Starcast Join the waitlist
The Dan Buettner Podcast

The Dan Buettner Podcast

The Dark Side of Self-Care: Why Hyper-Focus Is Making You Miserable

Jul 23, 2026 · 1h 20m

Coming soon to iPhone. Already have it? “Listen in Starcast” takes you straight there.

On this episode

About this episode

Is your obsession with wellness actually making you less happy?In this episode, board-certified psychiatrist and positive psychology expert Dr. Samantha Boardman exposes the dark side of the modern self-care movement. While social media feeds urge us to constantly look inward, analyze our flaws, and prioritize isolation in the name of mental health, Dr. Boardman reveals how this hyper-focus on the self is driving an epidemic of misery and loneliness. Drawing on clinical research and her book Everyday Vitality, she explains how mainstream psychology has accidentally pathologized normal, daily stress, replacing true resilience with endless rumination that strips away our personal agency. To…