Outrage Diets and Dopamine Loops.

We all say we want to be informed—but what if the constant feed is quietly wrecking our nervous systems?

Ashley and Mark unpack the cycle of outrage diets and dopamine loops: why we can’t stop scrolling, how to build healthier media habits, and what it means to keep yourself well enough to still give a damn. It’s part wellness, part sociology, part marriage banter—and a reminder that attention is a resource worth protecting.

We cover:

• Why “attention is the currency right now” and how algorithms hook us
• A reminder: we can choose where and how we consume
• Learning styles: topic depth, counterpoints, and drawing intersections
• Synthesizing → action (from pause to practice, from values to voice)
• Parenting, modeling, and finding your way back to community
• The 4 challenges we’re trying ourselves:
  1. Engage with the news outside of social media + read a credible counter-source
  2. Do happy, non-controversial consumption on purpose
  3. Remember you’re not powerless—some change is slow
  4. Find local community

If something here sparks you (or bristles), add to the conversation: DM @couragepod on IG or email us.

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Until next time—be well, be courageous.