Mental Health

Can ultra-processed foods really be considered addictive? Or are people just overindulging in foods that they like?

By Ashley Gearhardt

Even though most people don't like getting shots, we can do it without much hesitation. But what if you have a debilitating fear of needles? How do you push past that to get critical medical care like the COVID-19 vaccine?

By Allison Troutner

Hugging is way more than just how we greet our family and friends. And when COVID-19 abruptly ended this natural human connection, many of us were lost. Here's why.

By John Donovan

Daydreaming is often how we escape the everyday mundane. But what happens when those fantasies start to replace your real desire for life?

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

Getting lost in a book is one of life's greatest pleasures, but is a digital book just as pleasurable as a paper book? And which format is the best for learning?

By Patty Rasmussen

How do we find hope when times are bleak? It's not always easy, but it is possible.

By Jacqueline S. Mattis

Feeling disoriented by the election, pandemic and everything else? It's called 'zozobra,' and Mexican philosophers have some advice.

By Francisco Gallegos & Carlos Alberto Sánchez

About half of all Americans believe at least one conspiracy theory. But what's the difference between believing a theory and being addicted to it? And how can you help someone you think might be in too deep?

By Nathan Chandler

Everyone experiences boredom at some point and maybe even ennui, a chronic type of boredom. But surprisingly, ennui does have some benefits.

By Alia Hoyt

A sudden (or subsequent) temporary upsurge of grief, or STUG, can knock you off your feet and leave you in a puddle, but being aware of it can lessen its power.

By Carrie Tatro

Should we blame this on the movie 'Jaws'? Many people have a fear of the ocean and what lies beneath it. How can you cope with this?

By Alia Hoyt

Have you found yourself lacking the ability to experience joy? Not feeling any pleasure in things you used to love to do? It could be just the blues, but it could be a deeper issue.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Trypophobia is the fear — or more like disgust — of closely packed holes. But is it a real phobia and how can it be treated?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Four weeks and 4,000 miles is a long time to get by on catnaps during a solo sailing race. So, researchers set out to find whether there was a sleep strategy that worked best.

By Nathan Chandler

Horses are extremely sensitive to human emotions and are able to pick up on our subtlest feelings to help us uncover emotional blind spots.

By Wendy Bowman

Perhaps everyone feels unworthy of their achievements at some point. But if you constantly have that feeling, you may have impostor syndrome. So, who's more likely to have it and how do you cope with it?

By Alia Hoyt

This study of more than 30 years has yielded many valuable insights on Alzheimer's including a link between multilingualism and warding off dementia. Why are nuns the ideal study group?

By Alia Hoyt

A study found that stereotypes of Americans who identified with more than one race were different from stereotypes applied to people of one race. What were they and what do biracial people think about these findings?

By Danielle Douez

Sleeping with a weighted blanket is said to help alleviate stress and anxiety by creating a "snuggle effect." But does science back this up?

By Nathan Chandler & Kate Kershner

The term 'microaggression' has gone mainstream in the last few years. But what counts as a microaggression, and why are some experts critical of the word?

By Danielle Douez

The suicides of two students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, as well as the suicide of a father of a child killed at Newtown Elementary highlight how the shock from a deep trauma remains long after for survivors.

By John Donovan

There's a magic number that gets casual players (maybe you) really interested.

By Dave Roos

Do you have thousands of photos and emails stored on your devices or in the cloud? If so, you might be a digital hoarder. But is that as bad as being hoarder in real life?

By Dave Roos

Public speaking can be debilitating for many people. What is it that causes so many of us to freeze up like a deer in headlights when it's time to talk in public?

By John Donovan

Many young people would rather text than call, even if they're facing a crisis. But is a hotline conversation by text as effective as by phone?

By Alia Hoyt