4 Ways To Strengthen Your ‘Psychological Immune System’

Posted on 28/01/2026 by Boris Clair

You probably have some idea about how to help your immune system. Eating well, exercising, and getting enough of certain vitamins can help.

But what about your “psychological immune system”?

The term, which was first coined in the ’90s, suggests our minds could have protective mechanisms, including cognitive “antibodies,” similar to those which protect us from phsyical disease.

Here, we asked Dr William Van Gordon, Associate Professor in Contemplative Psychology at the University of Derby, what the term means, as well as how to strengthen ours.

What is the “psychological immune system”?

“The psychological immune system is a concept developed by psychologists Daniel Gilbert and Timothy Wilson in the late 1990s.

“It describes the brain’s automatic, largely unconscious defences that protect emotional well-being in the face of negative events, much like how the physical immune system fights pathogens,” Dr Van Gordon told us.

Some feel that having a stronger “psychological immune system” can help us to weather negative events, even those you anticipate would be devastating.

“These processes help us to reframe setbacks positively, restore self-worth, diminish the intensity and duration of distress, and recover more quickly than we typically predict,” the professor added.

“We often overestimate how devastated we will feel after failures, rejections, or losses because we underestimate this built-in resilience system.”

How can I boost my “psychological immune system”?

Dr Van Gordon shared “four strategies that can strengthen your psychological immune system and improve emotional recovery and calmness”.

These are:

1) Shift from negative to neutral

“Counter the brain’s natural negativity bias by deliberately moving toward a balanced, neutral perspective rather than trying to force positivity,” the professor said.

Our mind’s negativity bias means we pay more attention to negative thoughts and experiences than we do positive ones, potentially skewing our views.

“Use simple grounding tools such as brief mantras (‘This too shall pass’), short gratitude reflections, recalling times you’ve overcome similar challenges, or slow diaphragmatic breathing to calm the nervous system.”

2) Anchor in the present

“Focus attention on what is controllable right now to interrupt rumination about the past or anxiety about the future,” said the expert.

“Build small daily habits of mindfulness (for example, one to two minutes of breath awareness), protect sleep quality to restore cognitive clarity, and create routines that break negative thought loops and restore motivation, such as morning journaling or quick walks.”

3) Reconnect with meaning and purpose

“When adversity strikes, reframe the situation through your core values or long-term goals; for example, by viewing a difficult experience as an opportunity to grow skills or character,” he continued.

Having a longer-term sense of purpose has been linked to greater longevity, mental health benefits aside.

“Practise self-compassion, seek trusted perspectives from others, or visualise how the challenge fits into a bigger, meaningful picture.”

4) Practise healthy acceptance

“Allow difficult emotions to arise without suppression or denial, especially after significant loss or trauma,” Dr Van Gordon ended.

“Recognise that feelings such as sadness or anger carry important signals; treat yourself kindly during the process and, if distress persists, consider professional support rather than forcing ‘positive thinking’ alone.”

January Is A Month Of ‘Quiet Coping’, Survey Finds

Posted on 23/01/2026 by Boris Clair

Ah, January. Not only does it seem to go on forever, but it’s also uniquely exhausting – it’s filled with post-holiday blues, grim weather, and, for some, symptoms of SAD.

And, new research from ODEON suggests, the “emotional weight” of the month doesn’t reach a single peak, as the debunked Blue Monday would suggest. Instead, the low mood many feel in the first few weeks of the year is felt pretty uniformly across January.

Conducted with mental health charity Mind, the results of the survey suggested that people want to be around one another this month without the pressure of too much chat; a move they call “quiet coping”.

How does January affect our mood?

In this research, respondents said that for them, January was linked to tiredness and exhaustion (32%), lack of motivation (31%) and feeling flat or emotionally low (30%).

Only 9% associate January primarily with sadness.

48% of UK adults say January makes them feel pressured to improve themselves or “start over,” even if they don’t really feel emotionally ready.

36%, meanwhile, said they want to socialise less often, but don’t fancy total isolation.

Instead, they said they crave low-pressure social plans (15%), simply recharging by themselves (38%), talking to a close friend or confidant (21%), and focusing on their routine (36%) to “quietly cope”.

Suzie Welch, Managing Director of ODEON UKI, said: “For many people, coping quietly, through familiarity, shared spaces and experiences that don’t demand conversation or explanation, is what helps them get through the start of the year.

“Our partnership with Mind continues to be about recognising those quieter moments and making space for people to feel welcome exactly as they are.”

Socialising is good for us – but more isn’t always better

Healthy relationships are linked to better longevity, a decreased dementia risk, and even more diverse gut bacteria.

