Worry and rumination

Disorders and difficulties Therapies and practical advice Perspectives and controversies

A woman on a laptop in a modern café with wall art, a large cactus and pendant lights above.

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What if your worry problem is really a planning problem?

Clinicians have long recognised the link between worry and planning. New research asks what this means for managing anxiety

by Paul B Sharp

Photo of a woman in a floral shirt, appearing deep in thought with her hands clasped near her face.

Cognitive and behavioural therapies

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Instead of wrestling with self-defeating thoughts, try this

When your own thoughts discourage and undermine you, it’s easy to get tangled. A change of strategy could get you past it

by Joe Oliver & Kristy Potter

Photograph of commuters in motion at a train station with a reflection of a bridge seen in the train window.

Worry and rumination

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How to thrive amid ‘imposter syndrome’

Worries that you’re incompetent and undeserving could be holding you back. Try these steps to move toward the life you want

by Jill Stoddard

Close-up of hands holding clear frogspawn with visible black eggs in a natural outdoor setting.

Creativity

film

A filmmaker’s never-realised ideas become an exploration of self-doubt

Directed by Cameron Nicoll

Photo of two people sitting at a table by a window, talking and drinking coffee, with a rainy view outside.

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

Photo of a wooden door with a metal chain lock, slightly scuffed surface and ornate latch on top against a dark background.

Worry and rumination

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Should you confront your worries or try to banish them?

Psychotherapists have long believed it’s a bad idea to suppress worrisome thoughts, but new research is prompting a rethink

by Shayla Love

Painting of a serene river scene with distant houses and trees reflecting in the water under a hazy blue sky.

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

A red hibiscus flower and green leaves are divided into four vertical panels against a blue background, overlaid by raindrop textures.

Anxiety

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Climate fears make Sindha feel doomed. Can eco-therapy help?

Directed by Sindha Agha

A woman seen from behind talks on a mobile phone while distractedly running her hand through her hair

Worry and rumination

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If thinking is rational, what makes overthinking irrational?

A philosophical perspective on overthinking offers fresh insights into the mental processes involved in anxiety and OCD

by Pablo Hubacher Haerle

Photo of a man in an office walking pensively, with wooden walls and brown chairs around.

Emotion regulation

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Why it might not help – and could hurt – to brace for the worst

When awaiting a potentially stressful update or event, do you assume it won’t go your way? There may be better options

by Ella Moeck

Illustration of a person walking from a fiery red landscape to a calm seaside through a white door.

Worry and rumination

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How to defuse catastrophic thoughts

Do you often fear the worst is going to happen? Use these therapeutic techniques to think more rationally and calmly

by Lucia Tecuta