Successful What to Do If You are Stuck in the Past?
Aug 14, 2025
Join Jordan Peterson, a renowned clinical psychologist and cultural critic, as he dives deep into the complexities of emotional well-being. He discusses how dopamine influences our motivations and the importance of setting clear goals to foster positivity. Peterson tackles the debilitating effects of anxiety-induced memories and advocates for confronting unresolved issues to reshape self-perception. Tune in for insights on emotional resilience and the path to moving forward in life!
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When Old Memories Keep Triggering Alarm
- If memories older than ~18 months remain highly anxiety-provoking, you are stuck in the past and your alarm systems treat them as current threats.
- That indicates your internal map of the world has gaps that keep triggering emergency responses.
Revisit And Update Old Traumas
- Clean up old events by revisiting them and figuring out how they happened and what role you played.
- Update the part of your brain that still reacts as if you're the age you were during the trauma so it recognizes your current capabilities.
Client Who Stayed Five In Dreams
- Peterson describes a client who dreamt he was five despite being 58, showing an un-updated trauma repeating in nightmares.
- Over time the client's dream-age shifted to about 45, illustrating gradual updating of internal models.