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A painting of a woman sitting at a table with a glass of beer, a cigarette, and a contemplative expression in a café setting.

Love

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Why it can be sublime to love someone who doesn’t love you back

Unrequited love might be bitter and painful, but it is also the ultimate expression of your humanity. Don’t fight it

by Alexandra Gustafson

Close-up of a person with glasses looking out of a window with sunlight illuminating their face and hair from the side.

Worry and rumination

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Stuck in a loop of worrying thoughts? Here’s how to stop it

Dwelling on your difficulties might feel like problem-solving, but it can be pernicious. There are tools to stop the habit

by Megan L Rogers

Ancient terracotta sculpture of a seated figure holding a cup, displayed against a dark background.

Psychoanalysis and the unconscious

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Dark feelings will haunt us until they are expressed in words

Continued mental growth requires dealing with alexithymia, or the inability to express emotions through words or images

by Tom Wooldridge

Black-and-white photo of a cobblestone street scene. A man with a shopping bag walks past another in religious attire.

Difficult emotions

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The ‘melancholic joy’ of living in our brutal, beautiful world

Beyond simple contentment or despair, there’s a ‘melancholic joy’ in looking, clear-eyed, at our brutal, beautiful world

by Brian Treanor

A Renaissance portrait of a man with long hair and a beard, wearing a dark robe, holding a cloth, with a window showing a cityscape in the background.

Emotions

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What makes hate a unique emotion – and why that matters

How does hating someone compare with anger, contempt or disgust? A clearer picture of what makes it unique is emerging

by Cristhian A Martínez

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

A couple sharing an intimate moment at a café table with wine glasses, a candle and an ashtray, seen through a window.

Love

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Your partner’s infidelity needn’t be a relationship catastrophe

Infidelity needn’t end a relationship: many people have affairs for reasons that have nothing to do with their partner

by Dylan Selterman

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

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

Set of Ukrainian stamps depicting a soldier facing a ship with a “Moscow” stamp labelled “DONE” and the date 14.04.2022. Text in Ukrainian.

Laughter and comedy

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A sense of humour – even a dark one – is a moral virtue

A sense of humour is a moral virtue that can help people flourish, even in dire conditions that are conducive to unhappiness

by Mark Alfano & Mandi Astola

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

Black-and-white photo of a busy London underground train station platform in a tunnel with people waiting and departing.

Difficult emotions

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Most anguish isn’t an illness but an evolved response to adversity

An anthropological view shows us that the root causes of depression and anxiety are usually social conflict and adversity

by Kristen Syme & Edward H Hagen