This week, we’re talking about that strangely heavy feeling you get when you go home after a significant life change — the “everything is the same, but I’m not” moment. We’re unpacking the neuroscience and psychology behind growing apart from people, outgrowing old versions of yourself, and why returning home can feel like stepping into a past life.

We’ll break down how your brain processes major transitions, why nostalgia hits harder around the holidays, and why drifting from old friends or familiar places activates real social-pain circuits. We’ll talk about identity shifts, reverse culture shock, autobiographical memory, and what actually helps when you feel disconnected from the place (and people) who once defined you.

If you’ve ever gone home for Christmas and felt like a visitor in your own story — this episode is for you.

A mix of neuroscience, vulnerability, and seasonal bittersweetness… welcome to Stick Season for the brain.

As per usual, I release a new episode every Monday at 7:00 am EST. You can find me on all podcast platforms and on Instagram at @theplasticitypodcast. Thank you so much for another week of listening, and I am going to go to bed now since I have the literal plague (please send chicken noodle soup + cold medication)