Depression
![The African American singer and pianist Nina Simone is pictured alone, singing against a spotlight that resembles a moon in the darkness. She has her eyes closed.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/6480d07d-981e-4611-931d-058f5877eefe/rt-final-gettyimages-1479828218.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Emerging therapies
idea
Could that tingle down the spine be a way to rediscover joy?
In new research, scientists have looked into the potential benefits of giving people with depression the aesthetic chills
by Shayla Love
![A smiling family hold hands and play on a sunny beach with their retriever dog](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/dcbfb911-9080-41f6-845c-130997818bdc/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Happiness
idea
As a psychiatrist, I’ve seen how chasing happiness leads to misery
My clinical work has shown me that happiness is a ghost that’s not worth pursuing – there are far wiser goals in life
by Rafa Euba
![A still life painting featuring various fish, lobster, vegetables, a cat, hanging pots, and garlic, all arranged on a table with a white cloth.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/88b84dd2-7e2e-4745-8172-e95da344401d/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Mental health
guide
How to use food to help your mood
Depression and low mood are not separate from the rest of your bodily health: the right diet can help reduce your risk
by Kimberley Wilson
![A child’s drawing of a person in front of a red door, playing a pink electric guitar with lightning bolts around them.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/d428d04c-c463-4592-a92f-4d89b0c5e6b9/rosemary-ad-_after-dad_-landscape-1-v2.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Parenting and families
film
Ethan ponders his daughter’s future without him in this celebrated short
Directed by Ethan Barrett
![A close-up of wilted orange flowers with drooping stems in a black vase against a blurred brown background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/e2cff640-91e2-441e-bbb8-62214fcf883e/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Depression
idea
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
![Person using a brain stimulation device and reading a cookbook, with magazines and a remote on the table nearby.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/1ecff934-252b-46e7-8b26-18c5f6d435ba/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Emerging therapies
idea
A personalised alternative to antidepressants is on the way
A form of personalised, at-home, brain-based treatment for depression is getting close – but is psychiatry ready for it?
by Paul Fitzgerald
![Three red-and-white capsules on a light blue background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/9fecf9c0-9341-445f-b0aa-66169825e9f6/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Depression
guide
How to decide whether to take antidepressants
They’re controversial yet they help countless people. To see if pills are right for you, these are the questions to ask
by Stephen Lawrie
![Still image from a VHS tape depicting child and a woman blowing out birthday cake candles together, both wearing red, with people in the background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/63b6fb19-24b1-4abc-924f-7c96bc8b8d99/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Parenting and families
film
Love is no simple thing for a mother and the daughter she raised alone
Directed by Ellie Wen
![Person in a yellow jacket and blue hat jogging through a forest, with green foliage in the background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/0d39f6ba-c576-46ca-aa03-37c0139f3225/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
The body and physical health
idea
Even a single exercise session can help shift depression
The long-term benefits of regular exercise for mood are well-known. What’s surprising is that just one session can help
by Matthew Bourke & Rhiannon Patten
![A person and two children stand on shore promenade, surrounded by seagulls, with a large water fountain and cityscape in the background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/9a57a852-66f1-4158-bc15-9d2933780cb1/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Mental health
idea
Many people not only survive mental illness – they thrive
For people with depression, anxiety and other conditions, reaching high wellbeing – not just recovery – is a real possibility
by Jonathan Rottenberg & Andrew Devendorf
![](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/3fbf2ff1-d056-479a-b8af-795686309a4c/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Self-harm and suicide
guide
How to talk to a suicidal friend
Twice as many people worldwide die from suicide as from homicide. Here’s how to help your loved ones back from the brink
by Lindsay Weisner
![Silhouetted man playing guitar in a dimly lit room near a window with plants on the sill and music sheets on the counter.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/6f90e11c-6e54-421f-8ca9-015d4e58d395/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Brain injury and dementia
film
The songs of Bob Dylan suffuse a poignant story of dementia and music
Directed by Harry Shaw