Patterson encourages the “serial self-help seeker” to ask themselves what it is they are really seeking and why. Sounds simple, right? But what if you don’t know why you’re constantly looking to upgrade or improve?

I saw self-help as a form of empowerment, of wanting to take ownership of my problems and affect change. Patterson, however, believes that more commonly, “it’s driven by a lack of faith in ourselves, and is deep-rooted in self-doubt and a lack of autonomy”.

Self help thrives on self-doubt. In my case, every hack felt like an epiphany – a cure for every anxiety. Eventually, the list of habits I was trying to stack grew out of control. I constantly tried using my non-dominant hand to improve brain elasticity. I’d eat protein before carbs because an expert once told me it’d balance my blood sugar. I even showered in the dark after hearing that bright light in the evening could impact my sleep.

“Self-help podcasts left me broken – here’s why I’ve stopped biohacking for good”