Society & CulturePhilosophy

Psychobabble

Hannah Spier, MD

Psychiatrist analyzing how cultural trends and modern therapy incentivize dysfunction. hannahspier.substack.com

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33 episodes
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Thursday · 28 min
#98. They Feel Sorry for Elizabeth Holmes. Here's What They Miss
Elizabeth Holmes was convicted of deliberately deceiving investors. Why is the conversation now about feeling sorry for her? Her new documentary, You Can See Everything, presents a softer image: a mother facing separation from her children. In this episode of Psychobabble, I examine that sympathetic portrait alongside her conduct, her deposition footage, and the evidence of deliberate fraud. Using the triarchic model of psychopathy—boldness, meanness, and disinhibition—I explore the personality traits behind deception, exploitation, intimidation, and calculated image management. Did Holmes believe her own claims? What does her response to scrutiny reveal about accountability? And why do motherhood and allegations of abuse change how people interpret her actions? A closer look at Elizabeth Holmes, female psychopathic traits, and the behavior that sympathy can lead people to overlook. Subscribe to Psychobabble with Spier for more psychological case analysis and honest discussion of female psychology. Please leave a rating and a review! That would help me a lot!
Tuesday · 13 min
#97. Why Women VOTE the Way They Do
Are women's political choices driven by too much empathy—or by the pressure to agree with the group? If empathy explains their politics, why can it disappear when the victim challenges the cause? In this episode, I question whether "suicidal empathy" adequately explains what we're seeing. From women's suffrage in Switzerland to footage from the French protests, I examine a different explanation: sensitivity to social consensus, the rewards of belonging, and the willingness to punish those who disagree. I discuss research on conformity and social influence, why women can enforce conservative values just as fiercely as progressive ones, and how protecting the group can take priority over compassion for the individual. Listen to Psychobabble on I would be very grateful if you leave a rating and a review! Listen ad-free by subscribing on Substack: https://hannahspier.substack.com/podcast
October 23 · 50 min
#96. Why Men Are Condemned Before the Evidence Is In | Janice Fiamengo, James Nuzzo and Tom Golden
Even Republican women blame men for the challenges women face. Tom Golden presents survey data suggesting that this attitude reaches across political parties and age groups—and we discuss what happens when blaming men replaces examining your own choices. I'm joined by Janice Fiamengo, Tom Golden and Jim Nuzzo for a conversation about feminism, female accountability and false accusations. Starting with the public reaction to the Cornell 7 case, we examine how accusations against individual men become sweeping judgments about men generally, and how claims of victimhood can shield women from scrutiny. We also discuss blame and resentment in relationships, regret and reputation, what false-allegation statistics actually measure, university investigations, and the use of trauma explanations to dismiss contradictory evidence. I would be very grateful if you would leave a rating and a review! Thank you so much! Want to listen ad-free? Subscribe to Psychobabble on Substack: https://hannahspier.substack.com/podcast
October 19 · 58 min
#95. Why Female Psychopaths Are So Hard to Recognize
I'm joined by Dr Fiona Girkin, a researcher specialising in female psychopathy and dark personality traits, whose doctoral research examined workplace bullying in the community services sector. We discuss relational aggression, weaponised victimhood, revenge, parental alienation and the difference between everyday selfishness and calculated abuse. We also explore whether feminism, social media and a lack of accountability are rewarding destructive behaviour and how to recognise warning signs in workplaces, friendships and romantic relationships.
October 12 · 19 min
#94. She Said It Was Consensual. Then They Called It Trauma.
The Cornell 7 case has become about much more than what happened that night. Jane Doe's lawyer says her behavior afterward — including initially describing the encounter as consensual — is a "textbook" trauma response. Across social media, people are making the same argument: contradictory behavior after an alleged assault doesn't undermine the trauma narrative; it may actually confirm it. But is that what the research shows? In this episode, I look at how the definition of trauma has expanded, what PTSD was originally designed to describe, what studies of forcible rape survivors actually find, and what happens when a psychiatric explanation becomes so flexible that almost no evidence can count against it.
October 9 · 15 min
#93. The Cornell 7: How This Happened.
The Cornell 7 case raises a bigger question: is there any moral category left between "illegal" and "good"? Listen ad-free by subscribing on Substack: https://hannahspier.substack.com/podcast
October 1 · 37 min
#92. How to Cure a Feminist
What does it actually take to "cure" feminism? In this episode, I look at why grievance-based feminism is psychologically attractive, why facts alone rarely change minds, and what can actually replace it. From mate choice and accountability to marriage, interdependence, motherhood and cultural incentives, this is a practical look at how women can move from grievance and victimhood toward responsibility, purpose and relationships that other people can rely on.
September 24 · 15 min
