Brain vs Me™

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 For a long time, Josh tried to understand how he felt by thinking harder. But by the time the thoughts showed up, the damage was usually already done. In this episode, he explores the difference between what the body notices first and how the brain rushes in to explain it afterward. From elevated heart rate to shallow breathing, this is a grounded look at how early physical signals get ignored, how that delay leads to emotional hijacking, and what changes when you listen sooner instead of waiting for your thoughts to spiral. This isn’t about control or calm — it’s about presence. 

You’re listening to the Brain vs Me podcast - A show about the moments your brain gets ahead of you — usually before you’re ready.
Here’s your host, Joshua Ericson.

Thanks for listening to The Brain vs Me Podcast. If you enjoyed this and want to keep up, follow or subscribe to the show. 
You can leave a comment, ask a question, or share the episode wherever you’re listening.
If you’d like to support the show, or explore Joshua Ericson’s books and writing, visit brain versus me.com.

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 We don’t just imagine conversations before they happen — we replay them long after they’re over, refining responses, adjusting tone, and convincing ourselves we’re “preparing.” In this episode, Josh explores how mental rehearsal masquerades as readiness, why our brains use imaginary conversations to avoid uncertainty, and the quiet cost of living in rehearsals instead of real moments. From leadership to everyday interactions, this is a look at how control, anxiety, and presence collide — and what changes when we notice the pattern instead of obeying it. 

You’re listening to the Brain vs Me podcast - A show about the moments your brain gets ahead of you — usually before you’re ready.
Here’s your host, Joshua Ericson.

Thanks for listening to The Brain vs Me Podcast. If you enjoyed this and want to keep up, follow or subscribe to the show. 
You can leave a comment, ask a question, or share the episode wherever you’re listening.
If you’d like to support the show, or explore Joshua Ericson’s books and writing, visit brain versus me.com.

Support the show

Send a text

 Progress in therapy doesn’t move in straight lines—it loops, stalls, and sometimes backtracks entirely. In this episode, Josh explores the emotional whiplash of doing the work, only to feel like you're starting over again. From breakdowns that feel like failure to breakthroughs that show up disguised as panic, this episode is a brutally honest look at what it means to heal in real time. If you’ve ever left a session thinking, “Shouldn’t I be past this by now?”—this one’s for you. 

You’re listening to the Brain vs Me podcast - A show about the moments your brain gets ahead of you — usually before you’re ready.
Here’s your host, Joshua Ericson.

Thanks for listening to The Brain vs Me Podcast. If you enjoyed this and want to keep up, follow or subscribe to the show. 
You can leave a comment, ask a question, or share the episode wherever you’re listening.
If you’d like to support the show, or explore Joshua Ericson’s books and writing, visit brain versus me.com.

Support the show

Send a text

Ever feel like you're still functioning but completely numb inside?

This week on Brain vs Me™, we dive into the quiet version of depression—the one that doesn’t look dramatic, but slowly wears you down. It's the kind where your coping skills stop working, joy feels like a distant memory, and getting through the day feels like emotional quicksand.

We talk about:

• What “high-functioning” depression really feels like
• The guilt of not “healing fast enough”
• When even journaling and coffee stop helping
• How small wins still count—even if they feel pointless

If you’ve ever felt exhausted just from existing, this one’s for you.

Let’s stop pretending we’re okay just because we’re still moving.
 You’re not failing—you’re surviving. And that matters.

 🧠 brainvsme.com | 🐦 @TheBrainVsMe | 🎧 Available on all major platforms 

You’re listening to the Brain vs Me podcast - A show about the moments your brain gets ahead of you — usually before you’re ready.
Here’s your host, Joshua Ericson.

Thanks for listening to The Brain vs Me Podcast. If you enjoyed this and want to keep up, follow or subscribe to the show. 
You can leave a comment, ask a question, or share the episode wherever you’re listening.
If you’d like to support the show, or explore Joshua Ericson’s books and writing, visit brain versus me.com.

Support the show

Send a text

Ever tried to send one email and ended up deep into jellyfish documentaries and reorganizing your sock drawer? Same.

This episode of Brain vs Me dives into what it’s really like living with ADHD—the full-body panic, the productivity spirals, the emotional whiplash, and the weird superpower of hyperfocus that never shows up when you actually need it. We’re not here to talk about the “quirky” version of ADHD. We’re talking executive dysfunction, shame spirals, and that moment you start doubting your entire worth because you forgot to reply to a text.

If you’ve ever felt broken by your own brain—or just need someone to say “you’re not lazy, you’re just fried”—this one’s for you.

🧠 brainvsme.com | 🐦 @TheBrainVsMe | 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast app

You’re listening to the Brain vs Me podcast - A show about the moments your brain gets ahead of you — usually before you’re ready.
Here’s your host, Joshua Ericson.

