Heal

Dealing with psychological challenges and sustaining body and mind in the face of adversity

A bronze statue of a girl facing a large bull sculpture on a cobblestone street in an urban setting.
FEAR AND PHOBIA
3

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

Aristotle created the blueprint for the bravery we need to resist injustice and do the right thing, even at our own risk

by Andrew Culbreth

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

Guides

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A subway sign with red neon text and large images of eyes on illuminated red panels above.
FEAR AND PHOBIA
1

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 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

Popular

A woman inside wearing sunglasses, with a blurred reflection of people and a red bus moving outside the window.
ADHD
3

How to thrive as an adult with ADHD

Use ‘mindful self-coaching’ to help yourself overcome everyday ADHD challenges, from procrastination to feelings of overwhelm

by Lidia Zylowska & Joohee Seo

A person using a smartphone, with focus on their finger scrolling the screen. Face partially visible.
ADHD
3

In an era of split attention, there is more than one type of ADHD

ADHD is typically thought to be wired into the brain early. But many cases may be better seen as products of digital life

by Paul Kudlow, Karline Treurnicht Naylor & Elia Abi-Jaoude

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 subway sign with red neon text and large images of eyes on illuminated red panels above.
FEAR AND PHOBIA
1

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 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 person lying in bed under a duvet, arms covering face; bedside table with books, a lamp, a mug and reading glasses.
SLEEP PROBLEMS

Sleep is important, but not that important

It’s good that we’re taking sleep more seriously than we used to, but the messaging about its importance has gone too far

by Alice Gregory

A person in a green shirt and jeans sitting, focused on their hands which are clasped together, the right hand picking at the left hand’s thumbnail.
OCD
1

What to do if your picking or pulling get out of hand

Understanding the psychology behind excessive skin-picking and hair-pulling can help you resist the urges and begin to heal

by Suzanne Mouton-Odum

Photo of a hand holding a glass of whisky with ice next to a bottle on a wooden surface, dimly lit setting.
ADDICTION
6

Does it still make sense to call addiction a ‘brain disease’?

The popular brain-disease model was meant to reduce stigma and explain addiction. It’s time to check whether it’s delivered

by Chrysanthi Blithikioti & Ioana Alina Cristea

Popular

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A woman inside wearing sunglasses, with a blurred reflection of people and a red bus moving outside the window.
ADHD
3

How to thrive as an adult with ADHD

Use ‘mindful self-coaching’ to help yourself overcome everyday ADHD challenges, from procrastination to feelings of overwhelm

by Lidia Zylowska & Joohee Seo

A person using a smartphone, with focus on their finger scrolling the screen. Face partially visible.
ADHD
3

In an era of split attention, there is more than one type of ADHD

ADHD is typically thought to be wired into the brain early. But many cases may be better seen as products of digital life

by Paul Kudlow, Karline Treurnicht Naylor & Elia Abi-Jaoude

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 subway sign with red neon text and large images of eyes on illuminated red panels above.
FEAR AND PHOBIA
1

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

Notes to self

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FEAR AND PHOBIA

A memory hack to help you face your fears

by Christian Jarrett

A person lying in bed under a duvet, arms covering face; bedside table with books, a lamp, a mug and reading glasses.
SLEEP PROBLEMS

Sleep is important, but not that important

by Alice Gregory

Videos

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ANXIETY

Stressed about a date or an interview? Video games may offer a surprising salve

Video by the University of California

A woman with a headset giving a presentation. She gestures with her hand. The background is wood paneling.
PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH

Why the mental health awareness movement needs more precision and fewer vibes

Two people lying on a snowy road in winter clothing with a forested landscape in the background.
GRIEF

Frøydis faces an impossible problem – how to grieve a father she hated and loved

A woman and a man converse while seated on chairs in a room with plants. A decorative table with glasses is between them.
EMERGING THERAPIES

The critic inside your head has something important to tell you. Here’s how to listen

Illustration of a room with a person lounging on a bed, a pink dresser, a table with cups and a plant.
AUTISM

A mysterious black orb trails Mo, growing ever harder to ignore

Photo of a man holding a microphone and equipment standing on a walkway with blurred people passing by in the foreground.
LONELINESS

