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Photo of a black sign with yellow text reading ‘Way out’ and a left-pointing arrow, mounted on a white brick wall.

Emotion regulation

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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

Black-and-white photograph of two girls, one yawning and the other looking forward, both in close-up profile.

Memory and nostalgia

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It’s not just youth’s happy memories that have a special weight

Mixed in with the highly memorable rites of growing up are more troubling highlights. But these, too, can have enduring value

by Çağlayan Özdemir, Michelle D Leichtman & David B Pillemer

Man relaxing on a striped lounge chair with hands behind his head, outside on a lawn, flanked by other coloured chairs and an opened beer bottle nearby.

Grief

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Why do so many of us blame ourselves after a loved one’s death?

After losing my father, I felt the guilt and regret that burden many other bereaved people – and found a way to carry them

by Delaney Rebernik

Two people sit at a table with coffee cups, near a window overlooking a rainy scene with parked cars and trees in the background.

Worry and rumination

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Rehashing your problems with friends can turn into a bad habit

Although ‘co-rumination’ bolsters relationships in some ways, it also distracts from other, better coping methods

by Shayla Love

Painting of a heron perched on a branch against a gold background. The bird is depicted in fine detail with white feathers and a green beak, while the branch is rendered in dark, bold strokes. Traditional Asian calligraphy with red seals is present in the lower right corner.

Difficult emotions

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What to do when you’re feeling upset about being disliked

It’s an unavoidable part of life. Here are some tried and tested ways to get more comfortable with someone not liking you

by Ahona Guha

A woman with long blonde hair and a striped blue and yellow jumper takes a selfie, smiling broadly. Behind her, a living room is visible with a large potted plant, a grey couch, and wall shelves with small plants and decor items. A clock is fixed on the wall in the background.

Emotions

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What makes ‘toxic positivity’ different from a healthy attitude

Influencers and self-help gurus are preaching a form of positive psychology that risks doing more harm than good

by Lucas Dixon

A person in a red costume with wings stands in front of a row of portable toilets on grass.

Emotion regulation

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The psychology of impatience could make waiting more tolerable

New studies on the experience of impatience suggest there’s more to it than simply how long you’ve been left hanging

by Matt Huston

Kim Kardashian in a sparkling dress walks down an aisle, waving, as people on either side clap and cheer.

Trauma and PTSD

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Maladaptive daydreaming made me feel trapped in my own mind

Extended daydreams were a much-needed escape, but turned into a compulsion that crowded out my waking activities

by Zainab Al-Hassani

Edge of an asteroid against the blackness of space, with scattered stars and debris visible in the distance.

Memoir

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What I learned about coping and resilience from asteroid Bennu

After hitting an emotional low, I found myself identifying with an asteroid that looks deceptively solid on the outside

by Elizabeth Landau

Child in a polka-dotted top enthusiastically holding and about to eat a slice of rainbow cake with multiple colourful layers.

Memory and nostalgia

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You can feel nostalgia for things that you haven’t yet lost

Nostalgia is a longing for the past, but psychologists are coming to realise it can focus on the future too

by Shayla Love

A black-and-white photo showing a man smiling with three children, all dressed warmly in jackets and hats.

Trauma and PTSD

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Many refugees carry a distinct type of trauma: ‘moral injury’

Trauma is usually fear-based, but refugees are also burdened by witnessing moral violations and their own ethical dilemmas

by Angela Nickerson & Philippa Specker

Abstract image with textured orange and purple hues, featuring a dark silhouette of a person in the centre on an ageing, rough paper background.

Personality disorders

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People with BPD need compassion yet even clinicians stigmatise them

Both clinicians and laypeople misunderstand and stigmatise borderline personality disorder. Those who have it deserve better

by Sara Rose Masland & Hannah E A Peeples