.
“So, we could start by talking about depression,” he offers, leaning forward. Peterson defines depression, which creates the foundation for the series. He moves onto address the difference between being depressed and having a terrible life, explaining, “One of the things I tried to determine as a good behaviorist was whether the person who was suffering a dearth of positive emotion and an excess of negative emotion was suffering because they were ill in this strictly physiological sense … or whether they were suffering from the cumulative micro and macro catastrophes of life.”
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/defining-depression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: Episode 1 of Dr. Jordan B. Peterson&#8217;s new series &#8220;Depression and Anxiety&#8221; on DailyWire+</a></h4>
As to be expected, the first episode is somewhat fixated on feelings, as their influence on depression must be understood in order to, in turn, properly understand depression itself. Though some points Peterson makes may seem self-evident, there is a certain sense of comfort hearing such declarations from him; viewers experience relief, ease, and perhaps even gratitude in hearing their plight recognized as real. Those who are depressed “tend to feel all negative emotion simultaneously in a manner that’s paralyzing,” confirms Peterson. He furthers this information about emotion, naming the absence of positive emotion to be a factor in depression as well; nothing seems worthwhile.
Of course, Peterson does not leave his message without establishing concrete hope to be realized, sought after, and gained. His intent to motivate and empower viewers is evident as he shares the reasons why people become depressed and anxious, then he offers steps to conquer the afflictions based on their root causes. Depending on the individual’s circumstances, the proper treatment for depression varies — but is, indeed, possible. To understand the nature of the problem and to choose the antidote of suffering is to overcome depression.
From his first words in this series to his last, Peterson conveys a great sense of care with the words of wisdom he imparts. Watching the series, there is an overwhelming sense that he is a clinician positioned to guide his patient. Uniquely, the result is entertainment that does good for the world.
As individuals twist under the weight of modern-day life, Peterson comes alongside DailyWire+ to reframe depression and anxiety as approachable matters with the tangible hope of a path to healing.
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Dr. Jordan B. Peterson Establishes A Path Out Of Depression In New Series

