Do people really believe the conspiracy theories they say they do?

A recent paper looks more closely at suspiciously high research estimates of conspiracy endorsement.

24 July 2026

By Emma Young



An alarming number of people believe conspiracy theories. At least, this is the conclusion drawn from a raft of recent research, with one study finding, for example, that 4% of the American participants endorsed the idea that shape-shifting reptilian people control the world. This led to controversial claims that about 12 million Americans believe it.

In a recent study in Collabra: Psychology, Robert M. Ross at Macquarie University set out to explore, though, whether people actually believe conspiracy theories that they endorse in studies. Their results suggest that we should be cautious about assuming that they do.

The researchers studied 1,044 Australians, who were first asked which of seven conspiracy theory statements were definitely or probably true or false, or whether they didn't know. Six of these were pre-existing conspiracy theories: that one or the other of two main political parties in Australia was planning on engaging in voter fraud to steal the next federal election; that the idea of man-made global warming is a hoax; that a secret group of Satan-worshipping paedophiles has taken control of parts of the Australian federal government and mainstream media; that governments are covering up the fact that 5G mobile networks spread Covid; that Covid is a myth created by some powerful forces and the virus doesn't really exist. (These last two were deliberately contradictory.)

The researchers also added a theory that they concocted to be deliberately bizarre: 'The Canadian armed forces have been secretly developing an elite army of genetically engineered, super intelligent, giant raccoons to invade nearby countries.'

After indicating whether they endorsed any of these statements, the participants were then asked whether they had responded randomly or insincerely at any point in the survey.

When the team analysed the data, they found a "remarkably consistent" pattern. Participants who didn't endorse the unlikely raccoon army theory were least likely to endorse each of the other conspiracy theories. Those who said they'd answered sincerely formed the next biggest group of people who tended not to endorse each of the genuine conspiracy theories, followed by those who'd admitted to some insincere responses. The researchers found the exact same group ordering for the participants who'd endorsed both of the contradictory Covid theories.

They also found that participants who endorsed the racoon theory on average endorsed four of the other six statements, while those who rejected the racoon theory endorsed an average of just 0.5 of them. The racoon-endorsers were also far more likely than the others to accept the contradictory conspiracy theories, with 55% endorsing them, compared with just 1.92% of the participants who thought the racoon theory was false.

In addition, the analysis revealed that overall, 1 in 10 participants endorsed the racoon army conspiracy theory. Just over a third of these people admitted to responding insincerely, compared with 11% of those that did not endorse the racoon army plot.

These results led the team to a number of conclusions. Firstly, though some other studies have claimed that belief in contradictory conspiracy theories is not uncommon, these results suggest a reframing of those findings: "many participants who endorse clearly contradictory conspiracy theories are not reporting sincere beliefs." The results also suggest that many people who say that they endorse wild conspiracy theories in a survey may not actually believe in those theories, either.

The researchers acknowledge that even if the racoon-endorsers were removed from the analysis, the other theories were supported by between 2% and 14% of the participants, however. "For this reason, our results are consistent with the possibility that a non-trivial proportion of participants sincerely believe some of the conspiracy theories that they endorsed," the researchers write.

They think the main takeaway is, though, that fewer people may believe conspiracy theories — and especially bizarre and clearly contradictory ones — than previous estimates have suggested. Researchers "need to get out of the habit of assuming that when participants endorse claims in surveys then they sincerely believe them; instead, they should seriously consider the possibility that they might not — especially when these claims are bizarre," the team argues.

In fact, they think their work flags a need for researchers investigating conspiracy theory endorsement to include a way of identifying deliberately insincere responding in their surveys, in the way that methods for identifying careless responding are already used.