But a little socialising seems to go a long way. Some research suggests that people who went from “seldom” seeing their loved ones to seeing them once a month saw some health improvements, while those who saw them every day had the same health challenges as those who never saw them at all.

All of which is to say there’s no need to force yourself into January burnout – “quiet coping” can be all about forging time for yourself and not placing too much pressure on social engagements if you need it to be.

Help and support:

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.

This Frustratingly Common Issue Could Be A Sign Of ADHD

Posted on 11/01/2026 by Boris Clair

Ever choose to skip the dishes one night because you were too stressed after an event-filled work day? Have you ever put off that grocery run you promised you’d get done because you couldn’t bring yourself to get dressed and out the door?

These are universal situations that every person is familiar with. However, for people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD, the seemingly relatable situation of putting off a task can trigger an emotionally distressing cycle that can cause one’s mind and body to shut down.

Though not a clinical term, this experience has been coined “task paralysis”.

What task paralysis looks like for people with ADHD

Task paralysis is believed to be related to sensory overload, and generally looks like “over-analysing, the inability to get started on a project, trouble making decisions and feeling unable to sort out details,” according to Dr Cynthia Seng, a psychiatrist at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Adult Behavioral Health.

As the name implies, task paralysis can cause a neurodivergent person to feel emotional overwhelm that stops them in their tracks. Lila Low-Beinart, a licensed professional counsellor and founder of Divergent Paths Counseling, described this “freeze” mode as a “deer in the headlights” feeling, followed by a “submit” mode that’s like when a “hedgehog curls in a ball.”

Additionally, Marcy Caldwell, owner and director of The Center for ADHD, told HuffPost that task paralysis is a “gap between action and intention.” She typically observes it manifesting in three major ways: procrastination, perfectionism or a combination of both.

ADHDers who lean toward procrastination may mentally check out with activities like doomscrolling. Additionally, experts agree that some people with ADHD engage in “procrastivity,” a term used to describe a specific form of procrastination that arises when someone works on productive tasks to avoid the one that should be prioritised.

For ADHDers who turn towards perfectionism as a form of task paralysis, Caldwell noted that they may adopt an “all or nothing” mindset.

“It can come on as a way of understanding task paralysis. Someone might say, ‘I’m feeling stuck, so I really shouldn’t be doing this because it has to be perfect anyways,’” she said, adding that this may look like endlessly researching a topic or watching YouTube tutorials to find the “right” way of accomplishing a task.

Task paralysis can look like “over-analyzing, the inability to get started on a project, trouble making decisions and feeling unable to sort out details,” according to psychiatrist Dr. Cynthia Seng.

How task paralysis can impact someone with ADHD

Whether task paralysis manifests as procrastination or perfectionism, it can begin to quickly snowball and transform into what feels like an avalanche. When someone avoids their to-do list, it grows even more daunting.

“Over time, task paralysis can interfere with work performance, academic success, and relationships, even when someone is capable and motivated. Repeated struggles can lead to chronic stress, burnout, anxiety, and lowered self-esteem, especially in environments that misunderstand ADHD,” said Stephanie Olano, owner and CEO of TODOS Therapy. “Many people internalise these challenges as personal failure rather than a support issue.”

Alexa K., a 31-year-old from Colorado with ADHD, told HuffPost that when she has “tedious or unpleasant” tasks to complete – like signing up for benefits or making appointments – she is physically unable to do them.

“It has impacted my life because there are things that are important that I end up missing out on, or I procrastinate and miss a deadline,” Alexa said. “I feel like there are so many missed opportunities.”

Working through task paralysis

Gaining a deeper awareness of how ADHD-related task paralysis affects your life can support you in developing skills that work for you.

Caldwell explained that often her first “go-to” method is brain dumping, which encourages a person to get all their tasks and thoughts on paper so those tasks feel less overwhelming.

From there, Caldwell said that it’s crucial to “break down [tasks] into micro actions” that feel manageable and achievable. For example, instead of thinking about tackling all your household chores at once, set aside 10 minutes to do laundry and walk away once finished.

“Sometimes it helps if I designate a time block to a specific task and I don’t allow myself to do anything else or have any other distractions,” Alexa said.

Seng added that after completing a task or time block, some people may find “scheduling a ‘reward’ like a beverage or a text to a friend” is a successful tactic.

Further, taking ADHD medication, speaking to a neurodiversity-affirming therapist, or trying an evidence-based method such as body doubling can offer additional support. Body doubling is a technique in which someone with ADHD formally or informally works alongside someone else to increase motivation and foster a sense of accountability.

