The Psychology Podcast – “Busting Viral Mental Health Myths” with Joe Nucci
Date: September 25, 2025
Host: Scott Barry Kaufman
Guest: Joe Nucci, psychotherapist & author of Viral Mental Health Myths and the Truths to Set You Free
Episode Overview
This episode of The Psychology Podcast, hosted by Scott Barry Kaufman, features a candid and timely conversation with psychotherapist and Instagram educator Joe Nucci. Drawing on Nucci’s new book, the pair rigorously dissect and debunk popular mental health myths currently spreading across social media, therapy circles, and broader culture. Themes include the proliferation of mental health dialogue, the dangers of psychobabble, therapeutic modality disputes, issues of diagnosis, and the impact of politicization on clinical practice.
The discussion is both accessible and grounded in evidence, offering listeners crucial nuance at a moment when mental health is receiving unprecedented public attention but not always from qualified voices. The conversation is laced with wit and personal stories, all in service of clarifying which beliefs actually serve mental health – and which ones need “deflating.”
Main Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Proliferation of Mental Health Myths
[04:34-07:18]
- SBK: Sets context about the shift from mental health as taboo to commonplace, but notes “not everyone is qualified to talk about mental health.”
- Nucci’s book is praised for addressing the gap: “If I open up TikTok for three seconds, I’m bound to run across some psychobabble that just isn’t true.” (Host, 06:32)
2. “Everyone Should Go To Therapy” – Debunked
[07:46-11:41]
- Nucci clarifies that therapy is invaluable for some but not needed by all.
- Supply/demand: Even if all U.S. therapists had an unsustainable caseload, tens of millions would still go without.
- Endorses alternative supports like coaching.
- Quote: “There’s just such a big difference between benefiting from something ... and then like actually needing it to be functional.” (Nucci, 08:25)
- Alan Frances’ “Saving Normal” cited: We shouldn’t medicalize everyday life.
- “A lot of life is just really hard and kind of inherently tragic. Time and just general support... will take care of it.” (Nucci, 11:14)
3. “Analyzing Your Thoughts is Always Good For You”
[12:24-15:37]
- Over-analyzing or “co-rumination” can reinforce dysfunctional patterns; sometimes, “less is more when it comes to thinking about your thoughts.” (Nucci, 14:03)
- Psychoanalytic approaches criticized for fostering rumination without progress.
- The right intervention depends on clinical indication, not blanket introspection.
4. Expressing Your Feelings: Always Valid?
[20:16-23:43]
- Nucci: All feelings are understandable, but expressing them without filter isn’t always healthy—“the only person that has that deal is an infant.” (Nucci, 22:22)
- Mindfulness & SEL programs in schools may, counterintuitively, worsen outcomes for some, especially without nuance.
- “If you are experiencing clinical depression... because you are suppressing emotions, mindfulness is wonderful... but sometimes adaptive suppression is needed.” (Nucci, 21:31)
5. “Hurt People Hurt People”
[23:54-34:25]
- Myth oversimplifies: Many who are deeply hurt become highly agreeable, not abusers.
- Can be misused as an excuse to tolerate bad behavior or relinquish personal responsibility.
- Quote: “My view on human nature is a little more tragic than that.” (Nucci, 26:14)
- SBK: “We kind of absolve the person of responsibility for being an asshole.” (SBK, 31:00)
6. ADHD, OCD, and the Problem of Over-Identification
[34:32-41:09]
- Dismantling the myth that every focus issue is ADHD; historical perspective: distraction is ancient.
- Acknowledges social and cultural (even capitalist) influences in ADHD self-diagnosis and stimulant use.
- “Are we really going to sit here and say that before the Internet, everyone was super focused and nothing distracted us?” (Nucci, 35:15)
- Sleep, trauma, and lifestyle can mimic or worsen symptoms.
- Critique of the trauma-only view of ADHD (contra Gabor Maté): “ADHD can also be real. I don’t think we need to bring it to the extreme that it’s just caused by trauma.” (Nucci, 39:21)
- SBK & Nucci agree: both genetic and environmental factors play a role.
7. The Trouble with “Everyone Is Neurodivergent”
[60:34-68:21]
- Neurodiversity as a label is valuable for certain cases, especially for access to resources, but has been diluted.
