In this first episode of the Dark Psychology series, Morgan discusses how life is built on a reward system and the ways it shapes our habits, addictions, and daily choices. From the habit feedback loop explained in Atomic Habits (cue → craving → response → reward) to real-world examples like social media addiction, peer pressure in college, career competition, and even unhealthy family dynamics, Morgan breaks down how our brains are wired to chase satisfaction — and what that means for you.

She dives into the subtle addictions beyond alcohol and drugs, like validation, control, or appearance, and explores how society reinforces them. You’ll also hear strategies for breaking free of bad patterns, reinforcing good ones, and learning how to recognize the systems (not yourself) as the root of the problem.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:34 Dark psychology topic intro

07:01 The Habit Feedback Loop

15:01 Example 1: Addiction to Dissociation

19:15 Example 2: Finding yourself by watching others

21:51 Comparison has two options: study and envy

23:14 Example 3: Careers, interviews, and promotions

24:01 Example 4: Some parents want obedient dogs.

26:55 The People Pleasing Pipeline

29:57 Siituationships, love bombing, and settling

32:18 Curing a bad habit

37:18 The world doesn’t want you to have sentience

38:02 Outro