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Podcast of the Day

The Fear of Being Rejected

July 16, 2008

Host Armand DiMele

Rejection is wired into our DNA as a survival mechanism, but some people’s rejection radar is far too sensitive, turning minor slights into emotional crises. Armand DiMele traces rejection sensitivity from evolutionary roots to modern overpraise culture, body image anxiety, and the self-fulfilling prophecy of paranoid withdrawal. Callers share vivid personal examples.

Wisdom of the Week

Youth Isolation and the Hikikomori Phenomenon

Featured episode while curated clips are being prepared.

A million Japanese youth have locked themselves in their bedrooms for years. Armand DiMele uses the hikikomori phenomenon as a lens for examining how overprotective parenting, competitive pressure, and cultural apathy are suppressing the natural rebelliousness of adolescence, with his assistant Stephanie Alomba joining the discussion.

Browse by Category

Sixteen themes spanning four decades of the show.

Addiction & Compulsion35 episodes Aging & Mortality21 episodes Anxiety & Fear65 episodes Communication & Conflict44 episodes Depression & Mood51 episodes Emotions & Inner Life361 episodes Family & Parenting45 episodes Grief & Loss10 episodes Identity & The Self195 episodes Love & Romantic Relationships101 episodes Meaning, Spirituality & Philosophy42 episodes Personal Growth & Change191 episodes Sexuality & Desire15 episodes Society, Culture & Current Events62 episodes The Mind & Neuroscience136 episodes Trauma & Healing23 episodes

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addiction adolescence aggression aging amygdala anger antidepressants anxiety attachment attention attraction authenticity authority avoidance belonging betrayal blame body awareness body image bonding boundaries brain chemistry caregiving childhood childhood trauma childhood wounds codependency commitment compassion compulsion conflict conformity connection consciousness control couples creativity curiosity deception decision making denial dependency depression desire dissociation dominance dopamine ego empathy evolution family family dynamics fear fight or flight generosity genetics gratitude grief guilt habits happiness holidays honesty hormones identity impulse control infidelity intimacy introspection isolation jealousy listening loneliness loss love masculinity memory mindfulness mood motivation narcissism nervous system neuroscience numbness obsession oxytocin pain parenting passive aggression perception perfectionism personality personality types power powerlessness presence projection rage rejection repression resentment resilience romantic love seasonal affective disorder self-acceptance self-deception self-esteem self-knowledge self-worth serotonin sexuality shame sleep stress suicide survival transformation trauma trust vulnerability

About The Positive Mind Center

In the heart of New York City, helping people for over 40 years.

Located on 57th Street, The Positive Mind Center delivers comprehensive mental health counseling and psychotherapy. Founded by Armand DiMele over 40 years ago.

Learn More About The Center

The Positive Mind with Armand DiMele