Bad Therapy
by Abigail Shrier
Mentioned once across 1 show · first heard Apr 2026 on My First Million.
The general take
Sam Parr thinks Bad Therapy makes a compelling point: people who constantly ask themselves "why" about their happiness and life direction often end up more discontent than those who don't. He frames it as an "amazing" idea that challenges the assumption that self-reflection automatically leads to better feelings.
About
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. From the author of Irreversible Damage , an investigation into a mental health industry that is harming, not healing, American children In virtually every way that can be measured, Gen Z’s mental health is worse than that of previous generations. Youth suicide rates are climbing, antidepressant prescriptions for children are common, and the proliferation of mental health diagnoses has not helped the staggering number of kids who are lonely, lost, sad and fearful of growing up. What’s gone wrong with America’s youth? In Bad Therapy , bestselling investigative journalist Abigail Shrier argues that the problem isn’t the kids—it’s the mental health experts.
Who said what
Sam Parr👍 Recommends
…examining how excessive self-reflection on happiness can increase unhappiness
“There's this amazing book called Bad Therapy. And this author used this idea that the people who think why and ask themselves all the time, why am I not happy? Why am I not following my life's work? Why am I not following my passion? This should feel better. This doesn't feel better. Those people are actually oftentimes significantly more discontent with their life.”
My First Million — How to find your thingat 13:59
Listener reviews
Bought Bad Therapy after hearing about it? Tell everyone how it went.
