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.

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.

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?

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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.

In this deeply personal episode of The Wrong Ones, I’m opening up about the connection between heartbreak, body image, and disordered eating. This isn’t an easy one—but it’s the most honest I’ve ever been.

I take you through the origins of my relationship with food, from a hyper-health-conscious upbringing to my diagnosis with hypothyroidism and later, Hashimoto’s. I share how a breakup became the catalyst for one of the darkest periods of my life, when eating disorders weren’t just about thinness — they were about survival, control, and trying to be “enough.”

This episode blends:

• Real psychology on attachment trauma, fawning, and self-worth

• Medical insights on thyroid health, T3/T4, and autoimmune burnout

• The messy truth about love, shame, and trying to hold on to someone who had already let go

If you’ve ever felt like you had to earn love by erasing yourself, this episode is for you.

 Reflection Question of the Week:

What do you like most about yourself?

Trigger warning: This episode contains open and raw discussions about eating disorders, disordered eating behaviors, and body image. Please take care while listening.

Follow along for more vulnerable, relatable, and laugh-through-the-tears conversations on love, heartbreak, and the art of becoming.

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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.

This week on The Wrong Ones, we’re unpacking a breakup that played out in front of millions — and left behind some major lessons on relationship dynamics, trauma bonds, and the psychology of healing after public shame.

Yes, we’re talking about Rachael Kirkconnell & Matt James — from The Bachelor to After the Final Rose… to Japan… to Call Her Daddy… and everything in between.

In this episode, we’ll explore:

• Why some relationships start with trauma-bonded foundations
• The Fix Me Fallacy — and how it can quietly erode our sense of self in relationships
• How future projection and unaligned actions can trap us in false hope
• The emotional labor of being "the one who stays" after public controversy
• What ambiguous loss can teach us about invisible breakups
• And why rediscovering self-worth after the wrong ones is always the greatest win

We’ll also revisit last week’s reflection question and leave you with a new one to sit with as you continue your own growth journey.

Reflection Question of the Week:

Were you fighting for connection—or for confirmation that you were worth staying for? Was it really love—or a performance for someone who made you feel like you had something to prove?

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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.

 

Welcome to The Wrong Ones, where the mic is hot, the voice notes are long, and the healing is very much a work in progress.

In this deeply honest and unfiltered intro, your (anonymous) host shares what led her to finally hit record—from the heartbreak that cracked her open, to the healing that’s still in progress. Sitting on the floor of her walk-in closet, she reflects on the relationships that shaped her, the therapy that saved her, and the dog (hi Luca ) who got her through it all.

This episode covers:

• Why she’s keeping her name private (for now)

• The heartbreak that unraveled a future she thought was certain

• Navigating solo dog-mom life post-breakup

• How therapy became a mirror instead of a fix

• The slow, messy glow-up that begins with choosing yourself

And most importantly, why this space is a celebration of the quiet wins—the boundaries set, the healing done, the confetti moments we often forget to honor.

Reflection Question of the Week: Are you still waiting for someone to finally give you a raise—or are you ready to take your talent somewhere that actually knows what you’re worth?

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Follow along for more vulnerable, relatable, and laugh-through-the-tears conversations on love, heartbreak, and the art of becoming.

Come say hi on Instagram  @thewrongonespodcast

An Operation Podcast production.