Feeling Scared as Lockdown Ends? An Anxious Human Explores Some Feelings

It’s June, 2020, and here in the UK the coronavirus lockdown is relaxing. (Actually, it’s not at all relaxing, it’s extremely stress-inducing, but you know what I mean.) Like most people, I’ve struggled with isolation and stress during these early stages of the pandemic but now that some aspects of daily life are returning…

‘Working Conversations’ Talk about Anxiety

You might be interested in this talk I was invited to give recently at the University of Liverpool. The occasion was “Working Conversations”, a conference intended to discuss what a better mental health service might look like. I was invited to share my experiences with anxiety, some thoughts about custard, and to throw open a…

How to Write a Great Non-Fiction Book, Probably

Instead of my usual musing about anxiety & brains & life & things, today I’m going to answer some questions I got sent about how to write a book. Specifically, my correspondent wanted to know how to write a great non-fiction book. Before you say it… god knows why they came to me. I certainly…

Doing Things is Overrated… So Stop (A Bit)

You know that bit in the Simpsons intro where Maggie is steering on a pretend wheel to mimic the driving that Marge is doing? Our brains would genuinely be happier if we could attach a fake steering wheel to “life” and pretend we were controlling everything that happens to us.