An elderly hand resting being held by younger hands against a dark background.
VALUES AND BELIEFS

Let the mystery be

As a hospital chaplain, I watched lives end, faiths fracture and certainties crumble. My job was holding hands in the dark

by Nettie Reynolds

Photo of an art installation featuring multiple monitors displaying black and white images in a dimly lit room.
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA

Why AI’s hallucinations are like the illusions of narcissism

Unable to handle uncertainty, AI mimics the narcissistic compulsion to fill voids with plausible but false narratives

by Jennine Gates

A crowd enveloped in pink smoke on a city street, with people wearing hoodies and jackets, and buildings in the background.
CIVIC LIFE

Experiments in resistance

When I tested people’s blood after a protest, I discovered that science itself could be a form of dissent

Alexander Samuel, as told to Christine Ro

Ideas

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FEAR AND PHOBIA

True courage isn’t being fearless, it’s fearing well

by Andrew Culbreth

A closed lift with stainless steel doors and a blue panel display showing floor -1 above the button against a white wall.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

The neural reward that makes avoiding your fears feel so good

by Muhammad Badarnee & Mohammed R Milad

A person pushing a bike through a muddy landfill with debris under an overcast sky, distant hills and houses.
DIFFICULT EMOTIONS

Despair can help us mourn lost futures and chart new paths

by Juliette Vazard

Photo of a group of young people taking a selfie with a smartphone outdoors in a busy urban setting.
PERSONALITY

Is narcissism really on the rise among younger generations?

by Jakob Pietschnig & Sandra Oberleiter

Guides

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EMOTION REGULATION

How to tolerate annoying things

Hassles are part of life, but the way we react often makes them worse. ACT skills can help you handle them with greater ease

by Patricia E Zurita Ona

A subway sign with red neon text and large images of eyes on illuminated red panels above.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

How to overcome a fear of fear

When you become afraid of your own reaction to perceived threats, it creates a vicious cycle. Here’s how to break free

by Nick Wignall

Life stories

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A large daddy longlegs spider on the ceiling with many tiny baby spiders nearby.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

Arachnophobia

I’ve always been terrified of spiders, yet one day I adopted the daddy longlegs in my bathroom

by Ruth Kogen Goodwin

Editor’s picks

Painting of a man in a top hat sitting on a path with a walking stick, backpack and countryside view in the background.
MEANING AND THE GOOD LIFE

How to cope with an existential crisis

Has the world gone grey? Are you wondering what life is for? Kierkegaard’s philosophy could help you rediscover your zing

by Skye C Cleary

Photo of miniature figurines on wooden blocks with strings of glowing lights in the foreground creating a festive atmosphere.
DISSOCIATION AND DETACHMENT

When reality slips through your fingers: in search of dissociation

Pinning down the slippery strangeness of dissociation is like grappling with a bar of soap, but it badly needs a definition

by Emma Černis

Latest videos

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Photo of a serene woman outdoors with closed eyes in a black top, blurred landscape in the background.
EMOTION REGULATION

The interplay between breath and emotion – and how to access it

Video by Dr Tracey Marks

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VIRTUES AND VICES

From prison, a bank robber and acclaimed author reflects on time

Ethereal photo of a person lying down under a blue haze with ghostly hands reaching towards them.
SLEEP AND DREAMS

When dreams touch reality – the liminal world of sleep paralysis

Drawing of six people in a living room having tea and cake around a table, with a window and plant in the background.
NEURODIVERSITY

Hand-drawn animation brings a meeting of ‘voice-hearers’ to life

Illustration of a masked healthcare worker in multiple colours against a pixelated background.
DECISION-MAKING

Every choice has an energy cost. Learn to manage your budget

Two women sitting on a log outdoors, each holding a child, with greenery in the background.
LIFE STAGES

An activist weaves motherhood into her world in this gentle short

Notes to self

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FEAR AND PHOBIA

A memory hack to help you face your fears

by Christian Jarrett

Popular

A home entrance with a black front door, mirrored wall, umbrella stand and carpeted stairs.
MEMORY AND NOSTALGIA

How to build a memory palace

Upgrade your ability to recall dates, names or other details with an ancient trick of the memory trade: the ‘method of loci’

by Lynne Kelly

Black and white photo of passengers seated and standing inside a crowded train carriage, some holding bags and flowers; a woman seated in the foreground has an annoyed look on her face.
EMOTION REGULATION

How to tolerate annoying things

Hassles are part of life, but the way we react often makes them worse. ACT skills can help you handle them with greater ease

by Patricia E Zurita Ona

Photo of a group of young people taking a selfie with a smartphone outdoors in a busy urban setting.
PERSONALITY

Is narcissism really on the rise among younger generations?

A fresh investigation of vast numbers of young people from around the world has thrown up some surprising results

by Jakob Pietschnig & Sandra Oberleiter

Photo of a boxing match with a standing boxer in the ring and an opponent kneeling behind, lit by overhead lights.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

Motivation is good, but discipline is better

The Ukrainian boxing champion Usyk’s recent claim that ‘discipline is better than motivation’ was psychologically astute

by Christian Jarrett

Photo of a man holding laundry in a dimly lit room with shelves, a microwave and a curtain on the left.
MENTAL HEALTH ACROSS CULTURES

What do Japan’s hikikomori reveal about our lonely world?

Unemployed and isolated, the residents of a hikikomori rehab centre hold up a mirror to a society that’s failing them

by Alain Julian

A person wearing sunglasses looking at their reflection in a window with a blurry outdoor scene visible.
PERSONALITY DISORDERS

How to start recovering from BPD

Borderline personality disorder is often misunderstood. Here’s what you should know about it and how to get real support

by Sara Rose Masland & Thea McAfee

A subway sign with red neon text and large images of eyes on illuminated red panels above.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

How to overcome a fear of fear

When you become afraid of your own reaction to perceived threats, it creates a vicious cycle. Here’s how to break free

by Nick Wignall

A drone flying above a whale’s surfaced back in the ocean with water droplets in the air.
ANIMALS

Even if we could speak to animals, should we?

AI could satisfy our deeply held desire to talk to other creatures. But the potential for harm might outweigh the benefits

by Virginie Simoneau-Gilbert & Leonie Bossert

Explore: Psychotherapy

Two people holding mugs of tea at a round wooden table, one wearing a scarf, blurred green background.
PSYCHOTHERAPY

Think someone should see a therapist? Here’s how to bring it up

by Kathryn Gordon

A red hibiscus flower and green leaves are divided into four vertical panels against a blue background, overlaid by raindrop textures.
ANXIETY

Climate fears make Sindha feel doomed. Can eco-therapy help?

Directed by Sindha Agha

Photo of a woman in a red top with colourful overlapping shadows on a wall displaying red, blue and yellow hues.
PSYCHOTHERAPY

Psychotherapy under the microscope: how exactly does it work?

by Ciarán O’Driscoll