The science of fandom
What communities devoted to hero-worship tell us about the psychology of belonging.
ByPsychology
Freud save America
Psychoanalysis is back in vogue with the American left. But is that rejuvenation symbolic of the latter’s failure?
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Joanna Moncrieff: “I’m not convinced antidepressants have any use”
The controversial psychiatrist on taking on the pharmaceutical firms, and how Covid made it “OK to cancel scientists”.
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The cult of Sigmund Freud
The inventor of psychoanalysis attracted failed scientists and sexual opportunists, and built his legacy upon myth and error.
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Jordan Peterson: Agent of chaos
The Canadian psychologist’s quest for order is thwarted by the tragicomedy of his own life.
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We’re talking about “burnout” wrong
Through overuse and misuse, the term has lost all meaning.
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Your therapist shouldn’t be on TikTok
On social media, therapists are turning consultation room conversations into memes. It’s a sinister trend.
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Are you mentally ill, or very unhappy? Psychiatrists can’t agree
As rates of diagnosis rise, a fierce debate rages in psychiatry. Are we experiencing a parallel pandemic, or having a…
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The great attention deficit: what’s fuelling the rise in adult ADHD?
No longer confined to “problem children”, ADHD diagnoses are booming – yet it’s a condition that remains widely misunderstood.
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Inside the minds of serial killers – with the woman who treats them
The forensic psychologist Dr Rebecca Myers on working with the most notorious figures in the criminal justice system.
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No, you don’t have ADHD
The condition I struggle with has become a badge of victimhood.
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Sabrina Cohen-Hatton: The firefighter using psychology to prevent disaster
The fire chief and behavioural psychologist on how her time sleeping rough has helped her save lives.
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The psychoactive plants that change our consciousness
It is fascinating to learn how three plant-derived drugs – caffeine, opium and mescaline – can shape society.
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How psychedelics change lives
The writer Michael Pollan on becoming a psychonaut in his fifties – and why tripping is political.
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Why is it so difficult to face grim realities?
Taking painful truths to heart often requires imagining the unimaginable.
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Depp vs Heard and the disputed concept of “mutual abuse”
For some the phrase might seem like a useful shorthand. For women’s charities it raises alarm bells.
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Is reality a hallucination? The neuroscientist Anil Seth thinks so
After decades of research into the mysteries of consciousness, the British academic has reached a radical conclusion – by way…
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The great Covid social burnout: why are we so exhausted?
It’s not just you – the pandemic has changed our brain psychology.
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Steven Pinker and the problem with rationality
The popular psychology professor makes the case for reason. But the lure of dogma is hard to resist.
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How mindfulness privatised a social problem
Governments often opt for treatments that focus on the individual rather than social maladies.
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