Difficult emotions

Disorders and difficulties Therapies and practical advice Perspectives and controversies

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A painting of a woman sitting at a table with a glass of beer, a cigarette, and a contemplative expression in a café setting.

Love

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Why it can be sublime to love someone who doesn’t love you back

Unrequited love might be bitter and painful, but it is also the ultimate expression of your humanity. Don’t fight it

by Alexandra Gustafson

Close-up of a person with glasses looking out of a window with sunlight illuminating their face and hair from the side.

Worry and rumination

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Stuck in a loop of worrying thoughts? Here’s how to stop it

Dwelling on your difficulties might feel like problem-solving, but it can be pernicious. There are tools to stop the habit

by Megan L Rogers

A stormy sea with large waves crashing against a pier; a lone seagull is flying against a grey, misty backdrop.

Difficult emotions

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How to calm your inner storm

When your emotions become too painful and overwhelming, regain control using skills from dialectical behaviour therapy

by Sheri Van Dijk

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

Love

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

Directed by Gabriella Aguirre

Ancient terracotta sculpture of a seated figure holding a cup, displayed against a dark background.

Psychoanalysis and the unconscious

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Dark feelings will haunt us until they are expressed in words

Continued mental growth requires dealing with alexithymia, or the inability to express emotions through words or images

by Tom Wooldridge

Black-and-white photo of a cobblestone street scene. A man with a shopping bag walks past another in religious attire.

Difficult emotions

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The ‘melancholic joy’ of living in our brutal, beautiful world

Beyond simple contentment or despair, there’s a ‘melancholic joy’ in looking, clear-eyed, at our brutal, beautiful world

by Brian Treanor

A silhouette of a man sitting under a curtain, overlooking boats and a hotel restaurant by the waterfront in an old town.

Difficult emotions

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How to deal with regret

In a world of choices, it’s impossible to avoid regret. Unpleasant as it is, you can make it bearable, even inspirational

by Jelena Kecmanovic

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

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

Directed by Chenghua Yang

A Renaissance portrait of a man with long hair and a beard, wearing a dark robe, holding a cloth, with a window showing a cityscape in the background.

Emotions

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What makes hate a unique emotion – and why that matters

How does hating someone compare with anger, contempt or disgust? A clearer picture of what makes it unique is emerging

by Cristhian A Martínez

Man relaxing on a striped lounge chair with hands behind his head, outside on a lawn, flanked by other coloured chairs and an opened beer bottle nearby.

Grief

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Why do so many of us blame ourselves after a loved one’s death?

After losing my father, I felt the guilt and regret that burden many other bereaved people – and found a way to carry them

by Delaney Rebernik

Woman in a grey Victorian dress crying into a red velvet sofa, her face concealed by her hands and the cushions.

Shame and guilt

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How to cope with shame

Do you feel perpetually bad, broken or unlovable? These tools will help you relate to yourself in a fairer, gentler way

by Michaela B Swee & Susan Murray