Menu
Psyche
DonateNewsletter
SIGN IN

Difficult emotions

Painting of a woman with large eyes wearing dark clothes surrounded by bold colours including red and yellow.

Grief

idea

The loss remains, so why does intense grief usually fade?

Grief’s ‘double vision’ beholds both the bereaved and dead. Recognising this duality helps explain our ability to move on

by Berislav Marušić

Photo of a woman with tattoos taking a selfie on a smartphone wearing an off-shoulder dress in front of glass doors.

Virtues and vices

idea

Social comparison is driving us to despair. It doesn’t have to

In the social media age, it seems impossible not to measure ourselves against others – but we can dodge the worst pitfalls

by Wojciech Kaftański

A photo of a person sitting at a table in a cosy café setting. The background is softly blurred, showing shelves and decor.

Conflict and conflict resolution

idea

Why being snubbed can make you feel so hurt and enraged

The psychology of ostracism helps explain why you can sometimes shrug it off, yet other times feel the urge to lash out

by Christiane Büttner

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

Difficult emotions

idea

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

Photo of a woman in a pink top sitting indoors with eyes closed. Sunlight and shadows on the wall, plant on the right.

Death and dying

idea

It’s not foolish to foster hope in the face of illness and death

As a great loss loomed, I feared straying too far from the hard truth. But I learned to distinguish denial from hope

by Christiana Boules

Painting of a woman in black on a red chair against a red wall holding a white object looking contemplative.

Sadness and sorrow

idea

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 seven people sitting on a bench in a train station waiting area, with a clock on the wall behind them.

Civic life

idea

Bureaucracy and other civic bullshit can be good for us

No one enjoys waiting in stuffy buildings or on congested roadways, but there’s an upside to our fellowship of frustration

by Joel Cox

Photo of a sign on a brick wall with a yellow arrow and text “Way out” in yellow on a black background.

Emotion regulation

idea

If feelings for an ex are troubling you, try ‘opposite action’

Acting on misguided feelings of love only fuels the emotional fire. Learn to let the fire burn out with these DBT-based tips

by Kiki Fehling