Christmas has gone digital—we shop online, video call the family abroad, and scroll through everyone's seemingly perfect holiday posts. But what's all this screen time actually doing to us?

In this special Christmas episode, we get into the psychology behind our online Christmas habits. Why do we post photos of our Christmas trees and do we compare them to more perfect ones (like Liams)? Why does Spotify Wrapped feel so personal and what do we get out of sharing it? Can video calls with family make us feel both connected and lonely at the same time?

We also cover the messier bits: how Instagram's algorithm shows you everyone's highlight reel (minus the family rows), why Christmas music is fine when you choose it but torture when it's blasted at you in the shops, and the rise in some more negative aspects of the online world over the Christmas break.

The takeaway? You don't need to reject your phone at Christmas—just be more thoughtful about how you're using it.

Research

Lonely Algorithms on TikTok - Taylor & Chen (2024)

Music Management in workplaces - Keeler et al. (2025)

Combating Loneliness with Nostalgia - Abeyta et al. (2020)

Resources

HSE Combating Loneliness and isolation

Alone.ie

Avoiding Online Scams

We were planning to take a break over Christmas, but Liam surprised us all (including Nicola) with a Christmas special! It drops Friday the 12th, then we'll be on hiatus until January 6th to rest and recharge for 2026. And no, we're not making any predictions about how that year will go—we're not jinxing it!

In this episode, we explore AI's growing role in mental health support and therapy. We revisit the story of ELIZA, the 1960s chatbot that unexpectedly convinced users it could understand them, and examine what this reveals about our tendency to project human qualities onto technology.

Our discussion covers recent research showing mental health is now the top query for ChatGPT in Ireland, with many users turning to AI for emotional support and coping strategies instead of traditional therapy. We investigate why people are choosing AI alternatives, the concerns therapists have raised about issues like suicidal thoughts and depression being discussed with chatbots, and the critical limitations of AI systems that cannot report harm or maintain the confidential, professional standards of human therapists.

Finally, we discuss the future: the promise and limits of therapeutic AI tools, the need for guardrails and regulation, and why human clinicians must play a central role in shaping how AI supports mental health without replacing essential human connection.

Join us as we examine the intersection of artificial intelligence, human connection, and mental health care in the digital age.

Support resources: If you have been affected by the content of this episode in any way, the supports at the link below may be of assistance. If you are not in Ireland, please seek supports local to you.

• Irish Health Service Executive mental health supports
• The Samaritans – Suicide prevention phone line.
• Childline (ISPCC): Free, confidential 24/7 support service for children and young people up to 18. Call 1800 66 66 66, text 50101, or chat online at childline.ie.
• SpunOut.ie: Youth information website with articles on mental health; offers free 24/7 text support—Text SPUNOUT to 50808.
• TeenLine: Active listening service for young people, call 1800 833 634 (24/7)
• Pieta House: For crisis mental health support and suicide prevention, Free 24/7 helpline: 1800 247 247.

Key papers:

Ricon (2025) - AI and adolescent Relationships: Bridging emotional intelligence and practical guidance. Computers in Human Behavior.

Try the Eliza chatbot

Zhang et al., 2025 (pre-print). What Happens, What Helps, What Hurts: A Qualitative Analysis of User Experiences with Large Language Models for Mental Health Support.

Santos et al., 2025 (pre-print). Evaluating the Clinical Safety of LLMs in Response to High-Risk Mental Health Disclosures.

Special Report: AI-Induced Psychosis: A New Frontier in Mental Health

Journalism/Opinion:

ChatGPT Is Blowing Up Marriages as Spouses Use AI to Attack Their Partners

Wired: AI Psychosis Is Rarely Psychosis at All

Hannah Holmes. A Psychologist's Open-Minded First Take on AI Therapy