‘The very thought of it repelled me’: how a skiing accident left me unable to read

After suffering a head injury, I found I was unable to read without headaches, eye strain and wild mood swings – and that my condition was far from rare

Remote islands free the imagination – but they also stir up fear

Bestselling author Paula Hawkins set her new book on a fictional tidal island. Here she examines the power and appeal of islands

‘They remind me there’s a life after cancer’: how paintings in NHS hospitals help patients feel better

Feedback on the benefits of displaying pictures on wards, now gathered in a new book, is backed by scientific studies

Breakthrough by William Pao review – the drugs do work

From sickle cell to Covid antivirals – the stories behind medical innovations that have transformed lives

Psychedelic Outlaws by Joanna Kempner review – a compelling case for the use of magic mushrooms in pain relief

The US sociologist’s study of psychoactive fungi to treat little-known medical conditions such as cluster headaches is well researched and wide ranging

How to put your phone down and get back into habit of reading books

After an English academic at Oxford complained about students’ attention spans, we get experts’ tips on enjoying the written word

I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest With You by Miranda Hart review – chronic illness and love at last

After years of misery with undiagnosed Lyme disease, the entertainer shares her lessons for living

Your Journey, Your Way by Horatio Clare review – the Martin Lewis of mental health

Inspired by his own breakdown, the author’s generous and deeply researched guide to navigating mental health care in the UK is full of wisdom and hope

Being a writer and opening a restaurant are total opposites…

But in the end, Simonetta Wenkert managed to combine her two vocations

The big idea: how to use your senses to help beat depression

Our research suggests that it’s not sadness per se that leads to poor mental health, but shutting down input from the body. ‘Sense foraging’ offers a way out of the trap