Factors such as working a full-time job or being a caretaker may make it more difficult to implement these skills. In this case, utilising resources like accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act can be indispensable.

“Accommodations are not ‘special treatment,’” Olano explained. “They are tools that allow people to access their abilities on a more level playing field.”

Ending the cycle of shame surrounding task paralysis

If you have someone in your life with ADHD, it’s significant to understand that task paralysis is real and can be debilitating. It’s not an “excuse” for missing a deadline or a manipulative tactic to skirt doing the laundry.

“As a neurodivergent clinician who experiences task paralysis myself, I wish the neurotypical people around me understood that task paralysis is not something I can ‘push through,’” Low-Beinart said. “When neurotypical people judge or shame us, that only increases the stress and thus the cycle of task paralysis.”

Rather than trying to fix or find a solution to someone’s task paralysis, instead offer support, validation and respect as they navigate this experience. Developing skills to cope with task paralysis can be an ever-evolving process, and being met with patience, and being patient with yourself if you’re the one experiencing task paralysis, is crucial.

As Olano concluded, “When we replace shame with support and focus on changing systems rather than blaming individuals, people are far more likely to succeed.”

What It Says About You If You Hate The New Year

Posted on 01/01/2026 by Boris Clair

I’ve always found “Auld Lang Syne” exceedingly depressing. It’s not meant to be cheery, it’s meant to be contemplative. A musical cue to encourage New Year’s Eve revellers to reflect on the year that’s coming to close before celebrating what’s to come ahead.

But I listen to it and just get sad, not reflective. (Same obviously goes for “Same Old Lang Syne,” Dan Fogelberg’s ballad about meeting his old lover in the grocery store in the frozen food section around the holidays, but that one’s meant to be a moper.)

As an adult, I realised that I found the whole new year – New Year’s Eve, that first week or so of January – a bummer. Maybe it’s feeling like I didn’t get enough done in the last year, or the outsized pressure to set new goals. (And it’s definitely sometimes that gnarly post-New Year’s Eve party hangover.)

Turns out, I’m not alone in not loving New Year’s.

“Lots of my clients express a feeling of low mood, motivation and sadness approaching the new year,” said Akua K. Boateng, a psychotherapist in Philadelphia. “I’d say about a quarter of my caseload feels it, so it’s prevalent.”

We frame the new year as a “fresh start,” but that can feel overwhelming, said Priya Tahim, a psychotherapist in Washington, D.C.

“People are encouraged to evaluate their lives, compare progress, and set big goals, often without acknowledging how exhausting the year may have been,” she explained. “That combination can naturally trigger sadness or self-doubt.”

What else is at play if you’ve got a case of New Year’s angst like me? Below, therapists like Tahim and Boateng unpack a few factors.

It can be a period of unkind self-evaluation

As another year comes to a close, we naturally turn inward and begin to take stock of our lives ― and we’re not always kind in our self-assessments.

“We live in a culture of vision boards, grind and constant comparison. It’s easy to feel like you are surrounded by reminders of what has not happened yet ― goals still out of reach, plans that changed and expectations that went unmet,” Boateng said.

“For high achievers, this time of year can become a tender trigger, inviting waves of self-doubt and harsh self-evaluation,” she added.

Perfectionism often shows up as anxious dread about the future and the pressure to have a clear direction, Boateng explained, especially when life feels uncertain or off-course.

“In those moments, it is common to quietly think, ‘I thought I’d be further along by now,’ and to wonder what to do next,” she said.

“For high achievers, this time of year can become a tender trigger, inviting waves of self-doubt and harsh self-evaluation,” said Akua K. Boateng, a psychotherapist in Philadelphia.

The new year can intensify awareness of time passing

For people with ageing parents, grandparents or other loved ones, the start of a new year can prompt reflection on how little time they may have left with them, said Rebecca Leslie, a psychologist and owner of Best Within You Therapy & Wellness practice in Atlanta, Georgia.

“This awareness can also bring up sadness, grief or even guilt about how the past year was spent,” she said. “It can also result in people thinking about whether enough time or presence was given to important relationships.”

If you love the holiday season, you’re probably sad that it’s coming to a close

Every year, my mom gets upset when the Christmas tree has to come down, and the local oldies station stops playing the Christmas music they’ve had programmed since Nov. 1.

That’s a common feeling, Leslie said.

“People may have taken time off work. The streets are filled with lights, and stores play cheerful songs,” she said. “With New Year’s comes the end of this season. It is back to reality. It is back to the typical routine. This shift can be similar to how some people start to feel sad on the last day of vacation. Even though they are still on vacation, they know the end is near.”

