We've all been there. 3 AM. Wide awake. Asking "why me?" on repeat. But what if that question is actually keeping you stuck?

In this raw and research-backed episode, we dive into:

• Why your brain gets addicted to "why me?" (and the neuroscience behind it)
• How victimhood can transform into identity—and even aggression
• The better questions that lead to post-traumatic growth
• A personal story about workplace bullying and the victim-to-bully pipeline

This is for anyone who's tired of living in the question but doesn't want to minimize their pain. Because you can honor what happened without being defined by it.

🔬 Research Referenced: • Default Mode Network & Rumination Studies
• Post-Traumatic Growth Research - Tedeschi & Calhoun
• Dr. Susan Nolen-Hoeksema - Rumination vs. Processing
• Dr. Alvaro Pascual-Leone - Neuroplasticity Research
• Dr. Erica Boothby (Cornell) - Moral Licensing in Victimhood
• Journal of Applied Psychology - Victim-Aggressor Cycle
• Hostile Attribution Bias Studies
• Displaced Aggression Theory

🎯 Key Takeaways:

• Your brain can rewire in as little as 5 days
• 50-60% of trauma survivors experience positive growth
• The questions you ask literally shape your neural pathways
• Victimhood isn't shameful, but staying stuck in it is costly

Instagram: aurtisticexpressions
Substack: https://substack.com/@thismightgetmessy
Medium: https://medium.com/@gal_81784
Email: gal@aurtisticexpressions.com

Want to be on the podcast (pretty please)?: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMUppJ0hHK4zNpRBuT5KXZUvLUOJGuy2GEC6kzEp1HyC4O2w/viewform?usp=sharing