Your Brain on AI, Psychedelics Update, & Anxiety via Kissing?

Jun 23, 2025

I’m writing to you from my very empty new home in San Diego—officially post-residency and gearing up for the launch of my practice, Goodman Psychiatry (opening virtual doors July 1st!). If you’re new here, welcome! I break down recent mental health research and share practical tools to support your brain, body, and overall well-being.

Moving into a new house is kind of a funny experience. Right now, my living room consists of a $5 Target chair, a camping chair, a desk chair—and a TV resting on two cardboard boxes.

At least we upgraded from our custom cardboard box outdoor dining set from a few weeks ago:

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Trying to stay patient and grateful. It will all come together.

Alright, let’s get into this week’s research.

1. Your Brain on ChatGPT

A recent MIT study explored what happens in your brain when you write essays with the help of ChatGPT compared to just using your own brain—or a traditional search engine.

They used EEG (a brainwave scan) and found that:

People who wrote without tools had the strongest brain connectivity
Search engine users fell in the middle
ChatGPT users had the lowest brain engagement—and over time, performed worse in both thinking and writing

Perhaps more striking, ChatGPT users:

Felt less ownership over their writing
Had trouble recalling what they wrote
Showed lower alpha and beta activity, suggesting mental under-engagement

🧠 My take: The solution is not to avoid AI. AI is powerful and it’s not going anywhere. I use it for many things in my life and it’s made my life so much better. BUT if we use it as a crutch, we risk weakening the very skills we’re trying to build. Use ChatGPT as a TOOL, but not to replace your thinking. You’re still the brain behind the operation.

2. One Dose of Psilocybin. Two Years of Relief.

A new 2-year follow-up of a phase 2 trial published in the Journal, Cancer, looked at psilocybin (aka “magic mushrooms”) for people with cancer and depression.

Participants received just one 25 mg dose of psilocybin with therapy. After two years:

50% had sustained depression relief
43% had long-term anxiety reduction

This is not a DIY recommendation—it was conducted in a clinical setting with trained professionals—but it’s part of a growing body of evidence suggesting psychedelics could one day be a safe, effective option for treatment-resistant depression and existential distress in serious illness. I will continue reviewing the research on psychedelics for mental health and will keep you all updated

3. Can You "Catch" Anxiety Through Kissing?

A wild new study says... maybe…?

Researchers studied newlywed couples and found that when one spouse had depression, anxiety, or insomnia, their previously healthy partner began to develop similar symptoms over time. The previously healthy partner developed:

Higher depression and anxiety scores based on objective screening scales
Altered oral microbiota (bacteria in the mouth) that began to resemble their partner’s
Elevated salivary cortisol (a stress hormone)

💋 Please keep in mind - this study is just exploratory. I have my doubts. I believe there are LOTS of variables here that confound the results, but I will say that this study adds to a fascinating and emerging area of research: microbiome-driven mental health. Close relationships shape our mood—not just emotionally, but possibly biologically.

4. Why I Created “Wake Hygiene”

You may have heard of sleep hygiene: dim lights, no screens, same bedtime. But what about the first 30 minutes after waking up?

I call it wake hygiene—and I talk to many of my patients about the importance of this.

When you wake up, your brain transitions from predominantly delta and theta waves (seen during deep and light sleep) to alpha and then beta waves, which are associated with alert, active thinking.

But if the first thing you do is doomscroll, check emails, or jump into the news, your cortisol spikes. That sets a frantic tone for the day.

I’ll be honest—I’m not perfect with my wake hygeine. But here’s what I try to do:

5 minutes of meditation first thing in the AM (BEFORE checking phone) (if you feel like you don’t have the time, even just 10 deep breaths will help)
Avoid news and social media for the first 30 minutes
Use a gentle alarm or light-based wake-up (like Hatch or Philips Wake-Up Light)
No snoozing. Get up.
Light stretching, journaling, or a gratitude mantra if you have time

Try it tomorrow. Your nervous system will thank you.

Goodman Psychiatry Opening July 1st!

I’m launching my own integrative psychiatry practice: Goodman Psychiatry.

The waitlist is now open.

⚠️ A few quick notes:

I’m licensed in California and Florida (for now - New York is on the way!)
It’s a fee for service practice for full flexibility in care
Joining the waitlist puts you first in line — I’ll be calling interested clients this week

I specialize in helping healthcare workers and students find peace and balance—but I also work with others seeking thoughtful, personalized support. I treat depression, anxiety, ADHD, trauma, insomnia, and more using a blend of therapy, medication, and lifestyle support.

No shame. No judgment. Just real, compassionate care.

Join the Waitlist for Goodman Psychiatry

San Diego House Updates:

After four years of psychiatry residency, I’m finally stepping into a new chapter: we’ve moved into our dream home in San Diego and I’m officially launching Goodman Psychiatry. With so much change happening all at once, there’s one thing Ari and I decided we had to prioritize right away — sleep.

That’s why we partnered with Nectar and chose their Luxe Hybrid mattress for our bedroom. We were blown away by how comfortable and supportive it is (honestly, it feels like sleeping on a cloud). We also love the adjustable base — the reading mode is perfect for winding down with a book, and the zero gravity mode has been a game changer for feeling weightless and relieving pressure after long days.

The setup was surprisingly easy, and we loved it so much that we even surprised my parents with a mattress in our guest room! As a mental health doctor, I know firsthand how critical quality sleep is for your mood, focus, and overall well-being — and Nectar gets that too.

- 365-night trial

- Forever warranty

- Save Up to 50% here!

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your sleep, now’s a great time.

A Brief Thank You

Whether you’ve been with the Mental Health Movement Newsletter since January 2024 or just joined—thank you. Writing this newsletter has been one of the most meaningful parts of my journey, and I’m so grateful to share it with you.

My mission is simple: to make evidence-based mental health education accessible to all. This newsletter is 100% free. For those who choose to donate—thank you. Your support goes directly into making this newsletter the best it can be.

Wishing you balance, health, and peace.
—Dr. Jake Goodman

Sources

Agrawal M, Roddy K, Jenkins B, Leeks C, Emanuel E. Long-term benefits of single-dose psilocybin in depressed patients with cancer. Cancer. 2025;e35889. doi:10.1002/cncr.35889

Rastmanesh R, Vellingiri B, Isacco CG, Sadeghinejad A, Daghnall N. Oral Microbiota Transmission Partially Mediates Depression and Anxiety in Newlywed Couples. Explor Res Hypothesis Med. 2025;10(2):77-86. doi: 10.14218/ERHM.2025.00013.

Thank you for reading.
I’m so grateful you’re here. Thanks for investing in your health and taking steps toward a more balanced life—we’re in this together.

Let’s keep the conversation going:
Have a topic you'd love me to cover? Leave a comment—I read every one and do my best to respond.

Mental Health Movement by Dr. Jake Goodman

Discussion about this post