WEvolve

About WEvolve

Welcome to WEvolve! Our podcast is about everything from who we are and where we come from to how we work with teens/adolescents in better coping with their mental health. It will also give an insight into the stories of guest speakers and relevant information on mental health in our community. We hope you enjoy!

Publisher

Mental Meter

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

29 Jan 2025

Latest episode

16 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

31 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Sept 2026

   How Déjà vu Affects Us

   Have you ever been in the middle of a completely normal moment and suddenly thought, “Wait... I’ve already lived this exact thing before”? That feeling is déjà vu. Despite how common it is, researchers still don’t have one single explanation for why it happens. In this episode of WEvolve, we break down the neuroscience behind déjà vu, what separates it from an actual memory, and why your brain can create such a strong sense of familiarity even when you know the moment is completely new. We explore several theories, including the idea that déjà vu may come from similarities to memories you can’t consciously retrieve, as well as research suggesting it could reflect your brain’s internal “fact-checking” system detecting a mismatch between familiarity and reality. We also discuss how scientists have recreated déjà vu in the lab, why it can feel like you know what will happen next, who may experience it more often, and its relationship with temporal lobe epilepsy. Check out our full episode on déjà vu! #WEvolvePodcast #DejaVu #Neuroscience #Psychology #BrainScience #MentalHealth What We Cover: What déjà vu is and why familiarity is different from genuinely remembering something The possible roles of memory, the temporal lobe, hippocampus, and frontal regions The “fact-checking” theory and how the brain may recognize that familiarity does not match reality The memory-similarity theory and how a new situation may resemble a forgotten experience Dual-processing theories involving familiarity, retrieval, and encoding Why déjà vu may not simply be a false memory How scientists have recreated déjà vu using hypnosis and virtual reality Anne Cleary’s virtual-reality experiments using environments with similar spatial layouts but different visual content Why déjà vu can make you feel like you know what will happen next, even though research suggests it does not improve prediction Why younger people may report déjà vu more often and possible associations with travel, fatigue, stress, dopamine, and dream recall The relationship between déjà vu and temporal lobe epilepsy Research suggesting some people with temporal lobe epilepsy may actually report déjà vu less often than healthy controls When occasional déjà vu is considered normal and when unusual or frequent episodes may warrant medical attention Disclaimer: We are not health professionals, and this episode is for informational and educational purposes only. If you experience frequent or prolonged déjà vu, or episodes accompanied by other concerning symptoms, speak with a qualified healthcare professional. Sources: O’Connor AR, Moulin CJA. “Déjà vu experiences in healthy subjects are unrelated to laboratory tests of recollection and familiarity for word stimuli.” Frontiers in Psychology, 2013. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3842028/ (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3842028/) Psychology Today. “The Fascinating Science of Déjà Vu.” https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-reboot/202312/the-fascinating-science-of-deja-vu (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-reboot/202312/the-fascinating-science-of-deja-vu) Scientific American. “Can Science Explain Deja Vu?” https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-science-explain-deja-vu/ (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-science-explain-deja-vu/) Colorado State University / EurekAlert. “Déjà vu and feelings of prediction: They’re just feelings.” https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/628414 (https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/628414) Cleveland Clinic. “That Strange Feeling of Déjà Vu — Explained.” https://health.clevelandclinic.org/deja-vu-what-it-is-and-when-it-may-be-cause-for-concern (https://health.clevelandclinic.org/deja-vu-what-it-is-and-when-it-may-be-cause-for-concern) Illman NA, Butler CR, Souchay C, Moulin CJA. “Déjà Experiences in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.” Epilepsy Research and Treatment, 2012. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3420423/ (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3420423/) WebMD. “What Is Déjà Vu?” https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-deja-vu (https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-deja-vu)

2. 

