People on a boat deck taking a selfie against a city skyline with clear blue sky, towels and sun hats visible.
PLEASURES AND PASTIMES

Plato warned that some pleasures separate us from reality

The contemporary obsession with feeling good might mean we’re losing sight of what makes life genuinely meaningful

by Derek van Zoonen

Photo of a red-eyed tree frog with vivid green, blue and orange colouring, perched on a branch in a lush forest setting.
PARENTING AND FAMILIES

Dangerous things

Like the red-eyed tree frog tadpoles, my son and I fell into a new beginning

by Heather Swan

Two people at a cafe table, one holding a cigarette. Blurred foreground and background create a candid atmosphere.
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

When talking brings you relief, brain syncing may be at work

Something curious happens in two people’s brains during supportive interactions. It could help explain their emotional power

by Yarden Avnor & Simone Shamay-Tsoory

Ideas

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A group of people outdoors looking serious, with one woman wiping her eyes in the centre. Trees and buildings in background.
EMOTIONS

The hidden calculations that determine whether you will cry

by Daniel Sznycer & Debra Lieberman

A child looking out a window, hand pressed against the glass, supported by an adult holding their back, in a warmly lit room with partially-closed curtains.
OCD

Fears about being a dangerous or immoral person can fuel OCD

by Richard Moulding & Kelvin (Shiu Fung) Wong

Marble sculpture of a dynamic struggle between two naked figures on a dark background, showcasing intricate details and movement.
GENDER

Plato’s challenge to the meaning of manliness still resonates

by Yancy Hughes Dominick

Guides

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Four people swimming in a lake surrounded by foggy hills under a cloudy sky.
BODY-BASED THERAPY

How to reap the emotional benefits of cold water

There’s growing evidence that cold-water immersion can support mental health. Follow these steps to take the plunge

by Jenny Favell

Photo of a waiting room with focus on a black hat. A woman reads papers and another looks at her phone in the background.
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

How to strike up a friendly conversation

It can be awkward at first, but there are specific methods you can use to spark an enjoyable chat with just about anyone

by Michael Yeomans

Life stories

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CAREGIVING

A sister who wasn’t ours

We were her foster family for two and a half years. We had no claim to her, but she became part of us

by Kelsey Day

Editor’s picks

Painting of a man relaxing against a large leafy tree in a grassy field.
MEANING AND THE GOOD LIFE

How to be useless

Follow the Daoist way – reclaim your life and happiness by letting go of the need to produce, strive or serve a purpose

by Helen De Cruz & Pauline Lee

Photo of a wet pavement reflecting a person’s silhouette and orange lights on a rainy day.
PERSONALITY DISORDERS

Some people feel so utterly alone it’s as if they don’t exist

People diagnosed with ‘avoidant personality disorder’ fear getting close to other people, yet crave greater connection

by Kristine Dahl Sørensen & Marit Råbu

Latest videos

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Illustration of a scoreboard at Barclays Center showing a man with raised arms, surrounded by an arena.
SPORTS AND GAMES

A dancing NBA superfan on the joy of spaces that let us go wild and get weird

Directed by Mickey Duzyj

Abstract drawing of a face with vibrant colours, featuring red cheeks and a patterned necklace on an orange background.
Psyche Exclusive
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

Born of memory and mystery – the otherworldly works of a self-taught, unhoused artist

Illustration of two stylised people running on a boardwalk near the sea with telegraph poles and wires in the background.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

How increasing short-term pleasure can help you achieve your long-term goals

Black and white photo of an elderly man with glasses and a moustache wearing a suit, sitting in a patterned chair.
THINKERS AND THEORIES

‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84

Notes to self

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Three people chatting at a rustic bar in a pub, with a brick interior and various decorations.
FRIENDSHIP

Our relationships, in five dimensions

by Matt Huston

Popular

Black and white photo of an elderly man with glasses and a moustache wearing a suit, sitting in a patterned chair.
THINKERS AND THEORIES

‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84

Video by Face to Face

Monks in colourful robes and hats, forming a circle during an outdoor festival with flags and onlookers in Tibet.
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION

Complexity science can deepen your mindfulness practice

What if ‘stress reduction’ is the least interesting thing mindfulness does? Complexity science offers new ways forward

by Pavel Chvykov

Painting of a dimly lit café with blurred figures inside, creating a warm atmospheric scene; some figures are seated at tables, others standing and moving around the space.
EMOTION REGULATION

Uncertainty is stressful, but here’s why we need to feel it

As much as people struggle with not knowing, we live in an uncertain world – and there are advantages to embracing that

by Jessica Alquist

Illustration of person climbing through a window which takes the place of one square in a giant period table, through the window is a city scene.
HOME

Lab at the edge of the world

When my daughter was bullied, I decided to homeschool her. A chain reaction ensued

by Lea Page

A child looking out a window, hand pressed against the glass, supported by an adult holding their back, in a warmly lit room with partially-closed curtains.
OCD

Fears about being a dangerous or immoral person can fuel OCD

Intrusive thoughts about doing bad things are common, but for people with OCD they provoke deep fears about the self

by Richard Moulding & Kelvin (Shiu Fung) Wong

A group of people outdoors looking serious, with one woman wiping her eyes in the centre. Trees and buildings in background.
EMOTIONS

The hidden calculations that determine whether you will cry

We think of tears as an overflow of emotion, but an evolutionary lens shows they’re a rational form of social signalling

by Daniel Sznycer & Debra Lieberman

Marble sculpture of a dynamic struggle between two naked figures on a dark background, showcasing intricate details and movement.
GENDER

Plato’s challenge to the meaning of manliness still resonates

Even in ancient Greece, Plato questioned whether gender norms around masculinity were good for men’s individual freedom

by Yancy Hughes Dominick

A person gazing out a train window at a yellow field and cloudy sky, with a table and a closed laptop in view.
MIND-BODY INTERACTIONS

How much you ‘body-wander’ could affect your mental health

Some people tune into bodily sensations while daydreaming, others don’t – with implications for anxiety, depression and ADHD

by Leah Banellis

Explore: Sports and games

Photo of a female athlete smiling while crossing a track finish line with a cheering crowd in the background.
SPORTS AND GAMES

Sport shows how to use performance benchmarks in a positive way

by Leif Weatherby

Illustration of a scoreboard at Barclays Center showing a man with raised arms, surrounded by an arena.
SPORTS AND GAMES

A dancing NBA superfan on the joy of spaces that let us go wild and get weird

Directed by Mickey Duzyj

A child in a yellow shirt and red shorts pushing a tire uphill on a steep, gravelly incline against a clear sky backdrop.
PLAY

A cobalt mine becomes an unlikely playground for children in Congo

A film by Francis Alÿs

A young man with a serious expression wearing a grey hoodie outdoors at dusk, with a blurred landscape and lights in the background.
DEPRESSION

Why Darius is testing mind and body to run 100 miles in the cold

Directed by Amar Chebib

Photo of a swimmer with goggles and cap, water droplets visible on skin, seen in profile against a blue background.
SPORTS AND GAMES

Why do so many athletes turn to extreme and unproven remedies?

by Nick Tiller

Close-up of feet in white trainers near four tennis balls on a blue tennis court, with blurred background of a few people.
SPORTS AND GAMES

Passion, agility, invisibility – do you have what it takes to become a ball person?

Directed by Scott Lazer