"With New Year’s comes the end of this season. It is back to reality," said Rebecca Leslie, a psychologist and owner of Best Within You Therapy & Wellness practice in Atlanta, Georgia. — “With New Year’s comes the end of this season. It is back to reality,” said Rebecca Leslie, a psychologist and owner of Best Within You Therapy & Wellness practice in Atlanta, Georgia.

Alternatively, you may be burnt out from the holidays

Emotional and physical burnout from the holidays is common come early January, too.

“Expecting big energy, optimism or transformation while still burned out can feel overwhelming rather than inspiring,” Tahim said.

If you’re already feeling alone, you may feel doubly that way around the holidays

We tend to associate New Year’s Eve with parties, closeness and celebration. But when there are no clear pathways to any of that – no invitations, no traditions, no “people” to be with – the night can quietly amplify feelings of disconnection or simply not being in the mood to celebrate at all, Boateng said.

“For many, social isolation is not just an occasional experience but an ongoing reality,” she said. “The ache of feeling alone, hungry for connection or longing for romance can feel especially hard when social media timelines are full of highlight reels that appear to show the abundance of joy, friendship and intimacy.”

January is also just a gloomy season

January is in the dead of winter – it’s cold, dark and gloomy – and that can easily affect your mood.

“Seasonal influences, like seasonal affective disorder, weaken our ability to bounce back from NYE emotional triggers and inner negative dialogue because we may not be going out as much,” Boateng said. “The winter blues are real and create a perfect environmental scenario for New Year’s blues.”

“For many, social isolation is not just an occasional experience but an ongoing reality,” Boateng said. “The ache of feeling alone, hungry for connection or longing for romance can feel especially hard when social media timelines are full of highlight reels that appear to show the abundance of joy, friendship and intimacy.”

How to deal if you get depressed every new year

Remember: January isn’t a diagnostic tool or a moral scorecard. We may trump it, but at the end of the day (or year, as it were), it’s just a month. If New Year’s feels activating, try to get back in your body, Tahim said. Pause the self-judgment and focus on regulation first: sleep, routines and emotional containment.

“Sustainable change comes from realistic, values-based goals, not shame-driven overhauls,” she said. “You don’t need a reinvention; you need nervous-system support and consistency.”

As she put it, we need to regulate before we reinvent.

“Limit comparison, practice self-compassion, and remember: Sustainable change happens with consistency and nervous-system safety, not January pressure,” she said.

It’s worth recognizing that these are hard, challenging times outside of whatever’s going on personally for you.

“During these moments, remind yourself that you are doing your best in an unpredictable and changing world,” Boateng said. “You may not be where you wanted, yet, as you would a dear friend, be gentle, be kind and speak with love.”

How To Tackle The Holiday Blues And Enter A New Year Calmly

Posted on 31/12/2025 by Boris Clair

Personally, I find the holidays hard. I love Christmas as a concept but with three of my closest family members dying during this season, it just feels a little too tender for me.

One of my favourite Christmas songs is called “It’s Christmas So We’ll Stop” in which the singer describes Christmas as a chance to breathe during difficult times, a moment to forget the heavy weight of our lives. Then he goes on to say “next day life went back to its’ bad self”.

This is how it feels to me, and many of us. Life hits harder after moments of reprieve and celebration.

According to a medically reviewed article by Health Central, 64% of us struggle with post-holidays depression.

How to cope after Christmas

Writing for The Conversation, Jolanta Burke, Associate Professor, Centre for Positive Health Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has given her advice for muddling through.

First, she explains, this slump makes perfect sense: “During the festive period, dopamine levels tend to rise. Anticipation of celebration, time spent with others, indulgent food and festive rituals all stimulate this feel-good system.

“Compared with everyday life, the brain experiences a powerful boost. Even thinking about Christmas before it arrives can activate these pathways, creating a surge of sensory excitement.”

I can relate to this. The build-up to Christmas is almost always more fun than the day itself.

Burke adds: “Once Christmas is over, dopamine levels naturally fall back to their usual baseline. This sharp contrast between heightened stimulation and everyday routine can leave people feeling flat, unmotivated or low. This is the familiar post-Christmas slump.”

As for helping yourself…

Re-establish your routine ASAP

Burke says: “Re-establishing your usual routine as soon as possible can also help. Returning to regular bedtimes and wake times supports your circadian rhythm and helps your body regain a sense of normality.

“Exposure to daylight soon after waking is especially useful, as natural light signals to the brain that the day has begun. A short walk around midday, when light levels peak, can further support energy and mood.”

