295. Why we have vulnerability hangovers

295. Why we have vulnerability hangovers

Have you ever opened up, shared something real, and then immediately regretted it? That post-overshare spiral—the “why did I say that?” dread—is what we call a vulnerability hangover. In this episode, we dive deep into the psychology behind why vulnerability can feel so physically and emotionally intense, even when it’s necessary, honest, and healing.

We explore:

  • The two types of vulnerability hangovers (and why both are valid)
  • Why alcohol, trauma dumping, and people-pleasing make it worse
  • How shame and past betrayals shape our fear of being seen
  • The neuroscience behind your emotional "come down"
  • What to do the day after you said too much
  • How to make vulnerability a tool for connection—not something to fear

Plus, we answer listener questions on post-therapy crashes, drunk confessions, and how to stay open even when it’s hard. If you’re sitting with a case of the cringe, this episode is for you.

ORDER MY BOOK: https://www.psychologyofyour20s.com/general-clean

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episoder(386)

249. 5 tips to master public speaking

249. 5 tips to master public speaking

Public speaking is one of our biggest fears as a species - some 75% of us list public speaking as our biggest and greatest fear. In today's episode, I want to discuss why that is and where this fear s...

19 Nov 202435min

248. The psychology of solo travelling

248. The psychology of solo travelling

Solo travelling is something that we romanticise a lot in our 20s and is a big thing on many of our bucket lists. It can be such a transformative experience, it allows you to listen to your intuition ...

15 Nov 202441min

247. Can we be friends with our ex?

247. Can we be friends with our ex?

A lot of us try to convince ourselves we can be friends with our ex in the immediate aftermath of a breakup, but is that necesserily the best idea? In 2022 I did an episode with my ex-boyfriend talkin...

12 Nov 202441min

246. How to cope with political anxiety

246. How to cope with political anxiety

Many of us have been facing increasing levels of political anxiety in the past days and weeks. It seems that the world has never been more divisive and polarised and there is a lot that we are uncerta...

8 Nov 202436min

245. The psychology of the middle child

245. The psychology of the middle child

We all know the stereotypes about the eldest child, the youngest and the only child, but the middle child often seems to be left out, and not just from our conversations on birth order theory, but als...

4 Nov 202443min

244. 5 steps for creating a 'soft life'

244. 5 steps for creating a 'soft life'

The idea of a 'soft life' originated from a group of Nigerian influencers who chose the term to describe a way of living that was comfortable, joyful, minimised stress whilst prioritised self care and...

1 Nov 202437min

243. Why having hobbies is so important

243. Why having hobbies is so important

Your hobbies may be just as important as your friendships in your 20s. But whilst you may dedicate 10-15 hours a week to your friends, most of us can go a week or two without actually performing our h...

29 Okt 202437min

242. The psychology of maladaptive daydreaming

242. The psychology of maladaptive daydreaming

Daydreaming can be a perfectly normal part of life - zoning out in the shower, before we fall asleep, on the train to work. But some of us cross over into dangerous territory or what we call maladapti...

25 Okt 202441min

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