Stockholm syndrome has become shorthand for victims who appear attached to their abusers or captors. But is it even real? We explore its bizarre origins, the Patty Hearst case, and why psychologists question the science behind this famous label.

People are befriending AI, falling in love with chatbots, and even grieving when their digital companions change or disappear. We explore why these relationships can feel surprisingly real and what AI companionship could mean for human connection.

Why do people hoard, and what happens when the things they're accumulating are alive? Explore the psychology and neuroscience of hoarding disorder, animal hoarding, OCD, and why letting go can feel impossible.

You can be conscious, talking, and functioning during an alcohol blackout while your brain fails to create lasting memories. We explore brownouts, en bloc blackouts, the hippocampus, and the neuroscience behind the missing night.

What's the difference between postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis? We explore PPD, PPP, psychosis, brain and hormonal changes, new treatments, and the dangerous myths surrounding postpartum mental illness.

A doctor with an ice pick, a Nobel Prize, and thousands of altered lives. Explore the dark history of lobotomy, Walter Freeman, Egas Moniz, and one of psychiatry's most infamous treatments.

H.M. couldn't make new memories. Clive Wearing seemed to wake up every few seconds. Their extraordinary cases revealed that memory isn't one thing but a collection of different systems working throughout the brain.

AI psychosis is an emerging phenomenon involving delusions and intensive chatbot interactions. We explore AI delusions, ChatGPT, emotional attachment, and reality distortion.

Body dysmorphic disorder is more than being insecure about your appearance. This episode explores how BDD differs from ordinary insecurity, why muscle dysmorphia can affect people who appear extremely muscular, and what happens when the pursuit of the “perfect” body becomes dangerous—including DIY cosmetic procedures.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder, is one of the most misunderstood mental disorders. Learn what the science really says about trauma, memory, identity, and the myths surrounding DID.

One moment you're walking through your house. The next, the hallway stretches impossibly long. Your hands look twice their normal size. Your dog suddenly appears tiny, like a toy. You know none of it is real—but your brain insists that it is.

Why would someone fake an illness, undergo painful medical procedures, or even make another person sick for attention? Explore the psychology of factitious disorder, formerly known as Munchausen syndrome, and the real-life cases that make it one of psychiatry's most baffling disorders.

In this episode of Strange Mind, we explore clinical zoanthropy, a rare psychiatric syndrome in which individuals believe they have become, or are in the process of becoming, an animal. From people convinced they are wolves, poultry, cats, or even gerbils, these extraordinary cases challenge our understanding of identity, perception, and reality itself. We examine the neuroscience, psychology, and documented case studies behind one of the rarest and most fascinating delusions ever recorded.

In this episode of Strange Mind, we explore the fascinating world of savant syndrome, a rare condition in which individuals display extraordinary abilities that stand in stark contrast to their overall functioning. From remarkable feats of memory and mathematical calculation to incredible artistic and musical talents, savants have captivated scientists and the public for decades. We examine the neuroscience behind these exceptional abilities, the differences between congenital and acquired savant syndrome, famous real-life cases that inspired films like Rain Man, and what these extraordinary minds reveal about the hidden potential of the human brain.

When collective fear turns into a shared physical delusion.

When the mind gets stuck in loops of fear, order, and doubt.

A look at how the frontal lobes shape personality, judgment, and behavior.

When your brain insists the people you love are imposters.

One of psychiatry’s strangest conditions—believing you are a walking corpse.

One of the strangest psychiatric phenomena: shared madness between two people.