Welcome to the couch. In our official kickoff, the full Shrink The Nation crew of psychiatrists dives into America’s most flamboyant coping mechanism: grandiosity.

What happens when a country builds its identity around being “the greatest”?
How do narcissism, exceptionalism, and social media shape our politics, culture, and sense of self?
And what does it say about us when our leaders aren’t just grandiose — but rewarded for it?

In this episode, we explore:

• The psychological roots of American exceptionalism
• How WWII and historical dominance seeded national narcissism
• Why social media turned everyone into a brand
• What happens when grandiosity replaces genuine leadership
• How empathy, self-awareness, and therapy can be antidotes to cultural delusion

It’s smart, sharp, bourbon-fueled analysis with just enough gallows humor to keep things grounded.

🧠 Keywords: Shrink the Nation, psychiatry, grandiosity, narcissism, American identity, social media, mental health, political discourse, self-awareness, therapy

"Got Thoughts? Outrage? A Diagnosis of Your Own? Send us a text"

Support the show

Shrink The Nation is where America lies on the couch — and we pour the bourbon.
Hosted by board-certified psychiatrists and mental health pros with backgrounds in military, media, and systems thinking, we break down the psychology behind politics, culture, and public dysfunction.
Smart. Funny. Clinically sharp. Slightly buzzed.

Subscribe, rate, and share if you’re part of the exhausted middle looking for sanity in the noise.

Send us your questions (or your defense mechanisms): socials@shrinkthenation.com
Follow us everywhere: @shrinkthenation on X, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok

Shrink The Nation — On the Couch With America.