Black and white photo of two blurred men passing a weathered statue of a reclining man in a courtyard setting.
LEARNING AND EDUCATION

Why are we curious about some things and indifferent to others?

Many of us crave trivial details while ignoring much of the world around us. Research helps explain this selective curiosity

by Tommy Blanchard

A pair of white trainers with a black tick Nike logo against a wooden floor, sunlight casting a shadow behind.
HABITS AND ROUTINES

Why some healthy habits still take so much effort

Contrary to classic habit science, certain behaviours never become easy. Recognising this can help you stick with them

by Blair Saunders & Kimberly R More

A person with a backpack resting on a log by a rocky riverbank with a group of people in the background.
RESILIENCE AND FLEXIBILITY

The art of hiking

The desert acted as a mirror that seemed to say: you are like me – harsh, inventive, and full of life

by Skye Anicca

Ideas

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DEATH AND DYING
16

The existential balm of seeing yourself as a verb, not a noun

by Eric Jannazzo

A tree-lined path in autumn with people walking and sitting on benches, covered by colourful foliage.
COMMUNITY

The existential struggle between being a ‘we’ and an ‘us’

by Tris Hedges

A woman wearing a black gown and veil, and gold and turquoise jewellery raises her harms with eyes closed; musicians wearing headdresses play drums in the background in a dimly lit setting.
ANXIETY

What rituals from the past teach us about panic and anxiety

by Mariem El-Kady

Guides

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A person’s left hand holds an old family photo near documents and letters on a table; their right hand holds a pen that is positioned to write on a yellow strip of paper.
MEMORY AND NOSTALGIA

How to be the archivist of your own family

By curating your family’s stories, rituals and relics, you’ll feel anchored – and create a bridge between the generations

by Samantha Ellis

A man in silhouette standing against a reflective surface in an empty room with cityscape visible through large windows.
INTEGRATIVE THERAPY
4

How to stop your life playing on repeat

Those frustrating patterns you keep experiencing might be because of your schemas – and there’s a therapy that can help

by Gemma Gladstone

Life stories

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OCD

The unravelling

I’d lived through two eras: pre and post OCD diagnosis. Nothing prepared me for what the third era held

by Lux Alptraum

Editor’s picks

Photo of shelves filled with vinyl record covers stacked vertically, showing a collection of diverse albums.
MUSIC
8

How to discover new music

In a musical rut? Whatever your age or existing tastes, you can find surprise and enjoyment beyond the streaming algorithms

by James Hadfield

Blurry photo through a shop window showing people on the street, a woman near the glass and pastry on display inside.
MENTAL HEALTH

The brain’s reading of the body’s state is key to mental health

The neural basis of ‘interoception’ – the interpretation of bodily signals – is affected in many mental health conditions

by Camilla Nord

Latest videos

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HOME

Memories of home adopt surreal shapes in a Sudanese expat’s art

Video by Art21

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LOVE

More than just a feeling, love can guide our moral compasses

Photo of doughnuts with white icing and colourful sprinkles on a pink background.
FOOD AND DRINK

‘Sonic branding’ and other ways food marketing keeps you hooked

Notes to self

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A dimly lit street with parked cars at night. A building has a large, vertical “HOTEL” sign illuminated.
DECISION-MAKING

For maximisers, bad choices really sting

by Richard Fisher

Popular

Black and white photo of a crow perched on a post against a snowy background.
DEATH AND DYING
16

The existential balm of seeing yourself as a verb, not a noun

In the therapy room, I’ve seen how rethinking what we are – and what it means to ‘be dead’ – can lighten our fears

by Eric Jannazzo

A woman wearing a black gown and veil, and gold and turquoise jewellery raises her harms with eyes closed; musicians wearing headdresses play drums in the background in a dimly lit setting.
ANXIETY

What rituals from the past teach us about panic and anxiety

In the sensory and communal modes of healing that people have used throughout history, there is guidance for today

by Mariem El-Kady

Photo of a hand holding a smartphone displaying a chat app interface asking “How can I help you this afternoon?”
THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE
6

How to use AI chatbots to make you smarter, not dumber

Use AI thoughtlessly and it dulls your mind. But with a strategic approach and the right prompts, it can be a powerful tool

by Nick Kabrel

A man in silhouette standing against a reflective surface in an empty room with cityscape visible through large windows.
INTEGRATIVE THERAPY
4

How to stop your life playing on repeat

Those frustrating patterns you keep experiencing might be because of your schemas – and there’s a therapy that can help

by Gemma Gladstone

Photo of a person’s toned torso in shadowy light hands on hips wearing a dark top and trousers showcasing abdominal muscles.
MIND-BODY INTERACTIONS

Stronger

When grief and distraction spun my mind out of control, only the strain of my muscles could keep it intact

by Nancy Uddin

Black and white photo of a man in glasses and a suit speaking, seated indoors with window blinds in the background.
THINKERS AND THEORIES

Can an entire society be mentally ill? A perspective from 1960

Video by The Search for America

A bustling food stall at dusk with bright signs advertising burgers, curly fries and sausages against a darkening sky.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

The Ozempic era should change how we think about self-control

Struggling to manage weight can seem like a failure of raw willpower. GLP-1 drugs highlight how misguided that view is

by Matthew C Haug

A tree-lined path in autumn with people walking and sitting on benches, covered by colourful foliage.
COMMUNITY

The existential struggle between being a ‘we’ and an ‘us’

Sartre’s phenomenology reveals how a shift from subject to object (and back) is not merely a matter of grammar

by Tris Hedges

Explore: Drugs and psychedelics

A red bin overflowing with paper coffee cups next to a wall with powerpoints in an office setting.
FOOD AND DRINK

Why we should treat caffeine like the brain-altering drug it is

by Jonathan Simone

Desert with a blurred yellow road sign and distant hills under a blue sky.
Psyche Exclusive
ALTERED STATES
1

Ride along on a road trip suffused with LSD, petty theft and true love

Directed by Aric Allen

A man wearing an eye mask lies on a bed while another person observes; a monitor and lamp are on the nearby table.
EMERGING THERAPIES
2

What does ketamine-assisted therapy look like? Inside one firefighter’s journey

Directed by Brandon Kapelow

Stained glass artwork depicting two figures in medieval attire, one seated and sleeping, the other standing, on a blue background.
ALTERED STATES

William James was right about our strange inner experiences

by David Yaden

A painting of six men playing cards in a rustic room with a fireplace and ladder. One man wears a red hat.
DRUGS AND PSYCHEDELICS

What can Kant tell us about the perils and promise of booze?

by Matthew Perkins-McVey

Photo of hands clasped on a wooden table with a blister pack of orange pills in front.
DEPRESSION
5

Why the ketamine revolution is stalling – and how to save it

by Bita Moghaddam