Reality Check

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Adolescence: No Easy Answers to Why Jamie Did It

Adolescence: No Easy Answers to Why Jamie Did It

The 2025 limited series Adolescence discusses the complexity behind a teenager’s actions, revealing how behavior emerges from genetics, environment, culture, trauma, and social dynamics. It challenges our urge to find a straightforward explanation, instead painting a nuanced picture of adolescent psychology and the futility of searching for a single “why.”

Safa Rubaye, MD
PsychologyPsychology
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The Psychological Cost of Activism Through Gorillas in the Mist

The Psychological Cost of Activism Through Gorillas in the Mist

When Passion Consumes: Activism Burnout and the Mental Toll of Fighting for a Cause

Safa Rubaye, MD
EthicsEthics
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Trauma, Grief, and Moral Boundaries in Gorillas in the Mist

Trauma, Grief, and Moral Boundaries in Gorillas in the Mist

How the Film Explores the Psychological Toll of Witnessing Violence and the Dangers of Compartmentalized Empathy

Safa Rubaye, MD
Reality CheckReality Check
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Nasubi’s Choice: Why He Stayed, and Why He Did It Again

Nasubi’s Choice: Why He Stayed, and Why He Did It Again

When does perseverance become surrender? Nasubi’s decision to stay—and even repeat—his 15-month ordeal offers a unique look at how the mind clings to purpose in the face of suffering.

Safa Rubaye, MD
Reality CheckReality Check
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Four Good Days: A Raw Look at Addiction, Recovery, and Family Struggles

Four Good Days: A Raw Look at Addiction, Recovery, and Family Struggles

How accurate is Four Good Days in portraying the realities of opioid addiction and its devastating impact on families?

Reality CheckReality Check
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New Year’s Resolutions: A Psychological Reset

New Year’s Resolutions: A Psychological Reset

Exploring the drive for self-improvement through a Friends New Year’s scene.

Safa Rubaye, MD
Reality CheckReality Check
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The Machinist: How Trevor Reznik’s Mind Hid the Truth

The Machinist: How Trevor Reznik’s Mind Hid the Truth

Guilt, Trauma, and the Brain’s Way of Protecting Itself

Safa Rubaye, MD
Reality CheckReality Check
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Old Dads: Bill Burr’s Jack Belly Battles Changing World

Old Dads: Bill Burr’s Jack Belly Battles Changing World

How One Man’s Struggle Between Old-School Values and Modern Life Drives the Comedy and Conflict

Safa Rubaye, MD