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Mental health

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Blurry photo through a shop window showing people on the street, a woman near the glass and pastry on display inside.

Mental health

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The brain’s reading of the body’s state is key to mental health

The neural basis of ‘interoception’ – the interpretation of bodily signals – is affected in many mental health conditions

by Camilla Nord

Blurry photo of a person with a colourful neon sign reflected in a window at night.

Mental health

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Mental disorders aren’t diseases, they’re networks of symptoms

Mental disorders are usually seen as the causes of symptoms. In the network perspective, symptoms are causes themselves

by Richard J McNally

Blurry photo of a dimly lit interior with a person in swimwear under red lighting.

Work and vocation

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In an unstable economy, I found freedom and security in sex work

Speculation about the mental health of sex workers is undermining. Focus instead on how to improve our working conditions

by Tamara MacLeod

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

Photo of a person lying on a sofa, looking relaxed with eyes closed. They are wearing a grey jumper and holding their hair.

Brain interventions

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Mental disorders are brain disorders – here’s why that matters

The most vital quandary of mental health disorders and therapies today is not whether they change the brain but how

by Camilla Nord

Photo of people relaxing on tiered grassy steps in a public space with railings, cyclists below, and some pigeons present.

Mental health

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If you stay mentally well your entire life, you’re not normal

Surveys suggest only a minority of people live lives entirely free from mental disorder. What can we learn from them?

by Jonathan D Schaefer

Photo of a girl swinging high above a cityscape with a cloudy sky in the background.

Mental health

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Why does early puberty pose a risk to girls’ mental health?

Girls who start puberty earlier are at greater risk of depression and anxiety. To know why, we must look beyond biology

by Marjolein E A Barendse & Michelle L Byrne

Photo of a person outdoors smoking, silhouetted against the sky with visible smoke and surrounding greenery.

Addiction

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Mental illness and substance use: genes show a two-way street

Why are smoking, alcohol and cannabis use linked to mental illness? The answer is complex but valuable for mental health

by Jorien Treur

Photo of a person with a backpack silhouetted against a white wall under trees, using a phone on a walkway.

Mental health

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How a feeling that you belong could protect your mental health

Research on young adults at a time of social transition highlights the significance of feeling that you belong to a group

by Janine M Dutcher & Amber Quinn

Photo of a man in a grey shirt holding a cup, sitting among others in a room, with a pensive expression on his face.

Mental health

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Bias in mental health diagnosis gets in the way of treatment

Some groups are at risk of receiving less accurate mental health diagnoses. The expanded use of diagnostic aids could help

by Howard N Garb

Black and white photo of a person leaning from a window in a brick building with a fire escape, traffic light in foreground.

History and philosophy of mental health

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Can we diagnose suffering without knowing a person’s history?

Human bodies and mental states are always transforming. How can the DSM portray the full range of human suffering?

by Christos Tombras

A double exposure image of a person using a smartphone overlaid with a bustling city street scene with cars and tall buildings.

Technology and media

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What I learned from sharing my private self with an AI journal

‘Quantified self’ apps analyse our physical and behavioural data. Now, AI journals want to access our emotional lives too

by Angela Chen