Aaron Balick 🍉
@aaronbalick.com
Leading voice on how tech & culture shape the psyche. Psychotherapist | Consultant | Psych writer at GQ | Keynote speaker | Author of The Psychodynamics of Social Networking | aaronbalick.com
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Why you regress into a stroppy teen at Christmas (and what you can do about it)
'Tis the season for regression – even if you're older, wiser and have done a heap load of therapy. Here Dr. Aaron Balick breaks down why going home for the holidays is so challenging, and how you can ...
www.gq-magazine.co.uk
It is a truth universally acknowledged amongst psychotherapists that however much progress a client has made through December, they will invariably return a hot mess come January.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
What to look out for when seeking advice from AI: www.theguardian.com/wellness/202...
AI as a life coach: experts share what works, what doesn’t and what to look out for
It’s becoming more common for people to use AI chatbots for personal guidance – but this doesn’t come without risks
www.theguardian.com
January 15, 2026 at 5:52 PM
What to look out for when seeking advice from AI: www.theguardian.com/wellness/202...
Reposted by Aaron Balick 🍉
There’s probably good reason you’ve found yourself doomscrolling lately - what’s motivating you to do it may. E surprising. Some thoughts of my own:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Why Doomscrolling is Secretly a Search for Hope
After finding myself in a doomscroll-spiral, I realised I wasn’t chasing disaster but reassurance – I was hopescrolling.
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 5:05 PM
There’s probably good reason you’ve found yourself doomscrolling lately - what’s motivating you to do it may. E surprising. Some thoughts of my own:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Reposted by Aaron Balick 🍉
Already a subscriber to Applied Psychodynamics? Great! Please help me make it even better by sharing your thoughts.
Not yet a subscriber? Now's the time. Tell me what you want and I'll do my best to deliver.
Poll attached:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Not yet a subscriber? Now's the time. Tell me what you want and I'll do my best to deliver.
Poll attached:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Reader Poll
Now you've had a chance to get acquainted with Applied Psychodynamics perhaps you could tell me a bit more about what you'd like to more (or less) about?
open.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 11:39 AM
Already a subscriber to Applied Psychodynamics? Great! Please help me make it even better by sharing your thoughts.
Not yet a subscriber? Now's the time. Tell me what you want and I'll do my best to deliver.
Poll attached:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Not yet a subscriber? Now's the time. Tell me what you want and I'll do my best to deliver.
Poll attached:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Already a subscriber to Applied Psychodynamics? Great! Please help me make it even better by sharing your thoughts.
Not yet a subscriber? Now's the time. Tell me what you want and I'll do my best to deliver.
Poll attached:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Not yet a subscriber? Now's the time. Tell me what you want and I'll do my best to deliver.
Poll attached:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Reader Poll
Now you've had a chance to get acquainted with Applied Psychodynamics perhaps you could tell me a bit more about what you'd like to more (or less) about?
open.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 11:39 AM
Already a subscriber to Applied Psychodynamics? Great! Please help me make it even better by sharing your thoughts.
Not yet a subscriber? Now's the time. Tell me what you want and I'll do my best to deliver.
Poll attached:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Not yet a subscriber? Now's the time. Tell me what you want and I'll do my best to deliver.
Poll attached:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
There’s probably good reason you’ve found yourself doomscrolling lately - what’s motivating you to do it may. E surprising. Some thoughts of my own:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Why Doomscrolling is Secretly a Search for Hope
After finding myself in a doomscroll-spiral, I realised I wasn’t chasing disaster but reassurance – I was hopescrolling.
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 5:05 PM
There’s probably good reason you’ve found yourself doomscrolling lately - what’s motivating you to do it may. E surprising. Some thoughts of my own:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Reposted by Aaron Balick 🍉
Last week I found myself in a doomscroll spiral that lasted for days. Once I pulled myself out of it, I did some self-analysis and found something interesting and unexpected about my behaviour: open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Why Doomscrolling is Secretly a Search for Hope
After finding myself in a doomscroll-spiral, I realised I wasn’t chasing disaster but reassurance – I was hopescrolling.
