The morning’s tea needs to be brewed in the yellow pot, the sheepdog must be scratched repeatedlyAmid the fear and uncertainty of the pandemic lockdowns a few years ago, as I walked the neighbourhood each twilight, I couldn’t help observe the little domestic quirks of people I didn’t and still don’t know.Like everyone else I was finding light and meaning...

Influencers and politicians use snappy cliches to get you on side – but you can fight fire with fireSince the moment I learned about the concept of the “thought-terminating cliche” I’ve been seeing them everywhere I look: in televised political debates, in flouncily stencilled motivational posters, in the hashtag wisdom that clogs my social media feeds....

After drinking and making a fool of herself for 35 years, the writer realised that’s not how she wanted to be rememberedHow do you know someone has stopped drinking? Don’t worry, they’ll tell you. The old vegan joke comes into my mind a lot as yet again I start talking about how my life has transformed since I gave up booze. But people mostly humour...

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical conceptsWhy are bodies of water so calming? In my experience, this is true whether they are placid or tempestuous. Mary Vogel, VancouverPost your answers (and new questions) below or send...

The scientist leading a study into how the urban environment affects our wellbeing on the surprising and lasting psychological benefits of even just a small dose of natureAndrea Mechelli, a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist, is professor of early intervention in mental health at King’s College London. He is the project lead on Urban Mind, a research...

Four days after my child was born, I began experiencing postpartum psychosis. What I learned changed my lifeThe first time I start hallucinating I am home, alone, with my baby. Drunk from lack of sleep I watch as his features morph in and out of shape. I take photo after photo, trying to capture what I see.A few days later, while I am pushing the pram...