Depression

Disorders and difficulties Therapies and practical advice Perspectives and controversies

Double exposure image of a person and a landscape, showing a silhouette overlaid with a scenic view of mountains and a river.

Depression

idea

Depression is more than low mood – it’s a change of consciousness

Understanding depression as an altered state of consciousness, like a dream or drug trip, could help people awaken from it

by Cecily Whiteley & Jonathan Birch

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

Depression

idea

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

Photo of a person walking with their dog on a path in a park during autumn, surrounded by trees with colourful foliage.

Depression

guide

How to engage with life when you feel down

Withdrawing from activities you enjoy is both a product and cause of low mood. Break the cycle with behavioural activation

by Lucy Foulkes

Abstract painting of a person on a cliff under stormy skies with colourful clouds and rain, contrasted by vibrant red and yellow below.

Music

film

A music video moulded in clay finds joy in nature amid life’s sorrows

Directed by Lynn Tomlinson

Painting of three women, one holding a hat, standing on a bridge with a blurred landscape in the background.

Emotions

idea

For young people, emotions are highly contagious social viruses

Like viruses, our internal mental states are socially transmissible, and it’s easier to catch happiness than depression

by Jack Andrews

A person and two children stand on shore promenade, surrounded by seagulls, with a large water fountain and cityscape in the background.

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

Three red-and-white capsules on a light blue background.

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

Silhouetted man playing guitar in a dimly lit room near a window with plants on the sill and music sheets on the counter.

Brain injury and dementia

film

The songs of Bob Dylan suffuse a poignant story of dementia and music

Directed by Harry Shaw

A person raises their fist holding a megaphone, facing a building with shutters and balconies displaying banners.

Emotion regulation

idea

Hope is the antidote to helplessness. Here’s how to cultivate it

If hopelessness is learned, then it can be unlearned: how groundbreaking studies paved the way to help cultivate hope

by Emily Esfahani Smith

A smiling family hold hands and play on a sunny beach with their retriever dog

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

Abstract painting with torn yellow and grey paper layers on a dark background. The colours create random shapes and textures.

Difficult emotions

guide

How to get over ‘never good enough’

Learn to spot unhealthy perfectionism, understand its emotional sources and find a way to silence that self-critical voice

by Margaret Rutherford

A child’s drawing of a person in front of a red door, playing a pink electric guitar with lightning bolts around them.

Parenting and families

film

Ethan ponders his daughter’s future without him in this celebrated short

Directed by Ethan Barrett