Lonely in London, a filmmaker sets out to make a new friend

Shadow of a person on crumpled paper in dark setting photo.
TRAUMA AND PTSD

Sent to boarding school, a boy conjures up a friend to soothe his distress

Watercolour painting of a person in red near a foggy lake with a tree and red leaves in the foreground.
VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION

Brother love

After my brother Chris died by suicide, my other brother Dave tried to kill me. Here’s how I survived

by Anita Lambert

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

We’re told that facing our fears can help us overcome them – but this misses the other intoxicating part of the equation

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
3

Despair can help us mourn lost futures and chart new paths

Hope is indispensable. But when false hope blinds us to reality, a short bout of despair might be the antidote we need

by Juliette Vazard

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

Shadows on a wall, showing silhouettes of people and plants. A chair and a plug socket are partially visible.
VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION

Sticks and stones and words

A smart, educated woman, there’s no way I could have ended up in an abusive relationship, could I?

by Zoe Michaels

A woman inside wearing sunglasses, with a blurred reflection of people and a red bus moving outside the window.
ADHD
3

How to thrive as an adult with ADHD

Use ‘mindful self-coaching’ to help yourself overcome everyday ADHD challenges, from procrastination to feelings of overwhelm

by Lidia Zylowska & Joohee Seo

People dancing closely in dim lighting. The focus is on movement and atmosphere at a night event.
SHAME AND GUILT

Footloose in Havana

In China, I was used to treating my body like a problem. In Cuba, everyone seemed at home in theirs

Syren Chan, as told to Lavender Au

Sketch of a woman in historic attire with hands clasped, head bowed, drawn on gridded paper.
SELF-HARM AND SUICIDE

For the Puritans, embracing God’s will could get dangerous

The group at the heart of American origin stories had a complex relationship with despair – and a need to reckon with it

by Alexandra M Lord

Photo of a hand holding a glass of whisky with ice next to a bottle on a wooden surface, dimly lit setting.
ADDICTION
6

Does it still make sense to call addiction a ‘brain disease’?

The popular brain-disease model was meant to reduce stigma and explain addiction. It’s time to check whether it’s delivered

by Chrysanthi Blithikioti & Ioana Alina Cristea

A person using a smartphone, with focus on their finger scrolling the screen. Face partially visible.
ADHD
3

In an era of split attention, there is more than one type of ADHD

ADHD is typically thought to be wired into the brain early. But many cases may be better seen as products of digital life

by Paul Kudlow, Karline Treurnicht Naylor & Elia Abi-Jaoude

A man in an outdoor ice bath, clasping his hands and wearing a smartwatch.
EVALUATING THERAPIES

Do we really need breathwork gurus to tell us how to breathe?

Breathing was once a natural reflex. How did it become a high-stakes biohacking ritual taught by wellness celebrities?

by Oriana Walker

A person in a green shirt and jeans sitting, focused on their hands which are clasped together, the right hand picking at the left hand’s thumbnail.
OCD
1

What to do if your picking or pulling get out of hand

Understanding the psychology behind excessive skin-picking and hair-pulling can help you resist the urges and begin to heal

by Suzanne Mouton-Odum

Black and white close-up photo of a person’s arm showing skin texture and pigment and shadows; protruding ribs are visible behind the arm.
EATING DISORDERS

A ghost in limbo

Two decades of anorexia obscured who I was beneath my sickness. Then a stranger saw me

by Miranda Gold

Painting of a woman in a dark kimono with a bow in her hair, looking at her reflection in a dimly lit mirror.
SHAME AND GUILT
5

Self-hatred feeds on inner shame. Here’s how to break the cycle

Shame swamps any redeeming traits you might have thought you had. Slow down to interrupt the loops that cause self-hatred

by Troy Seagraves

A white wolf standing on a rocky surface with a grassy background, tongue out, looking forward.
HUMANISTIC AND EXISTENTIAL THERAPY

Alone with a she-wolf

Time slowed and adrenaline kicked in. The creature studied me, just another element in nature

by Melanie McGrath

A person with long blonde hair in a beanie and coat, facing away from the camera, wearing a brown backpack in a blurred busy street.
BIPOLAR DISORDER

How to anticipate and cope with mania

If you have bipolar disorder, you can learn to play an active role in managing your symptoms and live a fulfilling life

by Kim Pape & Sheri Johnson