A woman wearing a black gown and veil, and gold and turquoise jewellery raises her harms with eyes closed; musicians wearing headdresses play drums in the background in a dimly lit setting.
ANXIETY

What rituals from the past teach us about panic and anxiety

In the sensory and communal modes of healing that people have used throughout history, there is guidance for today

by Mariem El-Kady

A smiling woman with two children in a sunny park, lush green trees in the background.
PARENTING AND FAMILIES

Fight like a mother

Doctors said my son would die. I wouldn’t believe them, raised millions of dollars and travelled the world for a cure

Amber Freed, as told to Lina Zeldovich

A bustling food stall at dusk with bright signs advertising burgers, curly fries and sausages against a darkening sky.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

The Ozempic era should change how we think about self-control

Struggling to manage weight can seem like a failure of raw willpower. GLP-1 drugs highlight how misguided that view is

by Matthew C Haug

Ideas

View all
Illuminated currency symbols yen, pound and dollar in red, orange and purple on a textured background.
FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY

Blame the ‘greedy bastards’, and you protect the greedy systems

by David Keen

A collapsed apartment building leaning between other damaged buildings in twilight
THE SELF

Do you weave historical events into your own life story?

by Şebnem Ture

A close-up view of a cheeseburger with multiple beef patties, melted cheese and crispy onion rings.
PLEASURES AND PASTIMES

Guilty pleasures are more than just giving in to temptation

by LaCount ‘JJ’ Togans

Guides

View all
A man holding a notepad and a woman talking in a dimly lit room seen through glass doors.
THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIPS
2

How to deal with doubts about your therapist

It’s not wrong to wonder whether your therapist is helping – it could be a useful signal. Here’s what to do next

by Alice Rizzi

Photo of a hand holding a smartphone displaying a chat app interface asking “How can I help you this afternoon?”
THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE
8

How to use chatbots to make you smarter, not dumber

Use AI thoughtlessly and it dulls your mind. But with a strategic approach and the right prompts, it can be a powerful tool

by Nick Kabrel

Life stories

View all
Photo of a child in winter clothing standing next to a cat outdoors on a sunny day, with text from a book visible.
PARENTING AND FAMILIES

My cousin Anna

As a Korean adoptee, I’d never expected to meet a blood relative. Then a 23andMe email landed in my inbox

by Andrew Lee

Editor’s picks

Photo of a businessman in a suit explaining with a Jenga tower, another man stands behind him, both in an office setting.
Psyche Exclusive
FILM

Our world’s complex issues can’t be solved by lone heroes. Our stories should reflect that

Video by Psyche

Marble statue of a sleeping man with curly hair lying on fabric, arm draped over his head.
SLEEP AND DREAMS

The ancients dreamt the same dreams as us

There is something comforting about realising that, even in Homer’s day, people wondered what the hell their dreams meant

by Sam Dresser

Latest videos

View all
Photo of a man in profile with grey hair and a moustache wearing a denim shirt against a black background.
VIRTUES AND VICES

From prison, a bank robber and acclaimed author reflects on time

Ethereal photo of a person lying down under a blue haze with ghostly hands reaching towards them.
SLEEP AND DREAMS

When dreams touch reality – the liminal world of sleep paralysis

Notes to self

View all

Popular

Black and white photo of passengers seated and standing inside a crowded train carriage, some holding bags and flowers; a woman seated in the foreground has an annoyed look on her face.
EMOTION REGULATION

How to tolerate annoying things

Hassles are part of life, but the way we react often makes them worse. ACT skills can help you handle them with greater ease

by Patricia E Zurita Ona

A home entrance with a black front door, mirrored wall, umbrella stand and carpeted stairs.
MEMORY AND NOSTALGIA

How to build a memory palace

Upgrade your ability to recall dates, names or other details with an ancient trick of the memory trade: the ‘method of loci’

by Lynne Kelly

A close-up view of a cheeseburger with multiple beef patties, melted cheese and crispy onion rings.
PLEASURES AND PASTIMES

Guilty pleasures are more than just giving in to temptation

Psychologists are discovering what’s going on when you do something you enjoy, but also feel weird or embarrassed about

by LaCount ‘JJ’ Togans

Photo of a person’s toned torso in shadowy light hands on hips wearing a dark top and trousers showcasing abdominal muscles.
MIND-BODY INTERACTIONS

Stronger

When grief and distraction spun my mind out of control, only the strain of my muscles could keep it intact

by Nancy Uddin

Photo of a hand holding a smartphone displaying a chat app interface asking “How can I help you this afternoon?”
THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE
8

How to use chatbots to make you smarter, not dumber

Use AI thoughtlessly and it dulls your mind. But with a strategic approach and the right prompts, it can be a powerful tool

by Nick Kabrel

A subway sign with red neon text and large images of eyes on illuminated red panels above.
FEAR AND PHOBIA
1

How to overcome a fear of fear

When you become afraid of your own reaction to perceived threats, it creates a vicious cycle. Here’s how to break free

by Nick Wignall

Black and white photo of a man in glasses and a suit speaking, seated indoors with window blinds in the background.
THINKERS AND THEORIES

Can an entire society be mentally ill? A perspective from 1960

Video by The Search for America

Photo of an art installation featuring multiple monitors displaying black and white images in a dimly lit room.
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA
10

Why AI’s hallucinations are like the illusions of narcissism

Unable to handle uncertainty, AI mimics the narcissistic compulsion to fill voids with plausible but false narratives

by Jennine Gates

Explore: Personality types

Photo of an office building’s facade with illuminated windows revealing people working inside at desks and meeting spaces.
PERSONALITY

Introverts are excluded unfairly in an extraverts’ world

by Noa Herz

Photo of a turtle with a textured brown shell and curious expression on a white background.
PERSONALITY
16

How to come out of your shell

by Christian Jarrett

An image of a man’s face with a photograph of a smiling face projected onto it, creating a surreal, double-exposure effect.
IDENTITY

A retired character actor contemplates what it’s like to get lost in a stereotype

Directed by Vera Brunner-Sung

Photo of a person with pink nails covering their face with clasped hands near a window.
PERSONALITY
4

Is improving your personality a moral duty or a category confusion?

by T Ryan Byerly

Photo of a chain-link fence with a “Private Property No Trespassing” sign in front of an open field.
PERSONALITY

Your sense of right and wrong is interwoven with your personality

by Luke D Smillie & Milan Andrejević

Black and white photo of a man smoking at a desk as a woman with glasses looks at papers beside him in an office setting.
PERSONALITY DISORDERS

Popular views of narcissism are distorted and too pessimistic

by Giancarlo Dimaggio & Igor Weinberg