Read the paper in full:
Ross, R. M., Ashton, L., Wilson, S., Gleeson, K., & Levy, N. (2026). Do people sincerely believe conspiracy theories that they endorse?. Collabra: Psychology, 12(1), 159253. https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.159253

SOURCE:

https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/do-people-really-believe-conspiracy-theories-they-say-they-do(accessed 14.8.26)

Η Ψυχολογία των Διακοπών: Όταν η Ξεκούραση Γίνεται Θεραπεία και οι Διακοπές Αποκαλύπτουν τον Πραγματικό μας Εαυτό

Κοσσυβάκης Νικηφόρος
Ψυχική Υγεία


Οι διακοπές, όπως είναι άλλωστε γνωστό, αποτελούν μία από τις σημαντικότερες περιόδους ψυχολογικής αποκατάστασης στη διάρκεια του έτους. Αν και στην κοινή αντίληψη συνδέονται με τη χαλάρωση, την ψυχαγωγία και την απομάκρυνση από την εργασία, η σύγχρονη ψυχολογία αναγνωρίζει ότι πρόκειται για μία ιδιαίτερα σύνθετη διαδικασία κατά την οποία ενεργοποιούνται μηχανισμοί νευροβιολογικής αποκατάστασης, γνωστικής αναδιοργάνωσης και συναισθηματικής επαναρρύθμισης.


Ωστόσο, οι διακοπές δεν λειτουργούν πάντοτε θεραπευτικά. Σε πολλές περιπτώσεις αποτελούν περίοδο κατά την οποία αναδύονται δυσκολίες στις διαπροσωπικές σχέσεις, αυξάνονται οι συγκρούσεις, ενισχύονται οι μη ρεαλιστικές προσδοκίες ή εμφανίζεται δυσκολία αποσύνδεσης από την εργασία. Το παρόν άρθρο εξετάζει την ψυχολογία των διακοπών μέσα από τις κυριότερες σύγχρονες ψυχολογικές θεωρίες, παρουσιάζει τα συχνότερα ψυχολογικά φαινόμενα που παρατηρούνται κατά τη διάρκειά τους και προτείνει πρακτικές κατευθύνσεις για την αποτελεσματικότερη αξιοποίησή τους.

«Φέτος θα ξεκουραστώ πραγματικά.»

Πρόκειται ίσως για τη φράση που επαναλαμβάνεται περισσότερο από οποιαδήποτε άλλη λίγο πριν από τις καλοκαιρινές διακοπές. Για τους περισσότερους ανθρώπους, οι διακοπές αντιπροσωπεύουν μια υπόσχεση: την υπόσχεση ότι, έστω και για λίγες ημέρες, θα απαλλαγούν από το άγχος, τις επαγγελματικές υποχρεώσεις, τις οικογενειακές πιέσεις και τη συνεχή ανάγκη να ανταποκρίνονται στις απαιτήσεις της καθημερινότητας.

Και όμως, όταν οι διακοπές ολοκληρώνονται, η εμπειρία δεν είναι ίδια για όλους. Κάποιοι επιστρέφουν εμφανώς πιο ήρεμοι, δημιουργικοί και ψυχικά ανανεωμένοι. Άλλοι επιστρέφουν σχεδόν το ίδιο εξαντλημένοι όπως πριν φύγουν. Υπάρχουν ακόμη άνθρωποι που αισθάνονται μεγαλύτερη απογοήτευση μετά τις διακοπές απ' ό,τι πριν από αυτές. Δεν είναι λίγοι εκείνοι που συγκρούστηκαν περισσότερο με τον σύντροφό τους, αγχώθηκαν επειδή δεν μπορούσαν να σταματήσουν να σκέφτονται τη δουλειά ή πέρασαν το μεγαλύτερο μέρος των διακοπών προσπαθώντας να αποδείξουν μέσω των κοινωνικών δικτύων ότι... περνούν καλά.

Το γεγονός αυτό οδηγεί σε ένα ιδιαίτερα ενδιαφέρον ψυχολογικό ερώτημα: γιατί οι ίδιες διακοπές λειτουργούν θεραπευτικά για ορισμένους ανθρώπους και εξαντλητικά για άλλους;

Η απάντηση δεν βρίσκεται ούτε στον προορισμό ούτε στο οικονομικό κόστος του ταξιδιού. Βρίσκεται στον τρόπο με τον οποίο ο ανθρώπινος εγκέφαλος αντιδρά στην ανάπαυση, στις προσωπικές πεποιθήσεις του κάθε ατόμου, στις σχέσεις του, στις προσδοκίες του και, τελικά, στον τρόπο που έχει μάθει να ζει.