Thanks for listening to The Brain vs Me Podcast. If you enjoyed this and want to keep up, follow or subscribe to the show. 
You can leave a comment, ask a question, or share the episode wherever you’re listening.
If you’d like to support the show, or explore Joshua Ericson’s books and writing, visit brain versus me.com.

Support the show

Send a text

Marriage and parenting are full-time jobs—with no training, no pay, and coworkers who are somehow always sticky.
In this episode, Josh dives into the messy, beautiful, occasionally soul-crushing chaos of family life. From folding-clothes fights in marriage counseling to kids melting down over “spicy bananas,” nothing is off-limits.

You’ll hear:

• How mental health affects marriages (even the strong ones)
• The truth about parenting while neurodivergent
• Why bedtime feels like a hostage negotiation
• The emotional whiplash of loving your family but needing five damn minutes alone
• How to stop comparing your family to a perfectly filtered lie

Whether you’re married, parenting, or just trying not to spiral in front of your kids—this one’s for you.

🧠 brainvsme.com | 🐦 @TheBrainVsMe | 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast app

You’re listening to the Brain vs Me podcast - A show about the moments your brain gets ahead of you — usually before you’re ready.
Here’s your host, Joshua Ericson.

Thanks for listening to The Brain vs Me Podcast. If you enjoyed this and want to keep up, follow or subscribe to the show. 
You can leave a comment, ask a question, or share the episode wherever you’re listening.
If you’d like to support the show, or explore Joshua Ericson’s books and writing, visit brain versus me.com.

Support the show

Send a text

Ever been praised at work while secretly falling apart?

That surreal moment when someone says, "You're killing it," and all you want to do is cry—because it confirms your worst fear: no one can tell you're drowning.

This episode dives into the high-functioning burnout trap—when professional performance becomes a mask for spiraling mental health. You’re answering emails at midnight. Making self-deprecating jokes about exhaustion so no one asks questions. Piling pressure onto yourself because the world keeps applauding.

We’ll unpack:

• Why praise can feel worse than criticism
• How imposter syndrome feeds burnout
• The danger of becoming “the dependable one” at your own expense
• Why rest isn’t a reward—it’s survival
• What it means to be human in a system that celebrates self-destruction

If you've ever smiled through a meeting and cried in the parking lot—this one's for you.

Come scream into the void with me @thebrainvsme or visit brainvsme.com for more emotionally chaotic honesty. 

You’re listening to the Brain vs Me podcast - A show about the moments your brain gets ahead of you — usually before you’re ready.
Here’s your host, Joshua Ericson.

Thanks for listening to The Brain vs Me Podcast. If you enjoyed this and want to keep up, follow or subscribe to the show. 
You can leave a comment, ask a question, or share the episode wherever you’re listening.
If you’d like to support the show, or explore Joshua Ericson’s books and writing, visit brain versus me.com.

Support the show

Send a text

You walk into therapy expecting a few tips and tricks… and suddenly you’re crying about something from third grade.

Welcome to the weird, awkward, deeply uncomfortable magic of therapy. In this episode, Josh explores the myths, spirals, and quiet breakthroughs that come with finally asking for help. From the emotional whiplash of opening up to a stranger, to the awkward silence that somehow wrecks you more than words ever could—this one’s for anyone who’s ever wondered: “Is therapy actually helping, or am I just trauma-dumping with receipts?”

We unpack the progress you can’t always measure, the guilt of not getting “better” fast enough, and the weird relief that comes when someone finally sees through your polished mask and just… stays.

 🧠 brainvsme.com | 🐦 @TheBrainVsMe | 🎧 Available on all major platforms 

You’re listening to the Brain vs Me podcast - A show about the moments your brain gets ahead of you — usually before you’re ready.
Here’s your host, Joshua Ericson.

Thanks for listening to The Brain vs Me Podcast. If you enjoyed this and want to keep up, follow or subscribe to the show. 
You can leave a comment, ask a question, or share the episode wherever you’re listening.
If you’d like to support the show, or explore Joshua Ericson’s books and writing, visit brain versus me.com.

Support the show

Send us a text

Send a text

Welcome to Brain vs Me—a podcast for overthinkers, ADHD minds, and anyone who’s ever spiraled over a text message.
In this episode, host Joshua Ericson introduces the show, the chaos behind it, and what you can expect going forward. Part therapy rant, part comedic breakdown, this debut is raw, honest, and occasionally absurd.

Inside:

• Why overthinking can feel like a courtroom drama starring your own thoughts
• What this podcast is (and isn’t) here to do
• A preview of future episodes: ADHD meltdowns, therapy spirals, family chaos, and mental health honesty
• A reminder that you don’t need to be “fixed”—you just need to be understood

If your brain won’t shut up and you’re tired of pretending it’s fine, you’ve found your people.

🧠 brainvsme.com | 🐦 @TheBrainVsMe | 🎧 Available on all major platforms

Support the show