Laura Dockrill on parenting, paranoia and postpartum psychosis: ‘I thought I’d been hijacked by a devil’

A month after the birth of her son, the writer and illustrator was on suicide watch in a psychiatric ward, experiencing severe delusions. Now her podcast is raising awareness of a condition that affects one in a thousand new mothers

A year of emotional eating? Don’t feel guilty. We need comfort, not ketosis

Many of us will leave lockdown a few pounds heavier than we started it, but there is no shame in finding pleasure in food, writes Emma Beddington

Empathy, compassion, personality, attitudes: can people change?

There is plenty of evidence that empathy can be taught in childhood, but it gets more complicated when it comes to adults, especially when it is forced

‘We need to adapt in order to grow’: how to emerge from lockdown stronger, happier, healthier

Covid-19 has brought many changes: we must learn to embrace the good and learn from the bad

In brief: Unsettled Ground; Genesis; Inferno – reviews

Twins unravel their family history when their mother dies; myths, science and the origins of the universe; and a harrowing account of postpartum psychosis

Screen Covid patients and NHS staff for post-traumatic stress, expert urges

Head of Royal College of Psychiatrists warns that the emotional toll from the pandemic could last for years

Scientists need to face both facts and feelings when dealing with the climate crisis

I was taught to use my head, not my heart. But acknowledging sadness at what is lost can help us safeguard the future, says professor of sustainability science Kimberly Nicholas

The social biome: how to build nourishing friendships – and banish loneliness

All your daily interactions with others, big and small, make up your social biome, and the pandemic has severely damaged most of ours. Here’s how to reinvigorate it

Let there be light! Why sunny spring days make us happier and healthier

Warmer days and nature awakening are not the only reasons to be cheerful. Scientists explain exactly why this season makes us feel better

‘The ketamine blew my mind’: can psychedelics cure addiction and depression?

This week sees the opening of the first UK high-street clinic offering psychedelic-assisted therapy. Could popping psilocybin be the future of mental healthcare?

OurChemist

Our Chemist – Health