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Therapies and practical advice

Bronze bust of a bearded man with curly hair, likely an ancient artefact, on a black background.

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

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

Stigma and taboo

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Let’s avoid talk of ‘chemical imbalance’: it’s people in distress

The ‘chemical imbalance’ trope is appealing but dehumanising, and has heightened stigma towards people with mental illness

by Joseph E Davis

History and philosophy of mental health

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For Donald Winnicott, the psyche is not inside us but between us

For Donald Winnicott, your psyche isn’t just in your head – it emerges from your relationships with others and the world

by James Barnes

Three senior male cyclists in racing outfits sit on chairs, each wearing a helmet and cycling shoes, resting between races. The cyclist on the left wears a white and light blue kit, the middle one wears a teal and yellow kit, and the cyclist on the right wears a blue and yellow kit.

Ageing

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Rather than fearing getting old, here’s how to embrace it

Whether you are 20 or 90, each moment of life presents an opportunity to focus on what really matters to you

by Berit Lewis

Stories and literature

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Reading books is not just a pleasure: it helps our minds to heal

Through my own struggles and in teaching bibliotherapy to students, I know that books can help to heal minds and hearts

by Peter Leyland

A man in sunglasses and a hat walks on a street with apartment buildings and a young man in the background.

Depression

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Why life is faster but depression is lower in bigger cities

Large cities might seem detrimental to mental health but a comparison of depression rates suggests bigger is better

by Andrew Stier

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

Anxiety

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It’s not always good to let it all out: the perils of over-sighing

‘Take a deep breath,’ we’re often told when emotions surge. But what if sighing isn’t always helpful?

by Elke Vlemincx

Pain

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Solving chronic pain via the kitchen, not the medicine cabinet

While medicine still struggles with the mystery of chronic pain, simple dietary changes can bring much-needed relief

by Rowena Field

Drugs and psychedelics

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Psychedelics show religion isn’t the only route to spirituality

Secular people can have profound psychedelic experiences. What does that say about spirituality and the naturalistic worldview?

by Chris Letheby

Person with curly hair eating a slice of pizza, with a background of blurred lights and greenery.

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