Does your chest tighten every time you open your phone lately? Do you feel like the world is on fire and you’re somehow supposed to just keep going to work, answer emails, and “stay informed”?

In this episode of But Are You Happy, host Ashani Dante and clinical psychologist Dr. Anastasia Hronis unpack what it actually means to live in the age of information overload. From clickbait headlines and doom-scrolling at 11pm, they explore how constant exposure to bad news impacts our nervous systems and why so many of us are feeling helpless, hopeless, or just emotionally exhausted.

You'll also learn:

• The psychological difference between helplessness and hopelessness

• Why your brain is wired to latch onto threatening news

• How chronic exposure to bad headlines activates your stress response

• Practical ways to buffer yourself without becoming disengaged

Watch the podcast on YouTube here.

If you or someone you know needs support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. Both services are available 24/7 for free, confidential mental health support.

Want to get in touch with us? DM @butareyouhappypod on Instagram or send us a voice memo. Our hosts are ready to hear your dilemmas—think of it as free therapy!

CREDITS:

Hosts: Ashani Dante & Dr Anastasia Hronis

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does the idea of a networking event make your stomach do backflips while your friends seem to thrive in the chaos?

In this season finale of But Are You Happy, host Ashani Dante and clinical psychologist Dr. Anastasia Hronis pull back the curtain on our social personalities. We’re moving beyond the simple labels to find out where you actually sit on the spectrum and why "summer social season" can feel so different for everyone.

You'll also learn:

• The five major personality traits and how extroversion fits in
• Why the "chaotic middle" might be exactly where you land
• The clinical red flags to look out for
• Why walking a banana on a leash (yes, really) is a legitimate way to overcome the fear of being judged

Watch the podcast on YouTube here.

If you or someone you know needs support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. Both services are available 24/7 for free, confidential mental health support.

Want to get in touch with us? DM @butareyouhappypod on Instagram or send us a voice memo. Our hosts are ready to hear your dilemmas—think of it as free therapy!

We’re giving away a Your Reformer Pilates bed (worth $3,400) Subscribe here to enter.

CREDITS:

Hosts: Ashani Dante & Dr Anastasia Hronis

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever looked at a fandom, wellness community, or online movement and thought… this feels a little culty?

In this episode of But Are You Happy, host Ashani Dante and clinical psychologist Dr Anastasia Hronis unpack why the word cult gets thrown around so easily and what actually separates cults from fandoms like Swifties, Beliebers, or other high-devotion communities.

You’ll also learn:

• What a cult actually is (and why there’s no single definition)

• Why charismatic leaders hold so much power

• How belonging, meaning, and identity make people vulnerable to high-demand groups

• What “cult-like” red flags to look out for, including isolation, fear, shame, and groupthink

• Why it can be so hard to leave a cult, even when doubts creep in

Watch the podcast on YouTube here.

If you or someone you know needs support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. Both services are available 24/7 for free, confidential mental health support.

Want to get in touch with us? DM @butareyouhappypod on Instagram or send us a voice memo. Our hosts are ready to hear your dilemmas—think of it as free therapy!

We’re giving away a Your Reformer Pilates bed (worth $3,400) Subscribe here to enter.

CREDITS:

Hosts: Ashani Dante & Dr Anastasia Hronis

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Audio Producer: Tina Matolov

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.