- Nucci’s story: Child assessment showed both strengths and weaknesses but didn’t lead to a diagnostic label—“I do feel balanced as an adult.”
- Danger in over-labeling—especially for youth experimenting with identity.
- SBK: “I would maybe disagree ... I don’t think we’re all neurodivergent. ... There are some people... one, two, even two standard deviations out from the mean.”
- Over-pathologizing can increase stigma and discourage adaptive change.
8. Mindfulness: Is It Good for Everyone?
[55:24-60:34]
- Mindfulness is beneficial for many but can backfire, especially in certain trauma or anxiety presentations.
- Example: “I actually facilitated the meditation perfectly ... and they had a full blown panic attack in front of me.” (Nucci, 56:20)
- Proper sequencing of skills (e.g., DBT recommends distress tolerance before mindfulness) is essential.
- “It is not the correct intervention or skill for every situation.” (Nucci, 56:13)
9. “Everyone’s Ex is a Narcissist”
[73:17-78:53]
- Nucci: Awareness is good, but overuse of the label breeds narcissistic victimhood.
- Narcissistic behaviors are on a continuum; we all have narcissistic moments.
- Grandiose vs. vulnerable narcissism: The latter often appears in therapy; the former rarely seeks help unless compelled.
- “Breakups are really tough ... both (grandiose and insecure coping) reactions are normal.” (Nucci, 74:13)
- Adaptive narcissism exists — e.g., confident surgeons or media personalities.
10. Does Everyone Have Trauma?
[79:01-81:45]
- Nucci counters the idea that all distress is trauma; distinguishes trauma from grief and from normative adversity.
- It’s about your current relationship to past events, not just the event itself.
- “If the field decides that trauma and grief are more similar than they are different, I am super happy to have that conversation. But ... I don’t think that’s what anybody is claiming.” (Nucci, 81:39)
Notable Quotes & Moments
- “The speed at which talking about mental health has gone from taboo to commonplace is unprecedented. While everyone is talking about mental health, this is the key part. Not everyone is qualified to do so.” — SBK (05:55)
- “Sometimes less is more when it comes to thinking about your thoughts.” — Joe Nucci (14:04)
- “If you over-prioritize systemic change, you shouldn’t be a therapist, you should be an activist.” — Joe Nucci (48:17)
- “A myth is like an air mattress. It’s wonderfully comfortable, but it’s filled with nothing.” — Joe Nucci (11:51)
- “I’m not doing this because I’m wagging my finger at you ... This has consequences for your mental health. This is actually important to talk about.” — Joe Nucci (60:10)
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
- [04:34] – Episode introduction; SBK frames the problem of viral mental health misinformation.
- [07:46] – Myth 1: Does everyone need therapy?
- [12:24] – Myth 2: Is analyzing your thoughts always useful?
- [20:16] – Myth 3: Expressing your feelings is always valid.
- [23:54] – Myth 4: “Hurt people hurt people.”
- [34:32] – Myth 5: ADHD is the main reason you can’t focus.
- [55:24] – Myth 6: Mindfulness is good for everyone.
- [60:34] – Myth 7: Neurodivergence – are we all neurodivergent?
- [73:17] – Myth 8: “Everyone’s ex is a narcissist.”
- [79:01] – Myth 9: “Everyone has trauma.”
Tone & Language
Throughout the episode, both SBK and Nucci maintain an accessible, conversational, and lightly irreverent tone. Joe supplements evidence-based reasoning with personal anecdotes and humor, sometimes described as “a little bitchy” by SBK (54:46) in recognition of his Instagram persona. Both hosts counter black-and-white thinking, repeatedly asserting the importance of clinical nuance and directness, often referencing specific studies, clinical experiences, and broader societal implications.
Conclusion
This episode provides a crucial service: grounding the listener in evidence while cutting through the fog of viral half-truths and social media psychobabble. Listeners come away better equipped to spot simplistic, overstated claims about mental health circulating online – and to demand more nuance, both in therapy and public discourse. Joe Nucci’s book and social presence are recommended for anyone seeking critical clarity on these issues.
For those interested in delving deeper, SBK’s recent book, “Rise Above,” and Nucci’s “Viral Mental Health Myths and the Truths to Set You Free” are highlighted as companion resources for science-backed, myth-busting insight into human potential and well-being.