Inspire the Mind ✍️🧠

The HappyMums Project: Can a smartphone application predict antenatal depression? As a researcher working at the intersection of digital technologies and women’s health, it is always so empowering to see the latest advancements in FemTech (tech-driven products like apps and wearabl...

🧪In today’s article, PhD student Riddhi Laijawala explores how #digitaltools can advance research in #perinatalmentalhealth, drawing on the recently published HappyMums clinical study protocol evaluating a mobile app to predict #antenataldepression.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/the-hap...

Are We Really Addressing the Patient’s Needs? When treating patients, we often focus primarily on improving their clinical outcomes, and as such inadvertently overlook their broader care needs. These include their perceived problems across health...

🧪In today’s article, PhD student Lucia Maggioni highlights the importance of focusing on patients' needs in the care of people with #firstepisodepsychosis, drawing on her research showing higher levels of unmet needs in those with a history of #childhoodtrauma

www.inspirethemind.org/post/are-we-...

Why Heartbreak Feels Physical: The Chemistry of a Broken Heart Heartbreak is a common experience, often understood as a time of emotional crisis which can be resolved with feeling-based healing. Some typical advice you may have heard (or given) is: “the feeling w...

🧪In today's article, @kingsioppn.bsky.social student Erin Collins talks about why #heartbreak feels #physical, highlighting the #chemistry of a broken heart.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/why-hea...

The Unheard Voice: When Language Barriers Limit Patient Care I never had to think when I switched between speaking Tamil and English, it was second nature to me. I spoke Tamil at home and English at school, sometimes mixing the two without realising I did. I ha...

🧪In today’s article, @ox.ac.uk medical student Menagaa Sarvananthalingam reflects on how #languagebarriers affect #patientcare, from both a personal and professional perspective, highlighting how they contribute to #healthinequalities and how to address them.

www.inspirethemind.org/post/the-unh...

Day After Day — A Short Story Celine’s day was the same, come rain or shine. It helped that she never really knew what the weather was, but that was beside the point. As soon as she got her heart to stop palpitating after her alar...

In today’s short story, Chloe Smith takes us into Celine’s life, where #anxiety keeps her stuck in a loop where every day seems the same, using her fictional world to remind us how small steps can help us regain #connection, #hope and new possibilities.

www.inspirethemind.org/post/day-aft...

Losing More Than My Home After Leaving Venezuela I was born on December 3rd, 1993, in Caracas’ busiest hospital. I spent my early years in a high-rise apartment at the top of a mountain in Manzanares, living a quiet, ordinary life. Everything change...

🌎🧠 With today’s article, writer Mariana Delgado wraps up our #mindinconflict series, reflecting on leaving #Venezuela as a child and exploring how the ongoing #politicalunrest in her home country continues to affect her #mentalhealth and #family relationships.

www.inspirethemind.org/post/losing-...

Overcoming Acne in Adulthood Severe acne may seem only skin deep, but its effects on mental health can be devastating. I’m Anna, a primary school teacher and writer who has struggled with acne since my late teens. I have been th...

In today's article, teacher and writer Anna Nixon shares the experience of overcoming #acne in #adulthood, highlighting how she has learnt to #embrace the #scars over time.

Read now:
www.inspirethemind.org/post/overcom...

On Health Anxiety as an Artist Eight years ago, I went to a friend of mine in distress. I had a lump or a bump or a cough or a premonition. “I am dying,” I told her. I was certain of it. “Or are you just about to put an album out...

In today’s article, singer-songwriter, producer, and writer Charlee Remitz shares her journey through #healthanxiety as an #artist, reflecting on how accepting her #mentalhealth struggles helped her move forward and find ways to cope.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/on-heal...

Grieving Stranger Things is grieving my inner child It’s time to accept it, Stranger Things is finished. We have all become a little bit more adult since Episode 8, which aired on New Year’s Eve. Why is it so difficult to accept that it is over? This ...

In today's article, ITM Editor in Chief @carminepariante.bsky.social talks about the ending of #StrangerThings, highlighting how the series finale led him to reflect on his #innerchild, ending with a message of embracing a new #fantasy #reality.

Read now:
www.inspirethemind.org/post/grievin...

The Price of Self-Abandonment: What Alopecia Taught Me About Wholeness I have alopecia, and I wear my bald head proudly now. Alopecia is hair loss that can be the result of medical conditions, hormonal changes, or genetics. While it is treatable, sometimes its effects c...

