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History of psychology and psychiatry

Disorders and difficulties Therapies and practical advice Perspectives and controversies

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

Creativity and the arts Spirituality and transcendence

Evaluating therapies History and philosophy of mental health History of psychology and psychiatry Law and mental health Mental health across cultures Mind-body interactions Socioeconomics of mental health Stigma and taboo Therapeutic relationships

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Abstract painting of a woman with geometric shapes in pastel colours, featuring a blend of blues, greens and yellows.

Psychiatry

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What a psychiatric diagnosis means – and what it doesn’t mean

With stigma and misunderstanding surrounding mental health, it’s vital to know the benefits and limits of a formal diagnosis

by Awais Aftab

A portrait of a woman with powdered hair wearing a silk dress, lace collar, black choker, and a pink ribbon, seated against a dark background.

The body and physical health

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Menopause was a French invention at a time of revolution

French doctors of the 1800s had a vested interest in pathologising women’s ageing, as do many commercial entities today

by Alison M Downham Moore

Daniel Kahneman standing on a balcony, arms crossed, with New York City skyline and buildings in the background under a clear blue sky.

Thinkers and theories

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Why I’ll never forget the day I met Daniel Kahneman for lunch

He was an octogenarian Nobel-winning psychologist, I was a nervous 20-something film producer. Here’s what struck me most

by Namir Khaliq

A painting depicts three children dressed in old-fashioned clothing walking through a field of wildflowers at dusk. Two older children, one wearing a large brimmed hat, lead a younger child by the hand. The background shows a line of trees against a cloudy sky with a hint of sunset.

History of psychology and psychiatry

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In psychoanalysis, nostalgia was a sickness. It needn’t be

Nostalgia was, in Freud’s day, an illness steeped in the past. Today, it can be a joyful emotion that reframes the future

by Agnes Arnold-Forster

A vintage photo of six women wearing wide-brimmed hats, smiling and laughing together. One woman is holding a steering wheel, suggesting they might be on a fun outdoor adventure. The background shows a natural, slightly blurry setting.

Film

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Why was a laughing woman seen as lethal, not least to herself?

When early cinema weaponised the sight of women’s laughter, it borrowed from flawed psychiatric ideas about female hysteria

by Maggie Hennefeld

Close-up of a closed metal door-chain on a wooden door

Worry and rumination

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Should you confront your worries or try to banish them?

Psychotherapists have long believed it’s a bad idea to suppress worrisome thoughts, but new research is prompting a rethink

by Shayla Love

A small black puppy lying on a couch with a man in a red checkered shirt sitting in the background.

Personality disorders

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There’s a growing case for renaming ‘personality disorders’

The concept of personality disorders has been around for centuries but it’s flawed and needs both a rethink and a new name

by Matt Huston

A black-and-white photo of a man, a woman and a child sitting around a cluttered dining table with food, bowls and plates. The man looks thoughtful.

Socioeconomics of mental health

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Mental health is not an individual matter, but a political one

Decades ago, pioneering research linked mental illness and economic deprivation. It’s time to take the implications seriously

by Matthew Smith

Shadows of people on a sunny day cast on a stone wall, with one person holding a mobile phone while walking past.

History of ideas

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Worried you’re not normal? Don’t be – there’s no such thing

The history of ‘normal’ tells a tale of prejudice and bad maths. The most usual thing about people is how much we differ

by Sarah Chaney

Etching of five nude figures in a forest, with one lying on the ground and the others standing or bending in a body of water.

History of psychology and psychiatry

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How a Viennese genius (not the one you think) understood penis envy

Karen Horney’s challenge to Freudian psychosexual theory helped me say ‘penis’ without flinching in my Cairo classroom

by Heba Yosry

Two men in black and white film scene: one in military uniform leaning over and talking to the other who is seated, looking apprehensive.

Freedom and choice

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Brainwashing has a grim history that we shouldn’t dismiss

Scientific research and historical accounts can help us identify and dissect the threat of ‘coercive persuasion’

by Joel E Dimsdale

A man in patterned pyjamas sits on a table in a room with a mural of a landscape and old furniture.

History and philosophy of mental health

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Frantz Fanon and the crisis of mental health in the Arab world

Where is Frantz Fanon’s postcolonial ‘new man’ to be found in the persistence of psychiatric institutions in the Arab world?

by Joelle M Abi-Rached