The following is a transcribed excerpt from one of Dr. Jordan Peterson’s 2020 lectures. In this segment, he discusses how we perceive the world, what causes our emotions to be destabilized, why we experience negative emotion when our plans change, and how our nervous system assess situations. You can <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/the-jordan-b-peterson-podcast">listen to</a> or <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-jordan-b-peterson-podcast">watch</a> more from Dr. Peterson on DailyWire+.
We do not see objects, think about them, evaluate them, and then decide how to act on them — or, if we do, we do it rarely, slowly, and with a lot of thought. What we see, instead, are obstacles or pathways with tools that will move us forward. When there are no obstacles in front of you — when there is a nice flat road — you experience positive emotion. You think, “This is a task I can undertake. The sailing is clear. It is a good day.” When there is an obstacle in front of you, you experience a little pang of disappointment and anxiety. You think, “Can I make it around that obstacle?” If you have done so before, you will think, fairly confidently, “I can walk forward, and then circumvent the obstacle.” It is a minor disruption to the perceptual set of skills you use to organize the world. It is a minor bit of chaos. If, however, you do not know how to engage in circumvention, then you would be unable to get from point A to point B; that would be a problem for your plan. When your perceptual set — the structure you are using to organize the world; the plan through which you are viewing the complexity of the world — reveals an inadequacy, then that destabilizes your emotions.
Regardless, you need to be going somewhere, and there needs to be a pathway in order for you to feel good. If that plan is untenable or becomes destabilized, then you become flooded with negative emotion: frustration, disappointment, anger, and primarily anxiety. But all of those emotions sort of intermingle. You may feel anger because you have to fight your way through the obstacle; frustration because maybe you have to make a new plan; disappointment because you devoted work to the plan and it did not work out; and anxiety because now there are too many choices in front of you. So people do not like to have their plans disrupted. The reason for that is that their plans are directly associated with their emotional perception of the world.
That is a good thing to know: Your plans are directly associated with your emotional perception of the world. For example, if you decide you are going to go to a Korean restaurant for dinner, and it turns out that you cannot — maybe you have to go to a Greek restaurant — who cares? (Unless you hate Greek restaurants.) A Korean restaurant is pretty good and a Greek restaurant is pretty good. But you are still going to be annoyed that your plans changed. Why? Because when your plans change, the structure that you use to stabilize your perceptions of the world is disrupted. It momentarily throws you into a state of chaos.
How much chaos? This is interesting. We do not know. If you wake up one morning and you have an ache in your side, what does it mean that you have an ache in your side? You do not know. Maybe it means you pulled a muscle. Maybe it means you have cancer and you only have months to live. The whole range of possibility is there. Some people will assume one thing, and some people will assume the other — and all of them will be right sometimes. So the question is, how do you calibrate something like that? The answer is, we tend to guess at it temperamentally. We have our set points for negative emotion (neuroticism trait), and some people would be a lot more nervous about a small-level anomaly than others. Maybe they will go to the hospital first and they will not die, or maybe they will be freaking out all the time and they will be a hypochondriac. There are pros and cons about being nervous like that. Perhaps the other person is emotionally stable and they ask nothing, but by the time they get to the hospital, it is too late. That is one way that you guess. It is determined in large part genetically — not completely, but in large part.
Another part is your position in the hierarchy. How safe are you in life? Who knows? But one of the ways you guess is by asking if you are good at things. If you are good at things, a problem comes up and you can probably solve it. So how do you know if you are good at things? One answer might be: Other people think you are good at things because you are really kind of comparing yourself to other people when you are thinking about whether or not you are good at things. So if it turns out that you are in a hierarchy — and you are fairly high in the hierarchy, indicating a certain degree of competence — then your nervous system, under the control of the serotonin system, dampens down your negative emotion. It says, “All things considered, you are probably pretty safe.”
However, that also means you do not like having your position in the dominance hierarchy challenged at all. Because if you get tossed down the hierarchy — for example, if you get fired — it wreaks havoc on your serotonin function. It makes you defeated like the defeated lobsters I wrote about in “<a href="https://store.dailywire.com/collections/books/products/12-rules-for-life-an-antidote-to-chaos?_pos=1&amp;_fid=6a4910042&amp;_ss=c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">12 Rules for Life</a>.” Then, you are way more susceptible to negative emotion. And who wants that? That is why you do not even like to lose arguments. You lose a little argument, you slide down the dominance hierarchy a bit, and emotions are a bit destabilized. So instead, you think, “I’m right.” Why? Because you want to keep your neurochemistry in check — and no wonder.
Sometimes, however, it is better to learn than to insist on being right because learning works better for the future. But you get the point.
* * *
To continue, listen or watch more content with Dr. Jordan Peterson on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/watch">DailyWire+</a>. 
<a href="https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/">Dr. Jordan B. Peterson</a> is a clinical psychologist and professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. From 1993 to 1998 he served as assistant and then associate professor of psychology at Harvard. He is the international bestselling author of &#8220;Maps of Meaning,&#8221; &#8220;12 Rules for Life,&#8221; and &#8220;Beyond Order.&#8221; You can now<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/the-jordan-b-peterson-podcast"> listen to</a> or<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/watch/jordan-peterson"> watch</a> his popular lectures on DailyWire+.

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Why A Change Of Plans Causes Emotional Destabilization 