Make plans for the month ahead

Burke urges: “Scheduling small activities, social connections, or goals gives you something to look forward to and softens the emotional contrast between the festive season and everyday life. Practising presence and finding small moments of enjoyment each day can also help restore balance.”

We’re going to be okay.

Help and support:

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.

This 2026 Bookish Travel Trend Could Improve Your Mental Health

Posted on 15/11/2025 by Boris Clair

In all the chaos of the world, isn’t it lovely that reading is becoming cool again? As we reported earlier this year, Google searches for “book club” are at their highest in years, and Eventbrite say the number of book club events on the platform has increased by 350% since 2020.

Now, in their Unpack′26 report, the leading travel experts at Expedia reveal that ‘Readaways’ are surging in popularity ahead of 2026 travel.

Working in collaboration with holiday rental site Vrbo, they found that 91% of travellers admit that for 2026 trips, they’re interested in taking a trip centred around reading, relaxation and quality time with loved ones.

So, what is a ‘Readaway’ really?

So, it’s more than just taking some books abroad which is of course incredibly common. ‘Beach Reads’ are called that for a reason, right?

“It’s not new to take a stack of books on vacation, and that’s not what Readaways are,” says Melanie Fish, VP of Communications at Expedia Group.

“These are restful retreats shared with fellow book-lovers, where the real adventures unfold on the page – from a quiet corner in a cozy library, a porch swing, or a pool lounger.”

Reading on a porch swing while sipping a coffee and enjoying the outdoors in comfort? Isn’t that literally the dream?

It isn’t always quite countryside trips, either

Ben McLeod, General Manager at hotel The Social Hub in Glasgow says: “I always ask people why they’re visiting, and more and more I hear that they just want to get away from it all and get lost in a book or two. People are really looking for ways to switch off and step away from their phones.

“Traditionally, you might think people would head to the countryside to read, but while our lobby is busy and there’s always loads of different things happening, I’m always struck by how many guests I see immersed in a book. There’s something special about slowing down in the middle of a busy city.”

Reading is also great for your mental health

If, like me, you are one of the 25% of people in the UK that live with mental health issues, a trip like this may be exactly what you need for a little relief. Studies have indicated that reading can enhance social, mental, emotional and psychological wellbeing.

It also increases resilience and wellbeing for older people, so much so that the Mental Health Foundation recommends reading books and playing musical instruments as a way to preserve mental health in old age.

I will be BOOKing (get it) my own trip very soon.

If You Feel Overwhelmed By The News, You May Be Experiencing This

Posted on 13/11/2025 by Boris Clair

It’s no understatement to say the past decade and particularly past five years have been rough. A global pandemic in which 7 million people died worldwide, the cost of living crisis, a terrifying rise in far-right politics and a devastating genocide against Palestinian people just to name a few.

Is it any wonder that according to leading mental health charity Mind, around 1 in 3 adults say that their mental health has declined compared to pre-pandemic levels?

Now, researchers from the Boston University have warned that this culmination of devastating news could soon result in a type of trauma that was previously unnamed.

The researchers warn that many of us will be experiencing “vicarious trauma”: distress from secondhand exposure to traumatic events through news, our screens, or from comforting those traumatised by these events.

Vicarious trauma is inevitable, according to the experts

One of the researchers, Laura Captari, a researcher and psychologist said in an interview with Futurity: “It’s not possible to bear witness to suffering, to tragedy, without it kicking up big existential questions, whether we hear about it in the news or we’re watching it on our screens.

″‘Am I safe? Who can I trust?’ What’s particularly challenging in today’s world is that we’re an increasingly polarised and fragmented society, and people engage with social media in all different ways.

“For some people, it can really strengthen their connections, but for other people, it can be pretty isolating.”

Professor Steven Sandage, a researcher and psychology professor adds: “A trauma response is a survival mechanism to turn on hypervigilance and alertness. For any of us that feel under threat and with serious trauma effects, it’s gotten stuck in place as a hypervigilant alarm response.

“We can expect that it’s going to be harder to reset that in environments where there’s lots of polarisation.”

It may affect people differently

Speaking on our exposure to violent imagery on social media, Captari says: “It’s not just about what any of us are exposed to, it’s also about our relationship to what we take in, our ability to make sense of it.

“Does it consume our minds in an obsessive way? People’s social proximity is going to impact their experience of seeing violence through social media.”

He adds that for those directly or indirectly involved, it will be more damaging to their nervous system to see these stories than those who are just spectators. He explains: “If they are part of that community [victimised by the violence] or hold an identity overlapping with the people impacted, that’s going to activate their nervous system.

“So if I identify as queer, and there’s a mass shooting at a queer club, that’s going to hit me differently than the student next to me in class who doesn’t have a queer identity.”

