finding secret delight in the downfall of others: exploring schadenfreude [preview]

Have you ever secretly rejoiced in someone else's misfortune? This episode peels back the layers of schadenfreude, a complex emotion often hidden in plain sight.Schadenfreude, the feeling of pleasure derived from another's troubles, is a concept deeply ingrained in human nature, yet it's rarely acknowledged openly. We delve into its origins and the psychological underpinnings that make us susceptible to this emotion. Why do we experience it, and what does it say about our societal values and personal insecurities?Through real-life narratives, we examine schadenfreude from both sides. One story explores its role as a defense mechanism, highlighting how personal insecurities and envy can lead to feelings of satisfaction in others' failings. The contrasting narrative focuses on experiencing schadenfreude from the receiving end, unraveling the emotional complexities and unspoken tensions it creates in relationships.In dissecting these stories, we confront uncomfortable truths about human nature. This episode is an investigation into our darker impulses and a call to greater self-awareness and empathy. Join me in exploring the intricate dynamics of schadenfreude and what it reveals about our inner selves.UNLOCK THE FULL VERSION OF THIS EPISODE: visit https://www.patreon.com/backfromtheborderline to join the community on Patreon. From here, you'll be able to access all full-length (and ad free!) episodes of BFTB. CONTACT ME CHECK OUT MORE OF MY WORK: To read my Substack articles, access my Amazon book recommendation list, submit a voicemail, or contact me for collaborations, visit https://linktr.ee/backfromtheborderline. acast+ https://plus.acast.com/s/back-from-the-borderline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Om Podcasten

You can perform emotional alchemy and I will show you how.The idea of alchemy is to reduce something with fire – burning it down so that something new can rise from the ashes. You can do this with your personality, too. You’ve always had the power; you just didn’t know that. Now you do. Highly sensitive, emotional, and intuitive children are often impacted most severely by dysfunctional family dynamics, childhood emotional neglect, sexual abuse, grooming, generational trauma, and inherited toxic shame. As adults, these same children often find themselves with a disorder or dysfunction label, as mainstream psychiatry tries to convince them that the root of their suffering is due to a disordered personality or chemical imbalance. Our current medical model of mental health is quick to pathologize. Psychiatrists and therapists operating within this model often ask, “What’s wrong with you?” but rarely, “What *happened* to you?” Personalities are not cancerous tumors; psychological suffering cannot be accurately understood or treated through the lens of a purely medical model. We have to go deeper. And that's exactly what we do here on Back from the Borderline. A path toward healing exists, even though I know it can feel impossible when you’re looking up from rock bottom. Through working with and integrating the concepts we explore in each episode together, you’ll learn to:✧ Better regulate, name and process your emotions✧ Understand and reduce chronic feelings of emptiness✧ Confront and uproot your toxic shame✧ Put an end to recurring patterns of self-sabotage✧ Connect with your Higher Self✧ Break the cycle of generational family trauma✧ Set healthier boundaries with yourself and others✧ Recognize the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships✧ Heal from a chronic need to please and seek validation from othersTune in and prepare yourself to be standing in the ashes of the person you used to be. New episodes drop every Tuesday. As for me? I'm Mollie Adler. A disillusioned millennial, podcaster, writer, creative, existential thinker, obsessive researcher (huge nerd), and fellow f*cked up human desperately trying to find meaning in a society and culture that seems to be devoid of it. To read my Substack articles, access my Amazon book recommendation list, submit a voicemail, or contact me for collaborations, visit https://linktr.ee/backfromtheborderline. Anyone – even you – can come Back From the Borderline. 𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪  acast+ https://plus.acast.com/s/back-from-the-borderline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.