Carl Jung

Readers Pass

Generation Z is riddled with mental health issues, but some have doubts that more therapy is really the answer.
Gen Z, often defined as young people between ages 12 and 27 has worse mental health, lower self-confidence, and generally more dissatisfaction with life than older generations, one study <a href="https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/inclusion-equity-diversity/the-least-resilient-demographic-alive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> last year.
Overall, only 33% of young adults say their mental health is &#8220;excellent&#8221; or &#8220;good&#8221; compared to 48% of other adults, according to the study. Similarly, another survey from 2022 <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/sustainable-inclusive-growth/future-of-america/how-does-gen-z-see-its-place-in-the-working-world-with-trepidation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> that Americans from 18 to 24 report high rates of mental health challenges, impediments to effective work, and worries about the future.
A whopping 55% of Gen Z young adults 18 to 24 also say they have either been diagnosed with or have received treatment for mental illness, well above the rate of older groups, the 2022 survey found.
The pandemic also notably increased the mental health crisis among both young adults and children.
Author Abigail Shrier posited recently that the youngest generation might be less resilient because they are encouraged to focus on their bad feelings under the guise of working them out.
&#8220;Millennials thought they could do anything. They were the Mark Zuckerberg generation,&#8221; Shrier <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z72hgYk-5iI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during an appearance on Joe Rogan&#8217;s podcast last month on the release day for her latest book, &#8220;Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren&#8217;t Growing Up.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;re not seeing that with these young people. They don&#8217;t want to be in charge. They&#8217;re afraid,&#8221; Shrier said.
Therapy, she suggested, might not be helping as much as we think it is.
Shrier cited studies where teens who were taught coping techniques for emotional regulation became even sadder and more anxious.
&#8220;The reason was regularly ruminating on your bad feelings can make you feel worse,&#8221; Shrier said. &#8220;The amazing story of human history is — doesn&#8217;t mean it&#8217;s not painful, but — of resilience. They get on. They aren&#8217;t permanently suffering with mental illness.&#8221;
To be fair, some of Gen Z&#8217;s anxieties are backed in reality, such as their mounting concerns about their financial future, but this is all the more reason therapy might not be the answer to dealing with these outside problems.
Inflation has spiked over the last several years, and wage growth has not kept up. Housing prices continue to rise, making rent unaffordable in many areas for entry level workers and putting home ownership out of reach of even young people with established careers. When Gen Z looks back at their parents&#8217; and grandparents&#8217; generations they wonder whether they will ever experience financial security in the same way.
Only 37% of Gen Z workers said they believe most people in the country have economic opportunities, a data point that showcases the generation&#8217;s potent economic pessimism, the 2022 survey found. About 26% of Gen Z workers said they think their pay does not allow them a good quality of life, compared to 20% of older workers. A whopping 77% of Gen Z workers said they were looking for a new job, nearly double the rate of older workers.
Dovetailing with Gen Z&#8217;s pessimism about their financial future, they also tend to distrust political and societal institutions, including Congress, the news, the presidency, police, and large technology companies, a Gallup study from last year <a href="https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/510395/gen-voices-lackluster-trust-major-institutions.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">showed</a>. &#8220;Science&#8221; is the only institution trusted by a majority of Gen Z young people.
This distrust seems to grow as young people grow up and approach their early 20s — younger Gen Z kids ages 12 to 18 who are still in K-12 school are more trusting of institutions than those over 18.
Against this challenging economic backdrop, the newest adult generation&#8217;s lack of motivation is somewhat understandable.
However, at the same time, a slew of mental conditions have become popular content on social media including Tourettes Syndrome, ADHD, autism, anxiety, and depression. Many young people are eager to diagnose themselves and find community online with others who supposedly share their trendy condition.
While some may indeed have these conditions, critics say a dose of good, old-fashioned tough love — and maybe a social media detox — could help steer those who wrongly self-diagnosed towards a more fulfilling purpose.
On the bright side, Gen Z is <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90842227/gen-z-not-experience-imposter-syndrome" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> less likely to suffer from imposter syndrome at work, and there are signs this generation could be primed to be more optimistic and mentally healthy given the right circumstances.
Some Gen Z members <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90842227/gen-z-not-experience-imposter-syndrome" target="_blank" rel="noopener">say</a> they are eager to harness the power of social media to start influential movements, but certain things are extremely important to them including higher starting salaries and flexibility in work scheduling.
Gen Z is the largest generation in the world, making up about 32% of the 7.7 billion people on earth. They are more numerous than their older siblings the millennials and even bigger than the huge baby boomer generation.
There may not be a silver bullet to fix all their problems, but their success or failure will have an enormous effect on the future.

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Gen Z Has The Worst Mental Health, But Is More Therapy The Answer?

Generation Z

Health Care

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