Depression

Disorders and difficulties Therapies and practical advice Perspectives and controversies

Double exposure photo of a person silhouetted against the sea with clouds overlapping their figure.

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

Photo of a city street with a man in a hat in the foreground and another man walking among cars 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 a dog on a path in a park with green grass and autumn trees.

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

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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

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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

Photo of 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

Photo of a person with a megaphone raising a fist below a building with green shutters and a red banner.

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

Photo of a family holding hands walking on a beach with a golden retriever in the foreground and ocean waves in the background.

Happiness

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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 paper layers in orange, blue and black, creating textured geometric shapes and contrasts.

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