#91. Women Are Getting Angrier. Here's Why.
Female rage is increasingly being reframed as something righteous, therapeutic, even healthy. This is how we have taught women that their anger is not something to regulate but evidence that they've been wronged. Then we look at the dangerous consequences of the therapies built on these assumptions.
September 18 · 37 min
#90. Why Evidence Wasn't Enough for the Lindsay Clancy Jurors
In this episode, I look at the Lindsay Clancy juror interviews and the psychology behind how the jury processed the case. Why did evidence of psychosis seem less important than the belief that Lindsay was a loving mother? Why did the holdout juror become the problem? And what do the interviews reveal about conformity, cognitive dissonance, the motherhood halo effect, and female group dynamics? I also explain what I think the prosecution was really fighting against, why simply presenting more evidence was unlikely to solve that problem, and how the holdout juror might have persuaded the female jurors differently by understanding the social and emotional dynamics in the room.
September 10 · 1 hr 1 min
#89. Why Powerful Men Fall for Borderline Women
Evolutionary psychologist Edward Dutton joins me to discuss his new book Borderline Genius, Borderline Insane and we ask the question: have women with borderline traits had an outsized influence on powerful men, culture and history? We get into the unstable self, mirroring and attachment, whether borderline manipulation is conscious, the overlap between BPD and vulnerable narcissism, and the increasingly complicated relationship between borderline traits, autism and ADHD. We also debate trauma versus temperament, why certain men are drawn to borderline women, the relationship between attractiveness and instability, and whether modern culture is removing the guardrails that once helped people regulate difficult temperaments. Edward Dutton / The Jolly Heretic: https://www.jollyheretic.com/ Borderline Genius, Borderline Insane: https://us.amazon.com/Borderline-Genius-Insane-Understanding-Personality-ebook/dp/B0HGGGWYGP
September 4 · 23 min
#88. Their Surrogate Refused to Abort. Now They're Suing Her.
McKenna West agreed to carry a baby for a California couple for around $60,000. When the baby was diagnosed with a serious heart condition, the genetic parents requested an abortion. West refused, moved to Texas, gave birth and is now being sued for breach of contract. In this episode, I look at what this case reveals about commercial surrogacy. I also bring in The Handmaid's Tale because the show is a pure dramatization of the feminist id and spends six seasons asking us to recoil at a world where women's reproductive bodies are used to produce children for other people. More powerful people. At the expense of women. The comparison becomes uncomfortable when we ask what really changes once the woman is paid, signs a contract and then changes her mind. What happens when two women both claim what we have told them are their reproductive rights but only one of them can get what she wants? What does this reveal about the nature of feminism? For more Psychobabble and ad-free episode, subscribe on Substack: https://substack.com/@UCZlHNlu2CVjcPy... LIVE STREAM WITH JANICE FIAMENGO: 14th of September at noon ET.
August 28 · 1 hr 10 min
#87. The New Feminist Buzzwords You Need to Know
Hannah is joined by returning guests: Janice Fiamengo, author of "The Goddess That Failed" Tom Golden, host of the "Men Are Good" podcast, and Jim Nuzzo author of "The Nuzzo Letter," whose research and writing on men, gender and public policy has featured regularly on Psychobabble. Their work and links are included below. In this episode, the four investigate a new crop of feminist buzzwords — and the much more serious ideas hiding behind them. From himpathy and medical misogyny to vicarious violence and leg harrassment and gender washing, many of these terms are presented as ways of describing injustice. But what happens when subjective feelings of grievance are turned into categories of harm. Some of the examples are easy to laugh at but others are already moving from academia into journalism, government policy and legislation. Announcement: Hannah will be speaking at the **Parental Alienation Study Group conference in Australia this October**. Details here: https://eecw.eventsair.com/pasg2026/ Guests: Janice Fiamengo: https://fiamengofile.substack.com/ Jim Nuzzo: https://jameslnuzzo.substack.com/ Tom Golden: https://menaregood.substack.com/ Please like, subscribe and share the episode if you find Psychobabble valuable!
August 27 · 20 min
#86. When "Silent Suffering" Turns Into Manipulation
In this episode, I examine the growing Quiet BPD narrative and the behaviors being described as internalized—from withdrawing and ghosting to relationship tests, reckless behavior and emotional escalation. I ask what happens when psychiatry describes a disorder entirely from the perspective of the person experiencing the emotions, while overlooking the effect those behaviors have on partners, parents, friends and colleagues.
August 13 · 42 min
#85. Why We Want Lindsay Clancy to Be the Victim
