How do I stop being lonely? You asked Google – here’s the answer

Every day millions of people ask Google life’s most difficult questions. Kate Leaver, the author of The Friendship Cure, offers some thoughts

Jordan Peterson: ‘The pursuit of happiness is a pointless goal’

Life is tragic, says the provocative Jordan Peterson, and we are all capable of turning into monsters. Tim Lott meets him as he publishes 12 Rules for Life

How can a therapist get the most out of therapy?

For a session between an analyst and their patient to truly work, we need to listen, think and feel, says Susie Orbach

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about my colonoscopy (but never dared to ask)

When I had rectal bleeding, I went for a colonoscopy. The doctor prescribed more fiber – but could anxiety be the source of the pain in my backside?

Is everything Johann Hari knows about depression wrong?

The Observer has published an excerpt from Johann Hari’s new book challenging what we know about depression. But do his own claims and arguments stack up?

What do your sleeping patterns say about you? – quiz

If you have trouble sleeping, don’t think you’re a special case

The appliance of science: hope and fear in tomorrow’s world

As advances in gene editing, energy and AI gain momentum, Jim Al-Khalili predicts their impact on our future

Byron Katie: ‘Just ask yourself, is that thought really true?’

Byron Katie was deeply depressed when a radical change left her joyful. She now uses her secret to help others – whether brutalised by war or merely stressed

‘Anyone can change any habit’: the science of keeping your 2018 resolutions

Living a healthier lifestyle isn’t always down to sheer willpower – it can be as simple as forming new habits. But how do we do that?

The experts’ guide to making – and keeping – your New Year resolutions

Psychologists offer their best tips for staying on track in 2018, from taking on your challenge in the morning to cutting yourself some slack