Η σύγχρονη ψυχολογία δεν αντιμετωπίζει πλέον τις διακοπές ως μία απλή διακοπή της εργασίας. Τις αντιμετωπίζει ως μια διαδικασία ψυχολογικής αποκατάστασης, αντίστοιχης σημασίας με τον ύπνο, τη σωστή διατροφή και τη σωματική άσκηση. Όπως ο οργανισμός χρειάζεται ύπνο για να αναγεννηθεί βιολογικά, έτσι και ο ψυχισμός χρειάζεται περιόδους πραγματικής αποφόρτισης για να αναδιοργανώσει τις γνωστικές, συναισθηματικές και κοινωνικές του λειτουργίες.

Ο ανθρώπινος εγκέφαλος εξελίχθηκε σε περιβάλλοντα όπου η εναλλαγή έντασης και ξεκούρασης αποτελούσε φυσιολογικό μέρος της ζωής. Στη σύγχρονη κοινωνία, αντίθετα, ο εγκέφαλος καλείται να λειτουργεί σε υψηλά επίπεδα ενεργοποίησης σχεδόν αδιάκοπα. Η συνεχής πρόσβαση στο διαδίκτυο, τα ηλεκτρονικά μηνύματα, οι επαγγελματικές υποχρεώσεις, οι οικονομικές πιέσεις και η αδιάκοπη ροή πληροφοριών διατηρούν το νευρικό σύστημα σε μια κατάσταση μόνιμης εγρήγορσης.

Η κατάσταση αυτή ενεργοποιεί τον άξονα υποθαλάμου–υπόφυσης–επινεφριδίων (Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis), ο οποίος είναι υπεύθυνος για την παραγωγή κορτιζόλης. Η κορτιζόλη είναι απαραίτητη για την επιβίωση, καθώς βοηθά τον οργανισμό να αντιμετωπίζει καταστάσεις απειλής. Όταν όμως παραμένει αυξημένη για μεγάλο χρονικό διάστημα, αρχίζει να επηρεάζει δυσμενώς σχεδόν κάθε πτυχή της ανθρώπινης λειτουργίας.

Μελέτες έχουν δείξει ότι η χρόνια έκθεση στο στρες σχετίζεται με μειωμένη συγκέντρωση, δυσκολίες μνήμης, διαταραχές ύπνου, αυξημένη ευερεθιστότητα, εξασθένηση της ανοσολογικής λειτουργίας και μεγαλύτερη πιθανότητα εμφάνισης αγχωδών ή καταθλιπτικών συμπτωμάτων (McEwen, 2017). Με άλλα λόγια, το σώμα μπορεί να αντέξει για αρκετό διάστημα την ένταση, αλλά ο ψυχισμός πληρώνει σταδιακά το τίμημα.

Οι διακοπές επιτρέπουν τη σταδιακή αποκατάσταση αυτής της βιολογικής ισορροπίας. Η μείωση των απαιτήσεων οδηγεί σε περιορισμό της ενεργοποίησης του συμπαθητικού νευρικού συστήματος και ενίσχυση της λειτουργίας του παρασυμπαθητικού, το οποίο σχετίζεται με τη χαλάρωση, την πέψη, την αναγέννηση των ιστών και την αποκατάσταση της ενέργειας.

Δεν είναι λοιπόν τυχαίο ότι πολλοί άνθρωποι αναφέρουν πως ήδη από την τρίτη ή τέταρτη ημέρα των διακοπών αρχίζουν να κοιμούνται καλύτερα, να αισθάνονται πιο ήρεμοι και να αποκτούν ξανά διάθεση για δημιουργία. Ο εγκέφαλος χρειάζεται χρόνο για να «κατεβάσει ταχύτητα».