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 10:42 AM
Last week I found myself in a doomscroll spiral that lasted for days. Once I pulled myself out of it, I did some self-analysis and found something interesting and unexpected about my behaviour: open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Last week I found myself in a doomscroll spiral that lasted for days. Once I pulled myself out of it, I did some self-analysis and found something interesting and unexpected about my behaviour: open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Why Doomscrolling is Secretly a Search for Hope
After finding myself in a doomscroll-spiral, I realised I wasn’t chasing disaster but reassurance – I was hopescrolling.
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 10:42 AM
Last week I found myself in a doomscroll spiral that lasted for days. Once I pulled myself out of it, I did some self-analysis and found something interesting and unexpected about my behaviour: open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
Reposted by Aaron Balick 🍉
People often believe the lies they are told, despite actually knowing they are lies, because the story of the lie is more preferable than the truth.
They are pretending (to themselves) not to know.
1/2
They are pretending (to themselves) not to know.
1/2
January 9, 2026 at 9:08 PM
People often believe the lies they are told, despite actually knowing they are lies, because the story of the lie is more preferable than the truth.
They are pretending (to themselves) not to know.
1/2
They are pretending (to themselves) not to know.
1/2
It happens everyday - pretending not to know about the affair, the disturbing lump that continues to grow, that a parent lied, that a son is gay.
What’s new is the sheer brazenness of lies and the scale of those pretending not to know what’s so blatantly evident.
(and even that’s not so new)
What’s new is the sheer brazenness of lies and the scale of those pretending not to know what’s so blatantly evident.
(and even that’s not so new)
January 9, 2026 at 9:08 PM
It happens everyday - pretending not to know about the affair, the disturbing lump that continues to grow, that a parent lied, that a son is gay.
What’s new is the sheer brazenness of lies and the scale of those pretending not to know what’s so blatantly evident.
(and even that’s not so new)
What’s new is the sheer brazenness of lies and the scale of those pretending not to know what’s so blatantly evident.
(and even that’s not so new)
People often believe the lies they are told, despite actually knowing they are lies, because the story of the lie is more preferable than the truth.
They are pretending (to themselves) not to know.
1/2
They are pretending (to themselves) not to know.
1/2
January 9, 2026 at 9:08 PM
People often believe the lies they are told, despite actually knowing they are lies, because the story of the lie is more preferable than the truth.
They are pretending (to themselves) not to know.
1/2
They are pretending (to themselves) not to know.
1/2
Reposted by Aaron Balick 🍉
“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no universal recipe for living. Each of us carries his own life-form within him—an irrational form which no other can outbid.”
- Jung
- Jung
January 3, 2026 at 4:24 PM
“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no universal recipe for living. Each of us carries his own life-form within him—an irrational form which no other can outbid.”
- Jung
- Jung
“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no universal recipe for living. Each of us carries his own life-form within him—an irrational form which no other can outbid.”
- Jung
- Jung
January 3, 2026 at 4:24 PM
“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no universal recipe for living. Each of us carries his own life-form within him—an irrational form which no other can outbid.”
- Jung
- Jung
It definitely takes some devoted concentrated time - and accepting strong feelings of being deskilled!
December 31, 2025 at 7:15 PM
It definitely takes some devoted concentrated time - and accepting strong feelings of being deskilled!
New year new hobby.
Let’s hope for improvements come 2027!
Let’s hope for improvements come 2027!
December 31, 2025 at 5:59 PM
New year new hobby.
Let’s hope for improvements come 2027!
Let’s hope for improvements come 2027!
Reposted by Aaron Balick 🍉
‘Tis the season for regression, fa la la la la, la la la la.
Now you need a therapy session, fa la la la la, la la la.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
Now you need a therapy session, fa la la la la, la la la.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
Why you regress into a stroppy teen at Christmas (and what you can do about it)
'Tis the season for regression – even if you're older, wiser and have done a heap load of therapy. Here Dr. Aaron Balick breaks down why going home for the holidays is so challenging, and how you can ...
www.gq-magazine.co.uk
December 24, 2025 at 4:48 PM
‘Tis the season for regression, fa la la la la, la la la la.
Now you need a therapy session, fa la la la la, la la la.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
Now you need a therapy session, fa la la la la, la la la.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
‘Tis the season for regression, fa la la la la, la la la la.