In today’s article, writer and digital creator Jelisha Jones opens up about her journey with #alopecia, reflecting on how living with #hairloss helped her reclaim her #selfworth and #confidence.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/the-pri...

How the social becomes biological and pathological The question surrounding the innate and cultural forces that can shape an individual goes as far as biology and social sciences go. Psychiatry can be understood as a hybrid medical speciality. Whil...

🧪 In today’s article, @umontreal.ca researcher Enzo Cipriani discusses the importance of social determinants in #Schizophrenia, drawing on his #research into how #socialfactors interact with biological mechanisms shaping #mentalhealth outcomes.

Read now:
www.inspirethemind.org/post/how-the...

Prioritise Female Health: The Gap in Hormonal Contraception Research The healthcare sector’s overwhelming complacency with current female hormonal contraceptives has resulted in a lack of innovation for new methods. Between 2017 and 2020, pharmaceutical companies funde...

In today's article, @kingsioppn.bsky.social graduate Olivia Marsh talks about the large gap in #hormonalcontraception research, highlighting the need for better #care.

Read now:
www.inspirethemind.org/post/priorit...

Chronic Pain: The UK's Silent Health Epidemic Disability due to chronic pain is a massive issue in the UK, with millions of people across the country unable to work, see their friends, or perform everyday tasks because of their condition. As an i...

🧪 In today’s article, @kingsioppn.bsky.social MSc student Adam Filan breaks down what #chronicpain is, how it affects the physical and #mentalhealth of those living with it, and where current #research is heading to better understand it and treat it.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/chronic...

Learning to Listen: Sound as an Overlooked Dimension in Architecture Have you ever thought about sound in the spaces you love to spend time in? When we talk about what makes a place great, we usually focus on how it looks. We notice the lighting, the materials, the lay...

In today’s article, @kingsioppn.bsky.social PhD student Aeron Kim discusses the importance of #sound in #architecture, reflecting on how this often-overlooked dimension can affect our #mentalhealth.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/learnin...

The Psychology of Deception in The Traitors On ‘The Traitors UK’, an award-winning reality TV competition, strangers trust and betray one another for the chance to win up to £120,000 (and one more day in the presence of Claudia Winkleman’s frin...

What does it take to win #TheTraitors? In today’s article, Psychologist Patrycia Gaszczyk delves into the #psychology behind the hit #realityshow, unpacking the psychological traits and strategies that underpin successful #deception.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/the-psy...

Dementia, families and carers' wellbeing during the Holiday period Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that affects the brain and causes issues with memory, behaviour, emotions, and communication. The most common form is Alzheimer’s disease, which i...

In today’s article, @kingsioppn.bsky.social MSc student Heidi Kneeshaw reflects on the challenges the #festiveseason can bring for people living with #dementia and their #carers, sharing practical tips to support their #mentalhealth and #wellbeing.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/dementi...

That’s a wrap for 2025!

As another year comes to a close, we want to thank our readers and contributors for being part of Inspire the Mind. We’ll be back in January 2026 with many more new, engaging, and exciting articles.

In the meantime, we wish you #happyholidays!

Creating My Own Holiday Traditions as a Muslim Growing up Muslim, I didn’t have many holiday traditions, so I learned to create my own.Today, I’m a Seattle-based writer who has learned to create traditions and define home on my own terms. As a kid...

In today’s article, writer @aleenahansari.bsky.social opens up about embracing #Christmas traditions as a Muslim, reflecting on how #holidaycelebrations can go beyond religious and cultural traditions to embody shared values of joy, #belonging and #inclusion.

www.inspirethemind.org/post/creatin...

An inclusive and relevant pregnancy book is exactly what we need Pregnancy is expected to be a “one size fits all” phenomenon. Every stereotype of a pregnant person involves peeing on a stick, sharing the happy news with your partner, throwing up every morning, and...

In today’s article, @kingsioppn.bsky.social PhD student Riddhi Laijawala reviews @godfreyisaacs.bsky.social's latest book, highlighting the importance of evidence-based resources like this in challenging #misinformation around #pregnancy and #childbirth.

www.inspirethemind.org/post/an-incl...

Challenging Stigma and Scepticism in the UK’s Mental Health Crisis Britain faces a growing mental health crisis, yet the narrative increasingly blames individuals rather than the conditions that shape their lives.

In today’s article, psychiatry trainee Anna Todd discusses the urgent need to challenge societal #stigma and #antipsychiatry attitudes to tackle the #mentalhealthcrisis in the UK.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/challen...