The experts advise using social media more mindfully

While many of us think of social media as escapism or even admit to just doomscrolling, the psychologists recommend a more mindful approach to our scrolling habits.

Captari recommends that when you’re opening social media apps, you ask yourself these questions: “What am I hoping for when I pull up social media? What needs am I trying to meet?

“Is it to connect, to zone out, to amuse myself, to stay up-to-date with what’s happening in the world? How are my mind and body reacting to what I’m seeing?”

He also advises against living online as many of us do, saying, “We also need connection with people in real space and time, connection with nature, movement, for caring for our nervous system.

“We as humans can have morbid curiosity and get stuck in a state of “freeze” when something terrible happens, just watching it on repeat, trying to wrap our heads around it.”

Sandage adds: “Young adults have some of the highest rates of mental health vulnerability, and some of the lowest rates of utilisation of mental health services. This happens in the midst of an awful lot of stress on young people.

“Sometimes young people, I think, feel, ‘I need to face what’s going on in the world,’ which is a courageous commitment to not avoid what’s happening. But if it’s happening in a context of isolation, with few relationships or resources in which to metabolise all that, it’s not a good recipe.”

Take care of yourself.

Help and support:

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.

Can’t Imagine Yourself Old And Happy? You May Have A ‘Sense Of Foreshortened Future’

Posted on 08/11/2025 by Boris Clair

I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but I’ve always blanked when someone asked me about my five-year plan or inquired whether I wanted to get married or have kids.

My future feels like it has nothing to do with me, and I struggle to envision it – in general, though, the idea of hitting milestones never felt like it “fit” me.

I also felt vaguely as though I was going to die at 20, then 30 (I wonder if the goalposts will move again). It’s a phenomenon friends have described, too.

So, I felt enormous relief in discovering the term “a sense of foreshortened future”, which may be more common than you realise.

What is a “sense of foreshortened future”?

BACP member Alec Williams, a trauma-focused therapist based in London, said: “A ‘sense of foreshortened future’ isn’t simply just thinking that one’s life will be short”, though that can be a part of it.

“It often goes much deeper and can undermine a person’s entire worldview.

“Often,” he explained, “it happens due to an individual experiencing an extreme traumatic event… that shakes the very foundation of how they experience the world.”

Those with a “foreshortened sense of future” might lose all sense of trust in their environment, no longer believing that it can be a safe place where they are valued and cared for.

“Previous commitments, projects, interests or things they were looking forward to can begin to feel meaningless and become difficult to make sense of. The future of one’s life can often feel collapsed and insignificant,” the therapist added.

“In everyday life, this might mean not making long‐term plans, feeling separate or disconnected from the world or people, or believing that investing in the future is pointless.

“Over time, this can affect all aspects of someone’s life and heap a heavy strain on interpersonal relationships. How do you plan a future with someone who no longer trusts or believes in it?”

Why does “a sense of foreshortened future” happen?

Per Williams, trauma can leave you mentally stuck in your time (or times) of distress.

It “can disrupt continuity in time so that a person feels cut off from a
’before’ and an ‘after’”, he said.

“A catastrophic traumatic event, such as torture, can lead to a change in the
structure of time-based experience… they might not just have difficulty in
imagining the future, but experiencing time in a way where the future fails to
present itself as fully meaningful or available.”

This can sometimes make you feel “othered”.

Because people with a sense of foreshortened future may have a different understanding of both the past and the present (as well as what’s coming next), Williams says that “The future may still exist intellectually, but it lacks the availability and meaning that often allows for planning and hope.

“The world as they knew it has gone, and things that once held meaning are no longer relevant. The future is now either too unknown or too unsafe to engage with.”

It is not as simple as a fear of death, he added. “It’s a seismic shift in worldview that alters a person’s ability to move forward with their life and comprehend a future.

“This can lead to withdrawal. If the future life feels insignificant or meaningless,
the effort required to stay connected and invest in relationships, work, and
long‐term planning can feel futile.”

What can I do if I have a “sense of foreshortened future”?

Therapy can be a great step forward, says Williams. “We can help clients reconnect to what they care about, restore trust in the world, and rebuild time-based experience around past, present and future, helping them to put trauma back on the timeline.”

This way, he hopes, “once again, the future can belong to them, rather than being unreachable due to trauma”.

Per VeryWell Health, being mindful of your thoughts, seeking positive activities, connecting with others and reducing avoidance where possible, practising self-care, and choosing actions aligned with your values often may help too.

Help and support:

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.

