Most of us are now addicted to using our phones. We take them out when in a queue, when waiting to meet someone, when eating at a restaurant, even at the theatre (see Rosamund Pike's recent call for a ban on phones after she was distracted by an audience member texting during her performance). Checking our phone may be the first thing we do upon waking, it may be the last thing we look at before going to sleep at night (or in the early hours of the morning). We dare not le

When we are feeling depressed or flat we tend to remove ourselves from others, becoming isolated, which in turn can bring us down further. Connecting to others, even if briefly or in small ways, can really help to lift our mood. Listening to podcasts can help. I regularly listen to Strangers on a Bench (free on the Podcast App). Give it a try. Keep with it past the first five minutes and you will be rewarded with a glimpse into someone else's way of thinking, their life

Mental health challenges often feel overwhelming, and many hesitate to seek help because of time, cost, or uncertainty about therapy. Single session therapy offers a practical and accessible approach that can make a real difference. This method focuses on providing meaningful support in just one meeting, helping individuals address immediate concerns and build tools for ongoing well-being. What Is Single Session Therapy? Single session therapy (SST) is a form of psychological

To enter a book is to escape to another world, to meet another set of people - some you may like, others not so much. Some of us need to read, for some it is a chore. But how wonderful to have the option: the choice of all of those titles, ideas, stories, theories, lives, whether it is a biography, science, history, self-help, or fiction in all its forms. We are in a time when most of us when alone go to our phone for that distraction, entertainment, killing time while we

Try Philosophy Break on Instagram. You can sign up for free and you should receive a Sunday breakdown into your email inbox. The latest post (27th April) is an analysis by Ruth Chang on how to make difficult decisions in life. I'm not going to attempt to precis what she says as each part is useful in itself. Have a read. Previous recent posts range from a quote from Iris Murdoch, another from Jeanette Winterson, a piece by Sylvia Plath, Abraham Maslow and Milan Kundera.