Friendships are one of life’s most treasured bonds, yet they’re often overlooked when we think about what makes life meaningful. For some, friends are as close as family, deeply rooted in shared history and mutual support. For others, friendships come and go, changing with life’s seasons, their impermanence no less enriching. So, is there a special value in long-term friendships, or do friendships of any duration serve just as well in the journey of life?

Fat phobia has been everywhere lately in conversations about health, beauty standards, and self-worth, but it’s more than just a passing topic. At its core, fat phobia is a deeply rooted fear or bias against people based on body size. It’s a force that affects everyone, from those who face overt discrimination to those who quietly turn society’s negative views inwards. When fat phobia is internalised, it can cause people to dislike or even hate themselves simply because of their size, leading to all sorts of mental health challenges. Let’s dive into what fat phobia is, why it exists, and how it impacts our self-esteem, mental health, and lives.

ADHD—Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder—is certainly in the spotlight at the moment. Articles, social media posts, and personal stories are filling our feeds, bringing much-needed attention to a condition that many people have struggled to have recognised. For those who’ve faced years of misunderstanding or misdiagnosis, this rise in awareness is promising. But for others who are seeing symptoms of ADHD discussed for the first time, it can also lead to confusion, self-diagnosis, and questions: “Could this be me?” or “Does my loved one have ADHD?”

Let’s take a look at why this growing visibility is both helpful and challenging, and how to navigate questions around ADHD assessment in a responsible, supportive way.

The journey to understanding one’s mental health is rarely straightforward. For many, it involves navigating multiple diagnoses at once, each with its own set of challenges and treatments. Anxiety might walk hand-in-hand with depression, or ADHD could coexist with mood disorders, creating layers of complexity in understanding and managing what’s going on beneath the surface.

Emotions are a part of our everyday lives. They’re woven into our interactions, decisions, and even our physical responses. Yet, while emotions shape so much of our experience, they are often tough to articulate. There’s a profound reason why we sometimes feel a rush of anxiety, joy, or sadness before even understanding why—and that reason lies in how our brains are wired to feel before we think.

Life is full of moments that challenge us—difficult emotions, unwelcome thoughts, and experiences we’d rather avoid. When these arise, our natural instinct is often to push them away, to resist what we don’t want to feel or face. But what if this resistance is precisely what makes our struggles harder to bear? Steven Hayes, in his groundbreaking work Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), offers an alternative: acceptance.