‘AI Psychosis’ Is A Real Problem – Here’s Who’s Most Vulnerable

Posted on 24/08/2025 by Boris Clair

For many people, AI has become a tool for work, trip planning and more, and while it has certain productivity and creativity benefits, it also comes with negatives such as its environmental impact and the fact that it can replace jobs (and, in turn, cause layoffs).

Beyond this, more and more news has come out about the dangerous impact it can have on emotional and mental health, including a relatively new phenomenon known as AI psychosis.

“Psychosis is when a person is having a really difficult time figuring out what’s real and what’s not … sometimes they may be aware of it, sometimes they might not be,” explained Katelynn Garry, a licensed professional clinical counsellor with Thriveworks in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Psychosis can be triggered by lots of things, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe depression, along with certain medications, sleep deprivation, drugs and alcohol, Garry noted.

In the case of AI psychosis, “it’s defined as cases where people have increasing delusional thoughts that are either amplified by AI and possibly induced by AI,” said Dr. Marlynn Wei, a psychiatrist, AI and mental health consultant, and founder of The Psychology of AI.

AI psychosis is not a clinical diagnosis, but is instead a phenomenon that’s been reported anecdotally, explained Wei. Like AI technology, AI psychosis is a new condition that experts are learning every day.

“It’s not yet clear if AI use alone can cause this, but it can be a component that contributes to delusional thoughts and amplifies them,” she said.

It also doesn’t look the same in every person. “There’s different categories of delusions — hyper-religious or spiritual delusions when people believe the AI chatbot is a God … there’s grandiose delusions where people believe … they have special knowledge. And then there’s also romantic delusions,” which is when someone believes they’re in a relationship with AI, Wei explained.

No matter what kind of psychosis someone is dealing with, AI is based on user-engagement and is taught to validate inputs, explained Wei.

“People are using these general purpose [large language models], like ChatGPT, initially, to validate their views, but then it spins off and amplifies [and] it kind of validates and amplifies their delusion,” Wei added.

AI can feed the delusions that accompany psychosis, added Garry. Since AI is meant to agree with you, if you want to get a certain answer out of AI, you can pose questions that easily make that happen, noted Garry.

So, AI can seemingly back up delusional thoughts, making them seem even more real.

It's important to have guard rails around when and how you use AI. — It’s important to have guard rails around when and how you use AI.

There are certain groups who are more vulnerable when it comes to AI use.

The use of AI chatbots is not inherently dangerous, and not everyone is at risk of AI-induced psychosis. While some people will be able to use AI safely, whether for work, weekly meal planning or vacation planning, others won’t be able to do so.

Research is ongoing to determine who is at higher risk of AI psychosis, but those who are more vulnerable seem to include folks with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, severe depression and bipolar disorders, said Wei.

Although, it can also occur in folks with no known mental health history, Wei added. Certain medications can also put someone at higher risk of psychosis, Garry said.

“In terms of what might be risk factors, I don’t think we know, but just from understanding, I think the risk factors are people who are more socially isolated, don’t have social support, maybe lonely or in a more vulnerable position … over-reliance [on AI] and creating a dependence on it, an emotional dependence,” Wei said. “There’s no research, so we don’t know. These are just hypotheses,” noted Wei.

If you’re worried about a loved one’s AI use (or your own), Garry said there are some things you should look out for.

“Are they feeling like someone is out to harm them? … Are they sleeping? Are they isolating from others? Are they staying up all night to talk to chat? Are they not going out and having real conversations with real people?” Garry said.

These are all red flags. If someone struggles to stop using AI for a period of time — like taking a break from AI when they go on vacation or out for the work day — or has a bad reaction when asked to limit their use, you should take notice.

If you or a loved one exhibits these behaviours you should seek help from a mental health professional, Garry said.

You should create rules around your AI use to keep you (and your kids) safe.

To safely use AI, it’s important to have boundaries with it, Garry said. Those could be guard rails regarding when you use it or how you use it.

First, not using an AI chatbot when you’re in a vulnerable state is one important boundary. “When you’re feeling really low, call a friend. Don’t talk to chat,” Garry said.

“And then at night, especially when no one else is awake around you and you’re feeling lonely, don’t talk to chat either because that’s going to create that reliability [of] ‘Well, when no one’s here to talk to, I can talk to this,’” she said.

This is also important for your children, Garry said. Teach them not to use AI when they’re feeling down or for emotional needs, she noted.

“Start educating your kids on the risk of [AI] and that [it] is not a professional,” Garry said.

If they do start relying on AI for support, ask them what led them to this so you can understand what they’re going through and help them find a better solution, Garry said.