Now you need a therapy session, fa la la la la, la la la.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
Now you need a therapy session, fa la la la la, la la la.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
Why you regress into a stroppy teen at Christmas (and what you can do about it)
'Tis the season for regression – even if you're older, wiser and have done a heap load of therapy. Here Dr. Aaron Balick breaks down why going home for the holidays is so challenging, and how you can ...
www.gq-magazine.co.uk
December 24, 2025 at 4:48 PM
‘Tis the season for regression, fa la la la la, la la la la.
Now you need a therapy session, fa la la la la, la la la.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
Now you need a therapy session, fa la la la la, la la la.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
Reposted by Aaron Balick 🍉
It is a truth universally acknowledged amongst psychotherapists that however much progress a client has made through December, they will invariably return a hot mess come January.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
Why you regress into a stroppy teen at Christmas (and what you can do about it)
'Tis the season for regression – even if you're older, wiser and have done a heap load of therapy. Here Dr. Aaron Balick breaks down why going home for the holidays is so challenging, and how you can ...
www.gq-magazine.co.uk
December 24, 2025 at 9:09 AM
It is a truth universally acknowledged amongst psychotherapists that however much progress a client has made through December, they will invariably return a hot mess come January.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
It is a truth universally acknowledged amongst psychotherapists that however much progress a client has made through December, they will invariably return a hot mess come January.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
Why you regress into a stroppy teen at Christmas (and what you can do about it)
'Tis the season for regression – even if you're older, wiser and have done a heap load of therapy. Here Dr. Aaron Balick breaks down why going home for the holidays is so challenging, and how you can ...
www.gq-magazine.co.uk
December 24, 2025 at 9:09 AM
It is a truth universally acknowledged amongst psychotherapists that however much progress a client has made through December, they will invariably return a hot mess come January.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-...
There’s nothing more I can say if you’ve already made up your mind how I feel when I’m expressing otherwise to you now. I like to think I am expressing some nuance here but of course you are free to think otherwise.
December 22, 2025 at 5:09 PM
There’s nothing more I can say if you’ve already made up your mind how I feel when I’m expressing otherwise to you now. I like to think I am expressing some nuance here but of course you are free to think otherwise.
I thought it makes clear they are not mutually exclusive - marketed as one thing but used for something else too. Nitrous Oxide is marketed for making whipped cream but often used to get high - and the sellers know it! I take your point but it’s not how intended it.
December 22, 2025 at 5:00 PM
I thought it makes clear they are not mutually exclusive - marketed as one thing but used for something else too. Nitrous Oxide is marketed for making whipped cream but often used to get high - and the sellers know it! I take your point but it’s not how intended it.
And I’m not anti-AI. I use it myself. I’m not anti-alcohol, either, which I also use - and we should be aware of its potential unwanted effects.
December 22, 2025 at 4:50 PM
And I’m not anti-AI. I use it myself. I’m not anti-alcohol, either, which I also use - and we should be aware of its potential unwanted effects.
I mean it informally. People take to their AI’s in similar ways when they are not formally chatbots - just the general platform. The whole point is we are all cognitively outsourcing to some degree with nearly all ai engagement
December 22, 2025 at 4:48 PM
I mean it informally. People take to their AI’s in similar ways when they are not formally chatbots - just the general platform. The whole point is we are all cognitively outsourcing to some degree with nearly all ai engagement
Reposted by Aaron Balick 🍉
AI isn’t replacing human thinking; it’s reshaping the conditions under which thinking happens:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
This is Your Brain. This is Your Brain on AI.
How AI is reshaping your psyche by directly embedding itself into your psyche. Here is what’s happening psychologically — whether we like it or not.
open.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 11:59 AM
AI isn’t replacing human thinking; it’s reshaping the conditions under which thinking happens:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
AI isn’t replacing human thinking; it’s reshaping the conditions under which thinking happens:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
This is Your Brain. This is Your Brain on AI.
How AI is reshaping your psyche by directly embedding itself into your psyche. Here is what’s happening psychologically — whether we like it or not.
open.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 11:59 AM
AI isn’t replacing human thinking; it’s reshaping the conditions under which thinking happens:
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...
open.substack.com/pub/appliedp...