Η σημαντικότερη ίσως έννοια που εισήγαγε η σύγχρονη ψυχολογία των οργανισμών είναι η ψυχολογική αποδέσμευση από την εργασία (psychological detachment).

Πολλοί άνθρωποι πιστεύουν ότι βρίσκονται σε διακοπές επειδή έχουν φύγει από το γραφείο. Στην πραγματικότητα, μπορεί να έχουν απομακρυνθεί χιλιόμετρα από τον χώρο εργασίας τους, αλλά να εξακολουθούν να βρίσκονται εκεί... νοητικά.

Πόσες φορές έχουμε δει ανθρώπους να απαντούν συνεχώς σε επαγγελματικά e-mail από την ξαπλώστρα; Να συμμετέχουν σε τηλεδιασκέψεις από το ξενοδοχείο; Να παρακολουθούν συνεχώς το κινητό τους από φόβο μήπως συμβεί κάτι στη δουλειά;

Η συμπεριφορά αυτή μειώνει δραματικά τα ψυχολογικά οφέλη των διακοπών. Η φυσική παρουσία σε έναν όμορφο τόπο δεν αρκεί όταν ο εγκέφαλος εξακολουθεί να επεξεργάζεται επαγγελματικά προβλήματα.

Η Sonnentag και οι συνεργάτες της έχουν δείξει ότι η πραγματική ψυχολογική ανάκαμψη συμβαίνει μόνο όταν το άτομο καταφέρνει να αποδεσμευτεί γνωστικά και συναισθηματικά από την εργασία. Δεν πρόκειται για τεμπελιά ούτε για έλλειψη επαγγελματισμού. Αντίθετα, αποτελεί βασική προϋπόθεση για τη διατήρηση της μακροχρόνιας απόδοσης και της ψυχικής υγείας.
Ένας διευθυντής που απαντά συνεχώς σε e-mail κατά τη διάρκεια των διακοπών του μπορεί να αισθάνεται ότι παραμένει παραγωγικός. Στην πραγματικότητα, όμως, στερεί από τον εγκέφαλό του τη δυνατότητα να ανακτήσει τους γνωστικούς και συναισθηματικούς πόρους που θα χρειαστεί όταν επιστρέψει στην εργασία.

Ένα από τα σημαντικότερα ευρήματα της γνωστικής ψυχολογίας είναι ότι ο άνθρωπος δεν αντιδρά στα γεγονότα, αλλά στον τρόπο με τον οποίο τα ερμηνεύει. Η αρχή αυτή, που διατυπώθηκε αρχικά από τον Aaron Beck και αναπτύχθηκε περαιτέρω στο πλαίσιο της Γνωσιακής-Συμπεριφοριστικής Θεραπείας, βρίσκει εξαιρετικά ενδιαφέρουσα εφαρμογή και στην ψυχολογία των διακοπών.
Οι περισσότεροι άνθρωποι δεν οργανώνουν μόνο ένα ταξίδι. Οργανώνουν παράλληλα και μια ψυχολογική φαντασίωση. Δημιουργούν μια ιδανική εικόνα για το πώς θα πρέπει να εξελιχθούν οι διακοπές τους. Φαντάζονται απόλυτη ηρεμία, συνεχή ευτυχία, τέλειο καιρό, άψογη συνεννόηση με τον σύντροφό τους, ενθουσιασμό των παιδιών, εξαιρετικό φαγητό και εικόνες που θα θυμούνται για χρόνια.

Όσο περισσότερο εξιδανικεύεται αυτή η εικόνα, τόσο αυξάνεται η πιθανότητα απογοήτευσης.

Η ψυχολογία ονομάζει αυτό το φαινόμενο Expectation Gap, δηλαδή το χάσμα ανάμεσα στις προσδοκίες και στην πραγματικότητα. Όταν η πραγματικότητα δεν συμβαδίζει με την ιδανική εικόνα που έχει δημιουργήσει το άτομο, εμφανίζονται απογοήτευση, θυμός και συχνά ενοχές.

