Photo of a hand holding a smartphone displaying a chat app interface asking “How can I help you this afternoon?”
THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE
2

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

Do you weave historical events into your own life story?

Some people watch history pass by. Others high in ‘historical consciousness’ truly live it – and seem to benefit as a result

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

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

by LaCount ‘JJ’ Togans

Ideas

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A bronze statue of a girl facing a large bull sculpture on a cobblestone street in an urban setting.
FEAR AND PHOBIA
3

True courage isn’t being fearless, it’s fearing well

by Andrew Culbreth

A closed lift with stainless steel doors and a blue panel display showing floor -1 above the button against a white wall.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

The neural reward that makes avoiding your fears feel so good

by Muhammad Badarnee & Mohammed R Milad

A person pushing a bike through a muddy landfill with debris under an overcast sky, distant hills and houses.
DIFFICULT EMOTIONS
3

Despair can help us mourn lost futures and chart new paths

by Juliette Vazard

Guides

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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 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

Life stories

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An elderly hand resting being held by younger hands against a dark background.
VALUES AND BELIEFS
12

Let the mystery be

As a hospital chaplain, I watched lives end, faiths fracture and certainties crumble. My job was holding hands in the dark

by Nettie Reynolds

Editor’s picks

Black and white photo of a person with headphones on eyes closed hands raised appearing to enjoy music.
DIFFICULT EMOTIONS
21

How to enjoy your problems

Accepting your problems is one thing. To enjoy them? Well, that’s pretty much enlightenment. Here’s how to get there

by Chelsea Harvey Garner

Black-and-white photo of a man walking past another dressed as a bishop on a cobblestone street at night.
DIFFICULT EMOTIONS

The ‘melancholic joy’ of living in our brutal, beautiful world

Beyond simple contentment or despair, there’s a ‘melancholic joy’ in looking, clear-eyed, at our brutal, beautiful world

by Brian Treanor

Latest videos

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Photo of a serene woman outdoors with closed eyes in a black top, blurred landscape in the background.
EMOTION REGULATION

The interplay between breath and emotion – and how to access it

Video by Dr Tracey Marks

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

Drawing of six people in a living room having tea and cake around a table, with a window and plant in the background.
NEURODIVERSITY

Hand-drawn animation brings a meeting of ‘voice-hearers’ to life

Illustration of a masked healthcare worker in multiple colours against a pixelated background.
DECISION-MAKING

Every choice has an energy cost. Learn to manage your budget

Two women sitting on a log outdoors, each holding a child, with greenery in the background.
LIFE STAGES

An activist weaves motherhood into her world in this gentle short

Notes to self

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A microphone in focus with a blurred background of people seated at tables in a dimly lit room.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

A memory hack to help you face your fears

by Christian Jarrett

Popular

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

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

Photo of a group of young people taking a selfie with a smartphone outdoors in a busy urban setting.
PERSONALITY
5

Is narcissism really on the rise among younger generations?

A fresh investigation of vast numbers of young people from around the world has thrown up some surprising results

by Jakob Pietschnig & Sandra Oberleiter

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

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

A person wearing sunglasses looking at their reflection in a window with a blurry outdoor scene visible.
PERSONALITY DISORDERS

How to start recovering from BPD

Borderline personality disorder is often misunderstood. Here’s what you should know about it and how to get real support

by Sara Rose Masland & Thea McAfee

A drone flying above a whale’s surfaced back in the ocean with water droplets in the air.
ANIMALS

Even if we could speak to animals, should we?

AI could satisfy our deeply held desire to talk to other creatures. But the potential for harm might outweigh the benefits

by Virginie Simoneau-Gilbert & Leonie Bossert

A closed lift with stainless steel doors and a blue panel display showing floor -1 above the button against a white wall.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

The neural reward that makes avoiding your fears feel so good

We’re told that facing our fears can help us overcome them – but this misses the other intoxicating part of the equation

by Muhammad Badarnee & Mohammed R Milad

Explore: History of emotions

Medieval manuscript illustration of three figures talking: a man, a knight with a shield and a shovel-bearer, set in an ornate border.
FRIENDSHIP

How the nature of friendship has changed through the centuries

by Bénedicte Sère

Painting of a girl with flowing hair holding books, standing on a windy path under a grey sky.
MEMORY AND NOSTALGIA

Before it was ‘bittersweet’, nostalgia was seen as a parasite

by Jac Lewis

Painting of a woman with large eyes wearing dark clothes surrounded by bold colours including red and yellow.
GRIEF

The loss remains, so why does intense grief usually fade?

by Berislav Marušić

Black and white photo of a couple kissing in a car, focus on a hand wearing a ring and watch embracing the partner.
LOVE
9

How to think differently about love

by Arina Pismenny

Ancient clay figurine of a woman with a veil, arms crossed. The surface is textured. Image shows a simple, worn design.
HISTORY OF EMOTIONS

To ancient Assyrians, the liver was the seat of happiness

by Juha Lahnakoski & Ellie Bennett

Photo of a person falling near running bulls on a cobblestone street during a bull run event, with legs and hooves in motion.
HISTORY OF EMOTIONS
9

Schadenfreude: why do we find joy in the pain felt by others?

by David P Barash