Psychiatry
Stigma and taboo
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Let’s avoid talk of ‘chemical imbalance’: it’s people in distress
The ‘chemical imbalance’ trope is appealing but dehumanising, and has heightened stigma towards people with mental illness
by Joseph E Davis
The self
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The philosophy of selfhood became real when my mother got dementia
My mother’s dementia shook her sense of self, and mine. We can understand ourselves only through embodied connection to others
by Noga Arikha
Anxiety
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After many false starts, this might be the true age of anxiety
If anxiety is more common than ever, it’s also more treatable. But excessive nervousness wasn’t always taken so seriously
by Jason Schnittker
Psychiatry
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What a psychiatric diagnosis means – and what it doesn’t mean
With stigma and misunderstanding surrounding mental health, it’s vital to know the benefits and limits of a formal diagnosis
by Awais Aftab
Addiction
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Mental illness and substance use: genes show a two-way street
Why are smoking, alcohol and cannabis use linked to mental illness? The answer is complex but valuable for mental health
by Jorien Treur
Personality disorders
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To understand borderline personality, imagine having no history
For people with an unfairly stigmatised mental health condition, and the rest of us, it’s vital to connect past with present
by Alexander Kriss