Difficult emotions

Disorders and difficulties Therapies and practical advice Perspectives and controversies

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Two people sit at a table with coffee cups, near a window overlooking a rainy scene with parked cars and trees in the background.

Worry and rumination

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Rehashing your problems with friends can turn into a bad habit

Although ‘co-rumination’ bolsters relationships in some ways, it also distracts from other, better coping methods

by Shayla Love

Painting of a heron perched on a branch against a gold background. The bird is depicted in fine detail with white feathers and a green beak, while the branch is rendered in dark, bold strokes. Traditional Asian calligraphy with red seals is present in the lower right corner.

Difficult emotions

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What to do when you’re feeling upset about being disliked

It’s an unavoidable part of life. Here are some tried and tested ways to get more comfortable with someone not liking you

by Ahona Guha

Person with closed eyes enjoying music through headphones, dressed warmly in a black coat, with one arm raised in a dancing motion.

Difficult emotions

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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

An elderly woman stands in a dark room with bamboo-like plants in the background, illuminated by soft, mystical light from above.

Love

film

A grandmother grapples with the fallout of her husband’s double life

Directed by Gabriella Aguirre

A woman with long blonde hair and a striped blue and yellow jumper takes a selfie, smiling broadly. Behind her, a living room is visible with a large potted plant, a grey couch, and wall shelves with small plants and decor items. A clock is fixed on the wall in the background.

Emotions

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What makes ‘toxic positivity’ different from a healthy attitude

Influencers and self-help gurus are preaching a form of positive psychology that risks doing more harm than good

by Lucas Dixon

A person in a red costume with wings stands in front of a row of portable toilets on grass.

Emotion regulation

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The psychology of impatience could make waiting more tolerable

New studies on the experience of impatience suggest there’s more to it than simply how long you’ve been left hanging

by Matt Huston

Painting of a serene river with a distant shoreline covered in trees and houses, small white boat on the right, signed “H. Angrand - 86.”

Worry and rumination

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How to feel less stressed

Everyone handles stress differently. The ‘4Ds’ approach is about helping you find the coping strategies that work for you

by Warren Mansell & Louise Mansell

Kim Kardashian in a sparkling dress walks down an aisle, waving, as people on either side clap and cheer.

Trauma and PTSD

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Maladaptive daydreaming made me feel trapped in my own mind

Extended daydreams were a much-needed escape, but turned into a compulsion that crowded out my waking activities

by Zainab Al-Hassani

Edge of an asteroid against the blackness of space, with scattered stars and debris visible in the distance.

Memoir

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What I learned about coping and resilience from asteroid Bennu

After hitting an emotional low, I found myself identifying with an asteroid that looks deceptively solid on the outside

by Elizabeth Landau

Large orange pumpkin on a table with a red “First Prize” card in front of it, in a tent with blurred background.

Difficult emotions

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How to put your envy to good use

Envious feelings can eat you up, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s how to transform envy into a guide and motivator

by Josh Gressel