   1 Sept 2026

   How Ayahuasca Affects Us

   After Catherine Paiz described her ayahuasca ceremony on Call Her Daddy as an almost out-of-body, life-changing experience, we had to go deep on it — what is this stuff, why does it feel that way, and is any of it backed by real science? We break down the two plants that make up the brew, the neuroscience of how DMT and the vine's harmala alkaloids interact to create a 4-6 hour experience, and what's happening in the default mode network that might explain why it's being studied for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. We also get into why it's fully illegal in the U.S. despite that promising research, and the real risks — drug interactions, mental health red flags, and an unregulated retreat industry — that don't make it into most wellness-retreat marketing.Check out our episode on ayahuasca.#WEvolvePodcast #Ayahuasca #Psychedelics #Neuroscience #mentalhealth What We Cover: What ayahuasca actually is — the two plants, the ceremony, and centuries of Indigenous use across Peru, Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador The neuroscience: how DMT and the vine's harmala alkaloids work together to create a 4-6 hour experience What's happening in the brain — the 5-HT2A receptor, the default mode network, and why long-term use is linked to real structural brain changes Why people are turning to it — from treatment-resistant depression to trauma processing, and the Catherine Paiz moment that kicked off this episode What the actual clinical research says (and doesn't say yet) about depression and PTSD Why it's federally illegal in the U.S. despite promising early research — and the catch-22 that keeps it that way The real risks: drug interactions, mental health red flags, and the unregulated retreat industry Where we land — respecting the science and the history without romanticizing the riskDisclaimer: we are not health professionals, and this episode is for informational purposes only.Sources: Alcohol and Drug Foundation — https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/ayahuasca/ U.S. Embassy in Peru — "Health Alert: Do Not Use Ayahuasca/Kambo" (Jan 23, 2025) NBC Bay Area — "What Is Ayahuasca and Why Are People Turning to Psychedelics?" Malcolm BJ, Lee KC. Mental Health Clinician, 2018 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6007657/ Sheth R, et al. Cureus, 2024 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10994171/ Psychology Today — "Ayahuasca and Its Potential to Treat PTSD" Bouso JC, et al. PLOS Global Public Health, 2022 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10021266/ Pilecki B, et al. Harm Reduction Journal, 2021 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8028769/ Hamill J, et al. Current Neuropharmacology, 2019 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6343205/ The Conversation — "Authentic ayahuasca rituals..." Recovered.org — "Ayahuasca's Legal Landscape in the US"

3. 

   18 Aug 2026

   Do You Have ADHD, or Does Everyone Have a Little Bit of It Now?

   ADHD diagnoses have exploded over the past decade — more kids, more adults, more people online confidently diagnosing themselves off a 30-second video. But is that a genuine mental health awakening, or has doomscrolling just trained all of our brains to act a little more ADHD than they used to? Between neuroscience, the rising numbers, and a TikTok algorithm that rewards short attention spans, the line between "I have ADHD" and "I'm just chronically online" is blurrier than ever. We dig into what the research actually says, where the diagnosis conversation gets it right, and where social media might be doing more harm than good. Check out our episode 'Do You Have ADHD, or Does Everyone Have a Little Bit of It Now?' #WEvolvePodcast #ADHDAwareness #Neuroscience #Attention #Mental Health What We Cover: What ADHD actually is — the three presentations, and the diagnostic criteria people skip when self-diagnosing online Why ADHD diagnoses have jumped in both kids and adults over the past decade The competing explanations: more awareness, less stigma, pandemic disruption — or overdiagnosis How screen time and social media use are linked to attention problems in longitudinal studies Why short-form content trains any brain to act more like an ADHD brain How much ADHD content online is actually misleading — and who's posting it The neuroscience: norepinephrine, dopamine, and the brain regions behind focus Lifestyle habits that actually support attention regulation, with or without a diagnosis Where we land: is this an epidemic, or just what modern life does to everyone's attention span? Disclaimer: we are not health professionals, and this episode is for informational purposes only. Sources: American Psychiatric Association — https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd (https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd) NIMH — https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd) CDC — https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/about/index.html (https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/about/index.html) University of Utah Health, The Scope — https://healthcare.utah.edu/the-scope/health-library/all/2024/06/managing-adhd-age-of-social-media (https://healthcare.utah.edu/the-scope/health-library/all/2024/06/managing-adhd-age-of-social-media) PMC9776226 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9776226/ (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9776226/) Syracuse University Arts & Sciences — https://artsandsciences.syracuse.edu/news-all/news-2024/whats-driving-the-rise-in-adhd-diagnosis-among-children-and-adults/ (https://artsandsciences.syracuse.edu/news-all/news-2024/whats-driving-the-rise-in-adhd-diagnosis-among-children-and-adults/) PMC9616454 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9616454/ (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9616454/) ADDitude Magazine — https://www.additudemag.com/neuroscience-of-adhd-brain/ (https://www.additudemag.com/neuroscience-of-adhd-brain/) PMC2894421 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2894421/ (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2894421/)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

3.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

4.2 / 5

10 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.