If you always worry that other people are mad at you, you aren't alone. It's not uncommon to feel this way, but it can be exhausting to be preoccupied with how others feel, especially when it comes at the expense of your own needs.

"Are you mad at me?" is a question psychotherapist Meg Josephson grew up asking often. It's also the title of her new book, which delves into the origins of people-pleasing and how to break the habit.

“I hear clients worry if people are mad at them all the time, at work, in their romantic relationships, friendships," Josephson tells TODAY in a segment aired Aug. 5, 2025 .

This feeling is often rooted in childhood trauma — for example, growing up with a narcissistic parent who had inconsistent emotions. "I grew up in a home that had volatility, and won

See Full Page