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The African American singer and pianist Nina Simone is pictured alone, singing against a spotlight that resembles a moon in the darkness. She has her eyes closed.

Emerging therapies

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Could that tingle down the spine be a way to rediscover joy?

In new research, scientists have looked into the potential benefits of giving people with depression the aesthetic chills

by Shayla Love

A smiling family hold hands and play on a sunny beach with their retriever dog

Happiness

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As a psychiatrist, I’ve seen how chasing happiness leads to misery

My clinical work has shown me that happiness is a ghost that’s not worth pursuing – there are far wiser goals in life

by Rafa Euba

A close-up of wilted orange flowers with drooping stems in a black vase against a blurred brown background.

Depression

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What’s going on in depression to make negative beliefs so sticky?

Understanding why negative views persist in the face of contradictory evidence could help inform depression treatment

by Tobias Kube

Person using a brain stimulation device and reading a cookbook, with magazines and a remote on the table nearby.

Emerging therapies

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A personalised alternative to antidepressants is on the way

A form of personalised, at-home, brain-based treatment for depression is getting close – but is psychiatry ready for it?

by Paul Fitzgerald

Person in a yellow jacket and blue hat jogging through a forest, with green foliage in the background.

The body and physical health

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Even a single exercise session can help shift depression

The long-term benefits of regular exercise for mood are well-known. What’s surprising is that just one session can help

by Matthew Bourke & Rhiannon Patten

A person and two children stand on shore promenade, surrounded by seagulls, with a large water fountain and cityscape in the background.

Mental health

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Many people not only survive mental illness – they thrive

For people with depression, anxiety and other conditions, reaching high wellbeing – not just recovery – is a real possibility

by Jonathan Rottenberg & Andrew Devendorf

A person with hands clasped on a wooden table, with a blister pack of orange pills in the foreground.

Depression

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Why the ketamine revolution is stalling – and how to save it

Used with psychotherapy, ketamine can provide safe and effective treatment for depression when other treatments have failed

by Bita Moghaddam

A man in sunglasses and a hat walks on a street with apartment buildings and a young man in the background.

Depression

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Why life is faster but depression is lower in bigger cities

Large cities might seem detrimental to mental health but a comparison of depression rates suggests bigger is better

by Andrew Stier

Double exposure image of a person and a landscape, showing a silhouette overlaid with a scenic view of mountains and a river.

Depression

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Depression is more than low mood – it’s a change of consciousness

Understanding depression as an altered state of consciousness, like a dream or drug trip, could help people awaken from it

by Cecily Whiteley & Jonathan Birch

A person raises their fist holding a megaphone, facing a building with shutters and balconies displaying banners.

Emotion regulation

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Hope is the antidote to helplessness. Here’s how to cultivate it

If hopelessness is learned, then it can be unlearned: how groundbreaking studies paved the way to help cultivate hope

by Emily Esfahani Smith

A woman making a kiss face, another person holding a phone, and drinks on the table in a pub.

Memory and nostalgia

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It’s possible to help more positive images pop into your mind

Images that pop into our minds spontaneously are like a background track – and we can make it more positive and uplifting

by Simon Blackwell

Neural network activity graph overlaid on colourful neuron structures on a black background. Digital art.

Brain interventions

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In the deepest despair, electroconvulsive therapy offers hope

In the past, ECT could be violent and brutal. But today, it’s one of the best treatments for severe depression that we have

by Wendy Burn