‘It destroys lives’: why the razor-blade pain of vaginismus is so misunderstood

This common condition can lead to relationship breakdown and unnecessary surgery. So why is treatment still so poor and underfunded?

Are your anxiety dreams now nightmares? Welcome to the next phase of pandemic sleep

Lost a shoe? Teeth crumbling? Late for an exam you haven’t studied for? Naked on stage with no recollection of your lines? Believe me, you’re not alone

Scrap fines for school non-attendance in England, say psychiatrists

Experts say threat could lead to anxious pupils returning to class before they are ready

Men unzipped: Me and My Penis, the TV show where masculinity goes commando

Channel Four’s bold new documentary confronts anxieties about the male member. We go behind the scenes – and meet Ajamu, the artist and ‘sex activist’ who gets men to reveal all

The one thing that has helped me this year, and could help you too? Radical self-acceptance

During lockdown I embraced my spinsterhood and turned my back for ever on the pressure to pursue self-improvement and adventure. It has been a genuine relief, writes journalist Bidisha

Coronavirus lockdown caused sharp increase of insomnia in UK

Rise in worry-related sleep was particularly pronounced among mothers, research finds

How can I stop being attracted to deeply damaged men?

My father was an abusive alcoholic and everyone I have been involved with in recent years has had addiction issues. How can I escape this negative pattern?

Ed Sheeran reminds us that eating disorders affect men, too

Problematic relationships with food are not ‘female’ afflictions – and the more male celebrities who speak honestly about their experiences, the better, says Arwa Mahdawi

The psychological toll of coronavirus in Britain – a visual guide

From anxiety to grief, our charts illustrate five areas of mental strain faced by people across the country

The secret of my hard-won mindfulness? A bargain bag of beauty

I’ve found inner peace contemplating everything from my mate’s Ford Escort to the skies above. But enlightenment has come from a most unusual source, writes Adrian Chiles