Heal

Popular articles and videos

Photo of a beachside blackboard offering a humorous deal near a weathered pier, stating “£100 receipt given for every £10 spent.”

If you think you are ‘just not a math person’ then think again

Understanding how mathematics anxiety takes root points to ways to overcome it, opening up new opportunities and pastimes

by Nathan T T Lau & H Moriah Sokolowski

A woman on a laptop in a modern café with wall art, a large cactus and pendant lights above.

What if your worry problem is really a planning problem?

Clinicians have long recognised the link between worry and planning. New research asks what this means for managing anxiety

by Paul B Sharp

Painting of a young woman in a black dress reclining on a red chair against a red wall holding a white handkerchief.

Avoiding sadness can backfire, here’s how to turn towards it

Everyone has stretches of sadness. Shifting how you think about and relate to sad feelings could help you through these times

by Beth Kurland

Photo of a woman in a floral blouse thinking deeply with her hands clasped near her face.

Instead of wrestling with self-defeating thoughts, try this

When your own thoughts discourage and undermine you, it’s easy to get tangled. A change of strategy could get you past it

by Joe Oliver & Kristy Potter

Photo of people in winter clothing exiting a tram at a busy station.
AUTISM

Late autism diagnosis: it’s a relief, but who’s behind the mask?

By the time an adult learns they’re autistic, they have often been covering up for years. A period of self-discovery awaits

by Leonie Mercedes

Abstract painting of a woman with geometric shapes in pastel colours, featuring a blend of blues, greens and yellows.

What a psychiatric diagnosis means – and what it doesn’t mean

With stigma and misunderstanding surrounding mental health, it’s vital to know the benefits and limits of a formal diagnosis

by Awais Aftab

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

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 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

Photo of a woman viewed from behind looking at a large black abstract painting in a minimalist gallery setting.

Feeling nothing can be as devastating as feeling too much

Emotional ‘emptiness’ is a damaging, underexplored phenomenon. Better understanding it could help steer people to fulfilment

by Christopher J Hopwood

Black and white photo of two people sitting on a bench by a lake between two trees.

How to support someone with depression

Being there for someone can be challenging. A clinical psychologist shares what to say and do to help them feel less alone

by Emma Cotterill

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

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 observing a large, lifelike sculpture of an elderly man with a braid on a white gallery wall.

Men’s anxiety about hair loss can have a deeper meaning

As a psychoanalyst, I’ve seen how reflecting on the emotional symbolism of hair loss can be therapeutic for many men

by Tom Wooldridge

A monochrome photo of a person with a shaved head looking down in low light, a tattooed teardrop visible near their eye.

Why it matters that trauma affects women and men differently

They are too often ignored, yet sex differences affect the kind of trauma people experience and the effect it has on them

by Klára Hanáková

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

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

Photo of a cluttered room filled with scattered books, papers, boxes and household items on shelves and floor.

How to tell if someone is hoarding – and provide effective help

For many, letting go of possessions is intensely stressful, even when the clutter puts them at risk. Here’s what you can do

by Michael A Tompkins

A cocktail in a coupe glass with an orange twist on a wooden table in front of a dark, tufted lounge seating

My great-grandfather poisoned drinkers during Prohibition

In a grim irony, his descendants – my grandmother and mother – struggled with drink. Here’s what I’d tell him about addiction

by Rebecca Lester