Black and white photo of a child silhouetted against a brightly lit fountain at night.
PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE UNCONSCIOUS
2

How to reconnect with your inner child

The experiences you had as a child influence your emotional life as an adult. Recognising these dynamics can be healing

by Nickan Arzpeyma

Airport terminal with people on moving walkway pulling luggage and others sitting on benches.
LOVE

On loving a clone, or why love can’t be rationally justified

You couldn’t love a clone of someone the same way you loved the original. But why? And what does this reveal about love?

by Idowu Odeyemi

Brownies with cannabis buds on top, showcasing a close-up of the texture and details on a plate.
ALTERED STATES
5

The chocolate edible

When a weed-infused treat put me in a psychological tailspin, it reshaped what I knew about fear

by Ken Cunningham

Ideas

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Animated characters posing happily in a red-tiled room, with some applying makeup.
SPORTS AND GAMES

What is Roblox teaching children about capitalism?

by Gabija Tonkunas

People holding protest signs in French against a stone wall, highlighting feminist and anti-violence messages.
ETHICS

There are times when we shouldn’t be ashamed of public shaming

by James Edgar Lim

Guides

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An older couple sitting on a bench in a park with a historical building and fountain in the background.
TRAUMA AND PTSD
12

How to date again after an abusive relationship

You might feel unlovable or find dating daunting, but you deserve connection – and you can find it safely at your own pace

by Charlotte Jarvis

A cluttered room with books, papers, toys and shelves filled with various items, including a table football game.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION
6

How to reclaim your attention

Psychological minimalism is a way to clarify your life by cutting the mental noise from your environment and routines

by Yousri Marzouki

Life stories

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Illustration of a man in glasses with a yellow starburst background mosque sketch and abstract patterns
HUMAN RIGHTS AND JUSTICE

‘Each of us has a song’

Burhan Sönmez, now the president of PEN International, was a rising human rights lawyer in Turkey. A brutal assault nearly killed him – and propelled him to a life in literature

by Kaya Genç

Editor’s picks

Photo of a glass half full of water on a wooden table with a beige background.
MEANING AND THE GOOD LIFE
6

How to appreciate what you have

To better face an imperfect world, try a deeper reflection on the things, people and legacies that make your life possible

by Avram Alpert

Photo of three men smiling and holding a large inflatable globe in a room with various boxes and jars.
CREATIVITY
18

A life of splendid uselessness is a life well lived

Like the fertile soil of a well-kept garden, a life of splendid, utter uselessness yields abundance beyond our immediate aims

by Joseph M Keegin

Latest videos

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Photo of six illuminated geometric lanterns with various patterns on a dark background.
GRIEF

How queer last rites became unique celebrations of life

A person sitting beside a graphic brain illustration with wave patterns on a green background.
MENTAL HEALTH

Don’t avoid stressors. Learn to navigate the stress spectrum

Black and white photo of two people in a subway station, one walking left, another dancing, station name Dundas West.
Psyche Exclusive
DANCE

Dancing in public is deeply vulnerable. Emma does it anyway

Notes to self

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Daguerreotype of a seated man wearing an apron and a partially open shirt framed in a gold mat.
ETHICS

How will the future judge us?

by Matt Huston

Popular

Close-up photo of a person’s face with closed eyes and freckles on their skin.
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION
6

How to know if your meditation is working

Traditional and tech-based methods can reveal what your practice is doing – and give you the confidence to stick with it

by Matt Fuchs

A cluttered room with books, papers, toys and shelves filled with various items, including a table football game.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION
6

How to reclaim your attention

Psychological minimalism is a way to clarify your life by cutting the mental noise from your environment and routines

by Yousri Marzouki

A white table with a smartphone and a white mug of coffee with a floral design, in a softly lit room.
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA

Why we’re falling out of love with our AI confidants

Chatbots make us feel uniquely seen and heard, but then the ‘empathy gap’ kicks in and the relationship turns sour

by Joe Mullich

Black and white drawing of three men in hats sitting on a bench, each with distinct expressions and postures.
THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE
1

IQ scores are falling but, no, we’re not growing more stupid

Screens and social media get the blame, but the real problem lies in how we measure intelligence in the first place

by Stuart Jeffries

A student sleeping on a desk covered with piles of books and papers, surrounded by cluttered desks in a classroom.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY

What helps you feel better might depend on where you grew up

Research on the common strategies used to deal with emotions suggests their usefulness differs from culture to culture

by Mark Chen

An older couple sitting on a bench in a park with a historical building and fountain in the background.
TRAUMA AND PTSD
12

How to date again after an abusive relationship

You might feel unlovable or find dating daunting, but you deserve connection – and you can find it safely at your own pace

by Charlotte Jarvis

A person opening yellow curtains with sunlight streaming in through a window, creating a warm, glowing effect.
PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATION

Science, serendipity and a new era for schizophrenia treatment

Drug treatments for schizophrenia have barely changed in 70 years, but a mix of chance and ingenuity offers fresh hope

by Jeremy Hall

Intricate mosque dome with blue tiles and floral motifs photo. Arabic calligraphy surrounds the base with arched windows.
VALUES AND BELIEFS
2

Mosque and state

In post-Soviet Azerbaijan, religion was a hot new commodity. I bought into it, too

by Ilkin Huseynli

Explore: Joy

A person drinking next to a large poster depicting steaming coffee cups on a green background.
JOY

A way to enjoy more positive mental images

by Christian Jarrett

Black-and-white vintage photo of Helen Keller in profile with eyes closed wearing a high-necked dress, hair in a bun.
MUSIC

Helen Keller’s blissful encounter with Beethoven’s Ninth

Video by Letters Live

Photo of a person falling near running bulls on a cobblestone street during a bull run event, with legs and hooves in motion.
HISTORY OF EMOTIONS
9

Schadenfreude: why do we find joy in the pain felt by others?

by David P Barash

Photo of a man holding a hand-drawn sketch of himself on a city street, wearing a blazer with a colourful patch.
Psyche Exclusive
PLEASURES AND PASTIMES

Bad art, good laughs – a street portraitist’s lacklustre work animates a city

Directed by Rosie Baldwin

Woman in a white dress standing in front of a geometric quilt in a garden setting with trees in the background.
TRADITIONAL ARTS

Beauty is woven into everyday life for the quilters of the American West

A film by Carly Jakins and Jared Jakins

Photo of smiling people in festive nature-inspired costumes with leaves and flowers, outdoors against a stone building.
JOY
3

How to start having more fun

by Mike Rucker

A man sitting on a chair in a lush garden with blooming flowers, a cobbled path, and a red garden shed in the background.
PLEASURES AND PASTIMES

A club for ‘dull men’ may just inspire you to see the unremarkable anew

Directed by Andy Oxley