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A person leaning against a wall under a light in a dimly lit alley with graffiti-covered walls.

Addiction

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The shame felt in addiction often isn’t toxic – it’s healing

The push to take shame out of recovery is well-meaning. But it overlooks the power this emotion has to motivate change

by Owen Flanagan

Green spiky thistle plants with purple flowers against a blurred grey background.

Evaluating therapies

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In therapy or meditation, is it normal to feel worse at first?

A ‘no pain, no gain’ mentality might make sense when striving for change – but don’t confuse discomfort and distress

by Nicholas Van Dam

Photo of a woman in a floral shirt, appearing deep in thought with her hands clasped near her face.

Cognitive and behavioural therapies

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Instead of wrestling with self-defeating thoughts, try this

When your own thoughts discourage and undermine you, it’s easy to get tangled. A change of strategy could get you past it

by Joe Oliver & Kristy Potter

Photo of a beachside blackboard offering a humorous deal near a weathered pier, stating “£100 receipt given for every £10 spent.”

Anxiety

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If you think you are ‘just not a math person’ then think again

Understanding how mathematics anxiety takes root points to ways to overcome it, opening up new opportunities and pastimes

by Nathan T T Lau & H Moriah Sokolowski

Blurry sepia photo of two children sliding down a playground slide in sunlight.

Personality disorders

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To understand borderline personality, imagine having no history

For people with an unfairly stigmatised mental health condition, and the rest of us, it’s vital to connect past with present

by Alexander Kriss

Photo of a person eating a slice of pizza with toppings close-up, in a cosy indoor setting with bokeh lights in background.

Emerging therapies

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The reason little noises drive you mad is about more than sounds

Fascinating research into ‘misophonia’ – an intolerance to specific sounds – is revealing an important role for context

by Nathaniel Scharping

Photo of wilted orange flowers in a dark vase against a muted background.

Depression

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What’s going on in depression to make negative beliefs so sticky?

Understanding why negative views persist in the face of contradictory evidence could help inform depression treatment

by Tobias Kube

Bronze bust of a bearded man with curled hair against a black background, ancient artefact.

Emotion regulation

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The Stoics were right – emotional control is good for the soul

Both neuroscience and psychotherapy agree that you can change your mental framework as the Stoic Marcus Aurelius described

by István Darabán

Photo of a man praying next to a large religious painting in a church with ornate columns in the foreground.

Self-harm and suicide

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Why religious belief provides a real buffer against suicide risk

Under-recognised as a protective force against suicide, religious faith has multiple features that help to save lives

by David H Rosmarin

Stone relief depicting interrogation methods with figures enacting scenes of torture, accompanied by descriptive text.

Cognitive and behavioural therapies

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CBT is the ‘gold standard’, but is that just for white people?

CBT is supported by a strong evidence base. However, effective cultural adaptation of the therapy is a work in progress

by Shayla Love

Photo of a woman in a red top with colourful overlapping shadows on a wall displaying red, blue and yellow hues.

Psychotherapy

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Psychotherapy under the microscope: how exactly does it work?

To improve psychotherapy, researchers are looking beyond what happens in a session to learn exactly how change is achieved

by Ciarán O’Driscoll

Impressionist painting of a figure standing by the sea, observing a distant boat. The scene is enveloped in blue tones with a serene, misty atmosphere.

Cognitive and behavioural therapies

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The philosophical roots of CBT help explain its limitations

Not all psychological problems are thinking problems. Trying to solve them purely cognitively, with CBT, won’t help us mature

by Bradley Murray