You’ve probably seen it while scrolling: a video that says “If you get nervous when someone takes too long to reply, you might have anxious attachment,” or a reel warning, “That person who set a boundary? They’re a narcissist.” These clips are short, punchy, and often relatable. They speak directly to how you’re feeling—and they get shared fast. But there’s a growing problem: not all of it is accurate, and some of it can do more harm than good.

The end of the school year can bring a mix of emotions for families. There’s pride in how far your child has come, but also tension, late nights, and a sense that everything is riding on these final exams. For young people, this can be one of the most stressful times of the year. For parents, it can be hard to know how to help without adding more pressure.

When it comes to mental health, the word recovery gets used a lot — but it can mean very different things depending on who you ask. Some people imagine recovery as being cured, as if anxiety, OCD, depression or trauma can be completely erased. Others see recovery as something more fluid: learning to live well, even with the challenges that might still show up from time to time.

This is a phrase I’ve heard from several clients lately, often alongside a new word they’ve picked up on podcasts or articles: limerence. Though first coined in the 1970s, limerence is making a comeback in both research and clinical conversations.

“It’s okay, I spoke to ChatGPT about it this morning and feel so much better.”

When we think about decision making, it’s tempting to picture a careful, logical process: weighing up the pros and cons, analysing the risks, and calmly choosing the best option. Many of us pride ourselves on being “rational” and try to push emotions out of the equation.

But psychology and neuroscience tell us something quite different: emotions are not barriers to good decisions, they are essential to them. Without emotions, we would struggle to make even the simplest choices.