The Wrong Ones

• Can I Pull You for a Chat? On Generational Trauma, Emotional Reprogramming, and Finally Feeling Safe in Love

  In this searingly honest episode of The Wrong Ones, we crack open the blueprint that governs who we love, how we attach, and why we often mistake chaos for chemistry. Using a viral Call Her Daddy interview as a launch point, we go deep into the heart of relational trauma—unpacking what it means to grow up in silence, perform for love, and unconsciously seek out men who echo the wounds of our fathers. This isn’t just about heartbreak—it’s about history. We explore the intersection of psychology, neurobiology, and cultural legacy to understand why so many women—especially daughters of Middle Eastern families—feel safest in relationships that are anything but safe. We talk about the invisible grief of feeling unknown by the people who were supposed to know you best. The generational inheritance of silence. The father wound. The good daughter myth. And how healing starts when we stop auditioning for love and start choosing it—with ourselves first. This episode is an anchor for anyone who’s ever thought, “Why do I keep ending up here?” and a lifeline for the women finally ready to say: no more. In this episode, we cover: What it means to outgrow the version of you who survived through performance Attachment blueprints and how your nervous system confuses trauma with love The cultural double bind faced by Middle Eastern daughters: silence or betrayal Why emotional addiction is real—and how it mimics chemical addiction How generational trauma is passed down, not just through behavior, but biology The neuroscience of intermittent reinforcement and trauma bonding The grief of never being emotionally known by your father—and what that does to your sense of self The myth of the “good daughter” and how it sets the stage for self-abandonment in love High-functioning trauma and the mask of the “cool girl” Why real love often feels boring to an unhealed nervous system Reparenting your inner child and breaking the cycle of dating your wounds Somatic healing tools to regulate your nervous system and interrupt the pattern Forgiveness as emotional liberation—not validation The cost of healing when it means leaving behind who you had to be What it means to choose a love that doesn’t hurt—and how to recognize it when it arrives Reflection Question of the Week: What does love feel like in a body that no longer thinks it has to earn it? Let this one live in your journal. Or your voice notes. Or your next first date. Resources Mentioned: Bowlby & Ainsworth’s Attachment Theory Bessel van der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score EMDR & Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy Research on dopamine, trauma bonding & intermittent reinforcement (Volkow et al.) Middle Eastern honor culture & the role of silence in female identity formation The neuroscience of emotional addiction & nervous system dysregulation ----- As always: if you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to follow, rate, and subscribe — it truly helps us grow and reach more listeners. Come say hi on Instagram @thewrongonespodcast An Operation Podcast production.

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• Your 30s Will Break You: The Gift of Outgrowing the Life You’ve Built

  In this deeply resonant episode of The Wrong Ones, we unpack the quiet collapse that often begins in your 30s—the decade that doesn’t just change you, but dismantles you. This is the chapter of your life where things look fine on the outside, but inside? Something feels… off. Misaligned. Exhausted. Unrecognizable. We explore the psychology, neuroscience, and emotional unraveling behind this transformative season of life. From identity dissonance and nervous system collapse to ambiguous grief and the slow return to self, this episode is a tender roadmap for anyone who’s ever asked, “Why doesn’t this life I built feel like mine?” We talk about what it means to grieve a version of yourself that no longer fits, the loss of imagined futures, the discomfort of peace when you’ve lived in survival mode, and the sacred messiness of becoming. And we close with a breakdown on why we choose the wrong people when we’re unhealed—and how healing changes who we let into our lives. In this episode, we cover: Why your 30s feel like a nervous system breakdown disguised as growth Identity dissonance, depersonalization, and why you feel like a stranger in your own life The neuroscience of “quiet collapse” and how your brain rewires under stress Ambiguous grief and the loss of a life you thought would make you happy Post-traumatic growth, regulation dominance, and the recalibration of self The emotional and biological shift from performance to presence Why peace can feel suspicious when you’ve lived in chaos Attachment, fawning, and how self-abandonment starts to feel unbearable Reinvention as a solitary process—and why loneliness often comes before alignment How your nervous system influences who you date, love, and let in Trauma bonding, dopamine burnout, and the reason chaos feels like chemistry The difference between being chosen and feeling safe Why healing changes your entire social life, including friendships What it means to stop chasing clarity and start living in complexity Reflection Question of the Week: What version of yourself are you grieving—and who are you becoming in their place? Or—what’s one version of yourself you’ve outgrown, and what are you learning to choose instead? Resources Mentioned: Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Theory Bessel van der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy Donald Winnicott’s Theory on the Capacity to Be Alone Research on trauma bonding, dopamine burnout, and prediction error signaling Volkow et al. studies on reward pathways in addiction ----- As always: if you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to follow, rate, and subscribe — it truly helps us grow and reach more listeners. Come say hi on Instagram @thewrongonespodcast An Operation Podcast production.

