Mental Health
Here you can read the latest news and research studies covering mental health. This is also the place to find out about different strategies on how you can reduce stress and boost happiness, and many other ways to look after your mental wellbeing.
Overthinking is a learned habit, and therapists say you can unlearn it
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM "Just stop overthinking" is advice that tells you nothing useful about how to actually follow it. The mind that automatically converts "they haven't texted back" into "they must be furious with me" isn't doing so out of weakness. It's doing its job, badly but Read More...
A single dose of psilocybin gave smokers six times better odds of quitting than the patch
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A new clinical trial from Johns Hopkins University produced results that surprised even the researchers behind it. Participants who took a single dose of psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, had more than six times greater odds of being Read More...
Why 24 minutes of music may help reduce anxiety, according to research
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM When anxiety starts creeping in, many people instinctively reach for music. A calming playlist, a pair of headphones, and a few quiet minutes can make a noticeable difference. Science increasingly backs up that instinct, with new research suggesting that the Read More...
Nacho parenting explained: a realistic approach for blended families
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Blending families can feel a little like merging two playlists: everyone has favorites, no one agrees on the volume, and someone inevitably wants to skip the track. In the middle of that adjustment, many stepparents are discovering a surprisingly effective Read More...
Unlock your charisma with science-based tips for every personality
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Charisma may appear to be something you are born with or without, yet research indicates that it is a skill you can develop. Consider the most magnetic person you know: a former boss who enthralled every meeting, or a buddy who actually makes you feel heard. Read More...
Single dose of DMT shows promise for treatment-resistant depression in early clinical trial
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A single, carefully administered dose of the psychedelic compound dimethyltryptamine, better known as DMT, may offer meaningful relief for people living with treatment-resistant depression, according to results from a new clinical trial. In the small Read More...
Why becoming a regular is good for your mental health and happiness
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a culture that celebrates new restaurants, new workouts, new experiences, anything novel, there is something subtle yet radical about returning to the same place week after week. The same café order. The same corner booth. The same familiar faces behind Read More...
EU launches action plan to tackle cyberbullying and protect children’s mental health online
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM As young people spend more of their lives online, the risks they face have become harder to ignore. From harassment in group chats to manipulated images shared without consent, cyberbullying is no longer a side issue of digital life but a central one. In Read More...
10 brain-boosting hobbies for older adults that help keep the brain and body young
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Many people yearn for the golden years of retirement, where the grind often slows down, and we have more free time. But how we spend that time can make a big difference in how we age. Science continues to show that our lifestyle choices in midlife and beyond Read More...
Daylife is the new nightlife: Why more people are socializing before sunset
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For decades, nightlife has been framed as the default setting for fun. Late dinners, crowded bars, booming music, and the unspoken assumption that a good social life begins after dark. But a growing number of people are starting to step away from that script. Read More...