On a larger scale, “advocating for changes in AI legislation, regulations, all of those things to make sure that they’re not just putting out AI without these safeguards there,” Garry said.

AI should not be a replacement for therapy.

“These general purpose AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude, they were not designed to be people’s therapists, or to detect this kind of behaviour or how to manage this [kind of behaviour],” Wei said.

The companies behind these tools are working on improvements, but being someone’s therapist still isn’t the main task of AI chatbots, she noted, despite the fact that’s increasingly why people use them.

“One of the top uses right now of generative AI is as your therapist or companion, for emotional support,” Wei noted. And this is dangerous.

AI can’t pick up on nonverbal cues, it can’t offer compassion or see the signs of a mental health crisis, added Garry. And unlike conversations with a therapist, your messages to ChatGPT aren’t confidential, said Wei. Meaning, your innermost thoughts could be leaked.

Regular, in-person therapy and online therapy can come with hurdles such as costs, insurance coverage and simply making the time to actually go to therapy.

It’s no wonder people are turning to AI for emotional support, especially as the country faces a loneliness epidemic. But this isn’t what a traditional AI chatbot is meant for.

AI can create a “false sense of connectedness,” said Garry. For true connection, reach out to loved ones or seek new connections. While that is certainly easier said than done for everyone, and especially people who are more isolated from others, it’s crucial.

“I’m going to push you to get out of your comfort zone a little bit. So that’s going to those work events, maybe talking with someone in your classroom that you haven’t talked to before. It’s reaching out to someone who you haven’t talked to in 20 years … you never know what that could build or rebuild,” Garry said. “And going out as much as you can, even to just the gym, the mall, walking around in those places you never know who you’re going to run into.”

If you aren’t up for leaving your house and meeting people, “even joining social media groups — at least you know that is a real person on the other end of that,” said Garry.

Once again, if you are struggling with your mental health, AI isn’t the answer.

Help and support:

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.

If You’ve Been Feeling Uninspired And Apathetic At Work, You May Be Experiencing This

Posted on 08/08/2025 by Boris Clair

We have all had our bad days and even weeks at work but what happens when the feelings associated with these days just don’t seem to pass? Well, you may be experiencing something that two experts have dubbed “rustout”.

Writing for The Conversation, Sabrina Fitzsimons Co-Director of DCU CREATE (Centre for Collaborative Research Across Teacher Education), Lecturer in Education, Dublin City University and David Smith, Lecturer, School of Applied Social Studies, Robert Gordon University explain the phenomenon.

Explaining that rustout is on the other end of the spectrum from burnout, they explain: “This is when employees become bored, apathetic and unmotivated, often doing the minimum necessary work. This can result in them procrastinating, browsing social media or looking for something more stimulating elsewhere.”

Sound familiar?

So, what causes rustout?

The experts explain: “Rustout is mental and emotional decline caused by repetitive, mundane tasks and ongoing professional stagnation. Unlike burnout, which results from work overload, rustout arises from underutilisation and a lack of stimulating work.

“It can be amplified when a workplace values efficiency and meeting specific outcomes over professional engagement, leaving people feeling invisible or replaceable. In other words, it occurs when people are not challenged enough.”

Do rather than the over-demand which can cause burnout, rustout comes from not being needed enough. Grim.

Isn’t this just quiet quitting though?

While the behavioural responses to rustout may seem to mirror quiet quitting, the researchers explained that those who experienced rustout most frequently, teacher educators, are not deliberately stepping back from responsibilities.

They say: “While most described enjoying their work and its variety, we found an undercurrent of symptoms and experiences indicative of rustout. We believe our findings may have resonance with other occupational settings.

“Rustout may sound a bit like the social media trend of quiet quitting. However, the teacher educators we spoke to were not deliberately stepping back from their duties or plotting their exit. In fact, they remained highly committed to their students – making their situation even more frustrating.”

That does sound incredibly frustrating.

In fact, once the researchers digged deeper in their interviews with teachers, they found that teachers “spoke of the joy it was possible to find in their work and the many brilliant, inspiring young people they had helped to nurture.”

However, the researchers admitted, some had lost this enthusiasm.

Talking is essential

The experts warn that not talking about how you’re feeling can only make the situation continue, urging: “Nothing is being rocked when staff are working and doing their jobs.

“This silence benefits institutions in the short term, since it maintains stability and delays difficult conversations. However, in the long term, it can contribute to retention issues, a negative workplace culture and possibly reduced innovation.”

The solution, they add, is integrating rustout into the mental health agenda in workplaces, just as burnout is.

“Employers must acknowledge that the wellbeing of their employees is integral to overall success.”

Help and support:

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.