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• Hope Is a Hell of a Drug: Secrets, Shame, and the Slow Unraveling

  In this raw, unfiltered episode of The Wrong Ones, we’re diving deep into the messy, heartbreaking, and psychologically complex experience of loving someone with a substance abuse problem. From the quiet patterns that creep in slowly to the explosive moments of clarity, we explore how addiction can erode intimacy, distort reality, and entangle you in cycles of denial, secrecy, and shame. We explore the neuroscience of addiction, what it does to the brain, why addicts lie (even when they love you), and the impossible reality of holding on to someone who is actively losing themselves. Our host shares a deeply personal story—from subtle red flags to undeniable truths—and explores how cultural norms (like Irish drinking culture), family trauma, and the desire to heal others can trap us in relationships that drain us. We talk about Carl Radke, trauma bonding, the self-medication theory, intergenerational addiction, and what it means to break the cycle. Whether you’ve been in a relationship like this, grew up in a home like this, or just want to better understand the invisible weight addiction puts on those who love someone through it—this episode is for you. In this episode, we cover: The subtle signs of substance abuse in a romantic partner The neurobiology behind why addicts lie, dissociate, and escalate How cultural norms (like Irish drinking culture) complicate recognition What it means to love someone through addiction—and why that love can turn into a drug of its own Personal reflections on trauma bonding, emotional self-abandonment, and the path back to clarity Why women are socially conditioned to endure dysfunction in the name of love Carl Radke’s story as a mirror for relational addiction How addiction impacts children, especially sons of alcoholic fathers Birth order, emotional inheritance, and what it means to be "the youngest" Tools and truths for loving someone through addiction without losing yourself Reflection Question of the Week: What was modeled to me as “normal” in childhood that I now recognize as dysfunction? Resources Mentioned: The Viall Files episode with Carl Radke Research on intergenerational addiction Literature on self-medication theory, trauma bonding, and emotional codependency ----- As always: if you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to follow, rate, and subscribe — it truly helps us grow and reach more listeners. Come say hi on Instagram @thewrongonespodcast An Operation Podcast production.

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• When You Pivot and He Can't

  This week on The Wrong Ones, we’re talking about what happens when your growth becomes a threat to someone who once claimed to love you. Why do so many women feel the need to dim their light to protect a man’s ego? Why is a woman’s ambition seen as disruptive rather than magnetic? And why is it still considered “special” when a man supports his partner's success—but simply expected when women do the same? In this episode, we dive deep into the psychology, social conditioning, and nervous system toll behind the invisible labor women carry in heterosexual relationships. We unpack the emotional and biological costs of self-silencing, the dynamics of threatened masculinity, and how internalized patriarchy quietly rewrites our sense of worth. Featuring personal stories, pop culture case studies (hi, Paige DeSorbo, Beyoncé, Molly-Mae), and grounded clinical insights—this episode is part manifesto, part mirror, and full permission to take up space without guilt. Topics We Cover:   Why women are conditioned to shrink in relationships The “Support Paradox” and public reactions to female success How male insecurity shows up as withdrawal, criticism, or silence The psychology of identity threat, reactive devaluation & attachment theory The nervous system effects of self-silencing & chronic suppression Intermittent reinforcement and emotional addiction What secure, emotionally mature support actually looks like How to stop making yourself small to feel lovable Reflection Question of The Week:   What would your life look like if you stopped apologizing for your ambition? ----- As always: if you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to follow, rate, and subscribe — it truly helps us grow and reach more listeners. Come say hi on Instagram @thewrongonespodcast An Operation Podcast production.

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• Sometimes Delulu Is Not the Solulu

  This week, we’re cracking open the psychology behind why we think everything is a sign after a breakup. From seeing their name everywhere to believing that shared Spotify playlists are soul contracts, we unpack the truth behind what’s really going on in the brain—and the heart—when you're grieving someone who's already gone. We’ll talk about: The Reticular Activating System (RAS) and how it filters your reality post-breakup The myth of the Twin Flame and why it keeps so many of us stuck How emotional addiction and intermittent reinforcement masquerade as love The cultural delulu spiral (Persian–Irish edition) and finding signs in everything Why grief isn’t always loud—and the quiet rituals we rarely talk about The difference between a relationship ending… and your identity unraveling with it This one is part science, part heartbreak, part spiritual unlearning. It’s for anyone who’s ever asked the universe for a sign—and secretly hoped it would say go back. So if you’ve been searching for answers in angel numbers, Spotify algorithms, or strangers who vaguely resemble your ex… this episode is for you. Reflection Question(s) of The Week: What am I calling a sign… because I’m too afraid to call it an ending? Where am I mistaking spiritual alignment for emotional avoidance? _ As always: if you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to follow, rate, and subscribe — it truly helps us grow and reach more listeners. Come say hi on Instagram @thewrongonespodcast An Operation Podcast production.

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