Episode #208: Why Attraction Collapses Under Pressure

Dr. Trish Leigh Podcast

Dr. Trish Leigh Podcast
Episode #208: Why Attraction Collapses Under Pressure
Feb 08, 2026 Season 1 Episode 208
Dr. Trish Leigh

Attraction doesn’t disappear because something is wrong with you.
It collapses when your nervous system feels evaluated.

Pressure, performance, and self-monitoring activate the Arousal Inhibition Response (AIR). Attraction can still exist, but spontaneity shuts down because the brain no longer feels safe to open.

Modern dating and social media train the nervous system to stay in surveillance mode. Under surveillance, attraction doesn’t open — it inhibits.

The opposite of performance isn’t passivity.
It’s availability.

When the nervous system stands down, space returns.
And attraction follows naturally.

If this feels familiar, nothing is broken.
Your nervous system just needs safety again.

Why Attraction Collapses Under Pressure💞 💥  Learn how to turn AIR off and restore attraction at https://drtrishleigh.com/  — You deserve connection without pressure.



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Hi. I am Dr. Trish Leigh, a Cognitive Neuroscientist, and Sex Addiction Recovery Coach. I am on a mission to help people heal their brains from porn use.
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