Shifting Skills, Not Reality: Teens and AI Chatbots I will shift. Two teenagers scribbled this same line repeatedly in their journals. Both later died by suicide after extensive interactions with Character.AI chatbots

🧪 In today’s article, @kingsioppn.bsky.social MSc student Rona Hiley-Mann discusses the use of #chatbots among #teens, reflecting on the risks they pose and how #AI should be used responsibly to support #mentalhealth.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/shiftin...

Nostalgia: Aching for the Ordinary How nostalgia makes us yearn for our own memories. Time moves forward whether we follow it or not. Nostalgia, however, waits.It lingers in old songs, in familiar streets, in the scent of a season ...

In today’s piece, Psychology and Neuroscience graduate Caroline Lackner explores the feeling of #nostalgia and what it reveals about the #mindbodyconnection, reflecting on her own experience while unpacking the #science behind it.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/nostalg...

Federated Learning Analysis: Revolutionising global research data I am a mental health researcher working on the HappyMums project, a European consortium that focuses on understanding depression in pregnancy. At King’s College London, we are leading a clinical study...

🧪 In today’s article, @kingsioppn.bsky.social PhD student Riddhi Laijawala discusses how #federatedlearning can advance #mentalhealthresearch, drawing on her experience using this approach in the HappyMums study.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/federat...

Does Alcohol Become More Harmful As We Age? When we think about individuals who are likely to consume alcohol in large quantities, we often think about college-aged students or middle-aged adults. However, one important age group is often overl...

🧪Does #alcoholconsumption become more #harmful the older we get? In today's article, @utaustin.bsky.social Research Fellow Alexis Campanile answers this question, highlighting what happens when #alcohol and #ageing collide.

Read now:
www.inspirethemind.org/post/does-al...

In Limbo: The Cost of Studying Abroad with Family There are two types of winter coats. One is light on the pocket but good for a fast-fashion spin. Then there’s the down-filled workhorse, puffed with promise and designed to last year after year. Stan...

In today’s article, freelance journalist Aysha Imtiaz opens up about the struggles #internationalstudents face when studying abroad with their family, reflecting on her own #livedexperience.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/in-limb...

The Bliss of Not Knowing: How Escaping the News Cycle Made Me Happier It turns out ignorance really can feel like bliss, though I'm still deciding whether that makes me carefree or careless.  I’m Jessy, and five years ago I left my job and moved from London to Amster...

In today’s article, writer Jessica Dean shares how the #newscycle affected her #mentalhealth during the pandemic, highlighting an experience shared by many, and discussing how to find a balanced way to stay informed.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/the-bli...

Sexual function, the unexpected casualty Some things in life you never expect to lose. Your orgasm is one of them.

🧪In today's article, @kingsioppn.bsky.social Research Associate Anna Verey discusses the #sexualfunction as unexpected #casualty among #armedforces personnel, highlighting the impact of physical injuries and #mentahealth.

Read now:
www.inspirethemind.org/post/sexual-...

Chup Kar, Be Quiet: Infertility as a South Asian Woman For Indian women, many expectations are placed upon us. Her hair, vaal, must be long and lustrous. She must have fair skin. Most importantly, she must bear children.The Omnipresent Evil EyeInfertility...

In today’s article, writer Sunita Thind opens up about her journey with #infertility following treatment for ovarian #cancer, reflecting on how cultural beliefs and #stigma surrounding #reproductivehealth can make this experience even more challenging.

www.inspirethemind.org/post/chup-ka...

Who Art in Heaven – A Short Story Casey Mattocks doesn’t remember the last time that her hands were clean, but she remembers the first time she told someone that they were dirty.

In this month’s #shortstory, Anna Lewis narrates the moving story of a girl living with #OCD, using #fiction to raise #mentalhealthawareness and deepen the understanding of a condition shared by many but often misunderstood.

Read now: www.inspirethemind.org/post/who-art...

Should Men and Women with Psychosis Be Treated Equally? More than a century ago, psychiatrists spoke of ‘climacteric insanity’: the strange and sudden madness said to strike women at the end of their reproductive years. Physicians in the late 19th century ...

Should #men and #women with #psychosis be treated #equally? In today's article, @ox.ac.uk postdoctoral researcher Bodyl Brand shares results from her work in this field, highlighting the need for #personalised care.

Read now:
www.inspirethemind.org/post/should-...