There's a particular kind of pressure that comes with summer. The sun is out, everyone else seems to be at a barbecue or on a beach somewhere and the world quietly expects you to feel lighter. But for a lot of people, summer doesn't bring relief at all. It brings a different kind of noise. This year that's been even truer than usual. We've had one heatwave after another since May, with long stretches of proper, draining heat rather than the odd hot afternoon. If you've felt more on edge than...

There are times in life when everything can look "fine" from the outside yet internally you feel completely drained. Even small tasks begin to feel overwhelming. You find yourself becoming irritable, emotionally numb, tearful or strangely detached from the people around you and you cannot fully explain why. Emotional exhaustion is more common than many people realise, especially among those who are used to coping, supporting others and carrying on regardless. It is not weakness. It is often a...

You might have found yourself asking this at some point. “Why am I still doing this?”“I know it’s not helping… so why can’t I stop?” Often, it isn’t just one thing. It can show up in different ways, at different times and across different areas of your life such as saying yes when you meant no, reacting in a way you didn’t intend to or falling back into familiar habits even when part of you would like things to be different. Sometimes you might even notice it as it’s happening and still feel...