The Real Self Help: Less Obsession, More Contribution

We’re Not Meant to Be This Wired and Tired

Ever notice how easy it is to get sucked into chaos? One minute you’re checking the weather, next thing you know you’ve fallen down a rabbit hole of doomscrolling, hot takes, and celebrity drama you didn’t even care about 10 minutes ago. It’s not just you. It’s how our world is wired now—feeding us hits of outrage and anxiety like it’s our job.

There’s actually a name for this: psychologists call it the “need for chaos.” We chase stimulation—even when it’s harmful—just to feel something. Because let’s be real: numbness is scary. And chaos at least feels like movement.
Add to that the never-ending pressure to “fix ourselves.” Improve this, work on that, hack your morning routine, heal every wound, optimize every moment. And sure, a little self-reflection is healthy—but too much can leave us spinning in circles. It turns out, the more we obsess over ourselves, the worse we tend to feel.

Here’s the twist: what we’re really craving isn’t another hit of drama or a deeper dive into our own psyche. We’re craving purpose. Fulfillment. Meaning. Something bigger than the constant buzz of our own thoughts.
And the best way to get there? Lose yourself. In a passion. In a project. In your people. Serve, create, connect. Mentor someone. Volunteer. Build something that outlasts you. Because when you step outside yourself, that’s when you actually start to feel alive.

Less obsession, more contribution. That’s the real self-help.

In addition to hosting The Sean Show on B105.7, Sean Copeland is a therapist at Evolve Therapy in Greenwood, IN.