The Lindsay Clancy case has become a story about postpartum psychosis, psychiatric medication and a healthcare system that supposedly failed a struggling mother. But does the evidence actually support that story? In this episode, psychiatrist Hannah Spier examines the psychiatric arguments at the center of the ongoing Lindsay Clancy trial: what an acute psychotic break actually looks like, the unusual timing of the alleged postpartum psychosis, the claim of an undiagnosed bipolar disorder, the long list of psychiatric medications Clancy was prescribed, and the argument that she could appear completely normal while experiencing severe psychosis. But the case raises a larger question. Why are we so quick to search for an external explanation when a mother commits an horrific act? At what point does psychiatric explanation begin to erase moral agency? This episode discusses disturbing material involving the deaths of children. Subscribe for more Psychobabble with Spier! Read Psychobabble and become a Psychobabble Insider on Substack for articles, sources, exclusive lives and access to the full Psychobabble library. https://substack.com/@psychobabblewithspier
August 6 · 12 min
#84. Why Women Are Really Angry at Voice Memo Guy
Check out our sponsor: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code HANNAH at https://www.oneskin.co/HANNAH A viral voice memo has everyone arguing about timing, pressure and consent. But the real issue is something else entirely. It exposes how ridiculous the conversation around sex and dating has become.
July 31 · 20 min
#83. How We Trained Girls For Conflict
Sponsor: Looki L1 is an AI Life Memory Camera that helps you stay present now and return to the day later. Learn more: https://www.c2go.cc/r/HannahSpierMD | code: Hannah. What ordinary moment would you want to relive? Girls were taught to speak up, resist influence, reject criticism and never change for anyone. But what happens when every part of culture—film, advertising, social media, schools and psychology—pushes in the same direction? This episode examines how efforts to make girls tougher may also have discouraged compromise, accommodation and agreeableness, leaving many women trained to approach relationships as power struggles rather than cooperation. Want to watch the episodes ad-free? Upgrade on Substack and get every epsiode and other benefits like Google Meets and Exclusive Live Videos: https://substack.com/@psychobabblewit...
July 24 · 13 min
#82. The Dark Psychology Behind "High Value" Women
"High-value woman" dating advice promises better men, stronger boundaries and a softer life.A new manifestation of feminism. But much of it is really a guide to entitlement, strategic detachment and low reciprocity—traits that make lasting relationships almost impossible. In this episode, psychiatrist Hannah Spier explains how modern dating coaches rebrand narcissistic behavior as femininity, confidence and self-worth.
July 21 · 16 min
#81. How Women Use Mental Health to Avoid Growing Up
How did ordinary adulthood become evidence of psychiatric suffering? What's the real attraction? In this episode, I react to young women presenting normal functioning as "high-functioning depression," insisting that invisible distress cannot be questioned, and using suicidal language to make disagreement morally dangerous. I explain how mental-health labels can turn basic responsibilities into acts of bravery, confer moral authority and eventually become leverage over everyone around them. Do you think mental-health awareness has gone too far—or are these videos helping people feel less alone? Let me know in the comments. Please like, subscribe and share the episode! Head on over to Substack and upgrade to watch the episodes ad-free! https://hannahspier.substack.com/
July 13 · 20 min
80. Why So Many Young Women Suddenly Have "Alters"
Dissociation is a real and measurable psychological phenomenon—but does that validate dissociative identity disorder as it is commonly portrayed online and diagnosed in clinical practice? In this episode, psychiatrist Hannah Spier examines the evidence behind DID, the limitations of self-reported amnesia and diagnostic interviews, and the difficulty of distinguishing separate "identities" from shifting emotional states, trauma responses, borderline personality traits, and identity disturbance. Finally, Hannah looks at the history of multiple personality disorder—from mesmerism and hypnosis to *The Three Faces of Eve*, *Sybil*, *Split*, and TikTok—and offers advice for parents whose children return from therapy with a new DID diagnosis. Read Hannah's articles and join exclusive live discussions on Substack! https://substack.com/@psychobabblewithspier
July 10 · 17 min
#79. Why We Pretend Women Aren't Violent
SPONSOR: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code HANNAH at https://www.oneskin.co/HANNAH In this episode, we look at the Mackenzie Shirilla case as a starting point for a broader question: how do we understand female physical violence? The discussion moves from the details of the case — including Shirilla's behavior before and after the crash, the public reaction, and the question of remorse — into a wider examination of how female aggression is often framed culturally. We tend to associate men with physical violence and women with relational aggression, but the evidence around intimate partner violence, family violence, elder abuse, and child homicide complicates that picture. Chapters 00:00 — Are women less physically violent? 00:38 — The Mackenzie Shirilla case 03:41 — Cluster B traits and interpersonal dominance 08:56 — Female sociopathy and violent women 09:10 — The myth of domestic violence as male-only 09:26 — Intimate partner violence data 10:12 — Why female violence is often framed as self-defense 10:41 — Why women report using physical aggression 10:56 — Gender symmetry in older violence studies 11:35 — Teen boys and dating violence victimization 11:49 — The problem with using general crime statistics 12:22 — Violence in female-dominated settings 12:37 — Elder abuse and female perpetrators 12:50 — Mothers, filicide, and neonaticide 13:41 — How society interprets male vs female violence

Showing 1–20 of 33 episodes