Difficult emotions

Disorders and difficulties Therapies and practical advice Perspectives and controversies

A cluttered room filled with books, papers, boxes, kitchenware and various items scattered over surfaces.

Mental health

idea

How to tell if someone is hoarding – and provide effective help

For many, letting go of possessions is intensely stressful, even when the clutter puts them at risk. Here’s what you can do

by Michael A Tompkins

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

Memory and nostalgia

idea

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

Early modern ideas about nostalgia, infused with the elements of horror, invite us to think more deeply about human longing

by Jac Lewis

Photo of a cluttered room filled with scattered books, papers, boxes and household items on shelves and floor.

Mental health

guide

How to tell if someone is hoarding – and provide effective help

For many, letting go of possessions is intensely stressful, even when the clutter puts them at risk. Here’s what you can do

by Michael A Tompkins

Illustration of a young woman with a bob haircut, red skin and two different coloured eyes. She holds her hands up to her cheeks.

Mental health

film

Fixating on her body, a woman grapples with strange distortions of the self

Directed by Chenghua Yang

The Sydney city skyline featuring the Opera House under a dramatic dark stormy sky with a sailboat on the water in the foreground.

Difficult emotions

idea

How to understand and cope with mood swings

Sudden mood changes can be unsettling, but getting to know them will help you regain balance and, if needed, find support

by Zindel Segal & Norman Farb

Photo of a small American flag on a metal barrier surrounded by litter at night.

Civic life

idea

Disappointment is not just a feeling – it’s a political force

When political regimes fail us, don’t turn to optimism. It’s disappointment that holds the radical potential for change

by Rafael Holmberg

Photo of a stormy sky over Sydney Opera House and city skyline with dark clouds and a sailboat on the water.

Difficult emotions

guide

How to understand and cope with mood swings

Sudden mood changes can be unsettling, but getting to know them will help you regain balance and, if needed, find support

by Zindel Segal & Norman Farb

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

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

Grief

idea

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

Grief’s ‘double vision’ beholds both the bereaved and dead. Recognising this duality helps explain our ability to move on

by Berislav Marušić

Photo of a woman with tattoos taking a selfie on a smartphone wearing an off-shoulder dress in front of glass doors.

Virtues and vices

idea

Social comparison is driving us to despair. It doesn’t have to

In the social media age, it seems impossible not to measure ourselves against others – but we can dodge the worst pitfalls

by Wojciech Kaftański

Photo of a child squatting in a museum, observing a large classical statue with people around.

Emotion regulation

guide

How to compare yourself with others fairly

Ever worry that you don’t measure up? These CBT-based practices can make social comparison less painful and more productive

by Joel Minden