Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist (original) (raw)

Today’s Essentials Today’s Essential Reads

Evolution dictates that we eat a lot whenever we can and store that fat.

What does it really mean to become an adult? New research explores whether thriving depends more on reaching milestones or on something else.

Motivated reasoning and publication bias can distort the evidence base in psychology. Do widely accepted findings always reflect what the data actually show?

Love is best understood not through reasons that justify it, but through the story of how shared experiences, memories, and mutual investment form a loving relationship.

The Latest

What kind of punishment is best for minor infractions? New research suggests that people like approaches in which the transgressor experiences some of the harm they created.

Examining control and abuse in Belle Burden's book, "Strangers."

The most successful people are not always the most fulfilled. Sometimes achievement is an attempt to heal a wound that success cannot reach.

An ER doctor and marriage and family therapist shares her experiences with the ebb and flow of executive function capacity.

The term "second victim syndrome" describes the emotional and psychological impact healthcare workers may experience after medical errors or complications.

It's important to consider the positive and negative aspects of posting about our children on social media.

Our new book probes animal minds, celebrates the richness of animal emotions, and highlights the power of compassion and hope.

Discover how gaslighting works and learn about a protective triad that can help you take charge of your life.

People are turning to AI chatbots for reassurance about medical concerns, but the type of empathy offered by AI is deceptive and can't reach the level of human or clinical empathy.

Forget productivity hacks. An "old lady hobby," ideally one that involves both hands, may be a path to thinking sharper, creating more, and leading better.

Long before we earn our first paycheck, we have already absorbed a set of beliefs about money. Most of us never notice them, but they keep shaping our choices in life.

What are Dark Tetrad characteristics, and why might some people use these traits and behaviors as a strategy in their relationships?

Effective models for young men to engage with themselves and others.

Commitment to reason shaped the era’s legacy and modern democracy.

Excessive social media use can lead to social isolation through reduced face-to-face interaction, social comparison, algorithm-driven engagement, and social displacement.

Developing an understanding of each child and not comparing them is the most effective way to raise twins to get along and learn to talk to one another.

When artificial intelligence runs out of human thought, it doesn't just get dumber; it loses the ability to recognize the difference.

Gamification is often hailed as a sure success to consumer engagement. But it does not necessarily lead to a change in sustainable consumer behaviours.

Everything is connected and affected in an AI-mediated environment. To be proactive players, we must understand and deliberately influence how our hybrid environment impacts us.

Personal Perspective: Addiction is a mental health condition. For an athlete, the field may provide structure, routine, accountability, and belonging that are needed to heal.

A significant number of people are allergic to dogs and if these allergies are severe enough doctors may tell them to get rid of the dog. A surprising number do not comply.

Many parents struggling with secondary infertility feel caught between gratitude for the child they have and misunderstood and minimized grief for the child they long for.

Personal Perspective: It's truly a gift when a neurodiverse child and their parent have broader family support, including from grandparents.

Technology makes some things easier, but it can also undermine our growth. If you want to stay sharp, retain your knowledge, and hone your creativity, challenge yourself.

Learning about the characteristics of an abusive person can help those with this tendency to become more self-aware, one of the first steps toward change.

Do you have concerns about your child's eating, and you can't make a difference? Are you the food police? Focus on structure, not pressure.

Can AI replace your therapist for addiction? The answer may surprise you — and the stakes could not be higher.

Don’t measure your self-discipline against a stereotype.

The way you engage with your thoughts matters more than the thoughts themselves. Decentering breaks the cycle of psychological distress.