343. Hurt People, Labels, and the Truth We Avoid

Everybody’s ex is a narcissist. Your boss is toxic. Your parent is a psychopath. At least that’s what the internet would have you believe. In today’s episode, Joe tackles the rise of weaponized psychology labels and what happens when real clinical terms become everyday insults. He explores why people reach for words like narcissist, gaslighting, toxic, and sociopath after painful relationships, why those labels can feel validating, and how they can also keep us stuck. This episode is not about defending harmful behavior. Some people are manipulative. Some relationships do real damage. But not every painful experience requires a diagnosis.