Taking Things for Granted: Lessons I Learned Too Late
A personal reflection on taking things for granted, regret, grief, empty nest syndrome, and the connection to mental health—highlighting how loss teaches us the value of people and moments.
Rude People and How to Deal With Them: Why Kindness, Equality and Respect Matter
Exploring rude behaviour, entitlement, superiority complexes, and the emotional impact on customer service staff. It highlights zero-tolerance policies, equality, kindness, gender respect, and the importance of treating all human beings with dignity and compassion.
Cardiff University Mental Health Research
Cardiff University’s Mental Health Research Institute leads world-class research into mental ill health and neurodegenerative disorders, translating innovation into better therapies across the lifespan.
Erasing Memory: The Possibilities and Challenges of Selective Forgetting
Managing distressing memories through existing therapies, mindfulness, and support networks remains the most accessible path. As research continues, the dream of selectively forgetting the bad while keeping the good may one day become a reality. Until then, moments of natural relief, like forgetting an OCD trigger and finding the anxiety has passed, remind us of the brain’s capacity to heal itself.
Understanding the Window of Tolerance in Mental Health
Intrusive thoughts and the window of tolerance are closely linked through the lens of stress and emotional regulation. When you are within your window of tolerance, intrusive thoughts are easier to manage and less likely to overwhelm you. Conversely, being outside this zone can amplify their intensity, making emotional regulation strategies essential.
7 Secrets to Balancing Mind, Body, and Nutrition
True wellness isn’t about perfecting one area of your health while neglecting others. It’s about recognizing that mental clarity, physical vitality, and nutritional choices are deeply intertwined, each one influencing the others in ways that can either elevate or undermine your overall well-being.
Struggling Mental Health After Trauma
Trauma can change a person’s world in an instant. Whether it stems from domestic violence, childhood abuse, loss, betrayal, or a sudden life-altering event, trauma leaves emotional imprints that can last a lifetime. It doesn’t simply fade away with time, instead, it lingers in the subconscious, replaying through intrusive memories, flashbacks, or emotional triggers that can feel impossible to escape.
Understanding OCD: Breaking Down Misconceptions
People with OCD don’t “choose” their thoughts or compulsions. Telling someone to “just get over it” is dismissive, harmful, and perpetuates ableist attitudes. If someone has lived with OCD for decades and tried all known interventions, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), medication, counseling, and even alternative therapies such as hypnosis, it is unjust to boil their suffering down to a fad.
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Universal Credit Reforms
Labour is facing the prospect of another mass rebellion from its own MPs as concerns mount over proposed reforms to the universal credit system. The focus of unease is on changes to the assessment process for disability benefits, particularly the health element of universal credit (UC).
Understanding Invisible Disabilities & Ableist Attitudes
Invisible disabilities deserve recognition, understanding, and respect. Ableist attitudes rooted in ignorance and dismissiveness create barriers that can be just as disabling as the condition itself. Instead of questioning someone’s reality or minimising their struggles, we should listen, believe, and support. The lived experiences of those with invisible disabilities, like the editor who has battled OCD for decades, remind us that what cannot be seen can still have profound impact. True inclusivity means dismantling ableism and embracing empathy.