For most people, pain is a temporary experience. For example, we might bang our elbow and feel a few seconds of sharp, jarring pain before it fades away. However, for those who live with chronic pain, pain is a permanent part of their everyday lives. Chronic pain is classified as a type of pain that persists longer than might be reasonably expected. It can be a...

Coffee or tea? Iced or hot? Soy or oat? In the 21st century, we have the luxury of choice. The possibilities are endless, from the big decisions, such as which career to pursue, to the small ones, like what to watch on TV at night. However, each decision we make requires some mental effort, and our capacity for making decisions is not unlimited. Just like a mus...

You often hear people say they need some ‘Dutch courage’ before a date or a big social occasion. Alcohol or drugs are often-used social lubricants that many people rely on to feel more comfortable in certain social situations.  For those recovering from substance addiction, socialising without these crutches can be daunting. Social anxiety is a common ...

Did you know the ICD-11 has now classified Fibromyalgia under Chronic Primary Pain as Chronic widespread pain? The pain and suffering are real and can result in negative psychobehavioral consequences, including demoralisation, hopelessness, avoidance and withdrawal from society and life. There may be the presence of psychosocial factors with catastrophizing, exces...

Chronic pain has been reclassified in the ICD-11. This became effective in January 2022 after a creative collaboration between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).  The new system provides a single diagnostic code for chronic pain (MG30.0 Chronic primary pain). Under the ICD-11, pain is not only r...

Chronic pain is maintained by your emotional brain circuits, not tissue damage. Your body should have already healed itself.  Your brain anatomy and activity reorganise themselves around your experience of chronic pain.  Pain engrams are memories of pain which are stored in your brain. They are believed to be formed when you experience pain for the fi...

Art therapy falls under the broader category of ‘Expressive Arts Therapies’, which include writing, visual arts, music, drama, dance, and movement. These therapies combine creative processes with psychology to help people more easily access, express, and explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences – and are proven to support both mental and physical he...

Changing your life for the better is a significant step for anyone to take. Whether switching careers, moving cities, or taking a definitive move towards better, enduring health, it takes courage – and plenty of research and resources. If you’re experiencing dependency, stress or burnout, admitting you need help to make the health and lifestyle changes require...

Many of us are familiar with the “Winter Blues”. Given the vital role of sunlight in our health, it’s only natural that colder, darker days would have a noticeable influence on our mood and well-being. However, while most remain only mildly affected, a portion of the world suffers from a condition called seasonal depression - also known as seasonal affective di...

It’s rare to find a person whose work life is completely stress-free, particularly in today’s ‘hustle culture.’ Fortunately, for many, this ‘normal’ work stress follows a natural ebb and flow, which can usually be managed in order to maintain a healthy work-life balance.  However, for some, a continuously high-impact lifestyle, combined with not p...

Whether you like it or not, the workplace and people’s attitudes towards labour are changing. With inflation, an increasing difficulty for young people to get on the housing ladder, and a cost-of-living crisis, it’s perhaps unsurprising that motivation to go above and beyond in the workplace is waning. This has given rise to a phenomenon called ‘quiet qui...

New Year, new you, right? January is the most common time for people to try to embark on a fresh start. That’s why even before December is over, people’s thoughts turn to what New Year’s Resolutions they’ll set themselves. People do this for a number of reasons. They may have reflected on the past year and seen how they’ve fallen short of the expectation...