Στην κλινική πράξη παρατηρείται συχνά η εξής σκέψη:

"Πλήρωσα τόσα χρήματα. Περίμενα όλο τον χρόνο αυτές τις διακοπές. Δεν επιτρέπεται να μην περάσω τέλεια."

Αυτή ακριβώς η πεποίθηση δημιουργεί έναν παράδοξο μηχανισμό. Όσο περισσότερο προσπαθεί κάποιος να γίνει ευτυχισμένος, τόσο περισσότερο παρακολουθεί αν είναι πραγματικά ευτυχισμένος. Και όσο περισσότερο αυτο-παρατηρείται, τόσο δυσκολότερο γίνεται να βιώσει αυθόρμητα τη χαρά.

Ένα από τα πιο ενδιαφέροντα ευρήματα της Θετικής Ψυχολογίας αφορά τη λεγόμενη ηδονική προσαρμογή (hedonic adaptation).

Ο ανθρώπινος εγκέφαλος διαθέτει έναν εξαιρετικά αποτελεσματικό μηχανισμό προσαρμογής τόσο στα ευχάριστα όσο και στα δυσάρεστα γεγονότα.

Την πρώτη ημέρα των διακοπών το δωμάτιο του ξενοδοχείου φαίνεται εντυπωσιακό.

Τη δεύτερη ημέρα γίνεται φυσιολογικό.

Την πέμπτη ημέρα σχεδόν δεν το προσέχουμε.

Το ίδιο συμβαίνει με τη θέα, την παραλία, ακόμη και με το ηλιοβασίλεμα.

Ο εγκέφαλος συνηθίζει πολύ γρήγορα οτιδήποτε επαναλαμβάνεται.

Αυτό εξηγεί γιατί αρκετοί άνθρωποι αισθάνονται ενθουσιασμό τις πρώτες ημέρες και στη συνέχεια πιστεύουν ότι «κάτι χάλασε».

Λειτουργεί φυσιολογικά ένας εξελικτικός μηχανισμός που επιτρέπει στον άνθρωπο να προσαρμόζεται στο περιβάλλον του.

Η κατανόηση αυτού του φαινομένου βοηθά σημαντικά στη μείωση των μη ρεαλιστικών προσδοκιών.

Η κατάσταση αυτή περιγράφεται στη βιβλιογραφία ως Leisure Guilt, δηλαδή η ενοχή απέναντι στην ξεκούραση.

Δεν εμφανίζεται τυχαία.

Συχνότερα αφορά άτομα με:υψηλή τελειοθηρία,
έντονη εργασιακή ταυτότητα,
αυξημένη ανάγκη ελέγχου,
δυσκολία ανάθεσης ευθυνών,
χρόνια αγχώδη προσωπικότητα.

Για αυτούς τους ανθρώπους, η παραγωγικότητα έχει μετατραπεί σε βασικό στοιχείο της αυτοεκτίμησής τους.

Όταν σταματούν να εργάζονται, δεν χάνουν μόνο την απασχόλησή τους. Χάνουν προσωρινά και την αίσθηση της προσωπικής τους αξίας. Γι' αυτό κιόλας αρκετοί άνθρωποι οργανώνουν υπερβολικά φορτωμένες διακοπές. Ξυπνούν νωρίς, επισκέπτονται διάφορα αξιοθέατα, ακολουθούν δηλαδή συνολικά, ένα εξαντλητικό πρόγραμμα. Βέβαια, όπως είναι φυσικό, επιστρέφουν επομένως περισσότερο κουρασμένοι από όταν έφυγαν!

Οι διακοπές όπως φαίνεται, δεν αλλάζουν την προσωπικότητα ενός ανθρώπου, απλώς την αποκαλύπτουν. Ο εξωστρεφής αναζητά ανθρώπους, μουσική, κοινωνική αλληλεπίδραση και νέες εμπειρίες. Ο εσωστρεφής πάλι, αναζητά ησυχία, μικρές παρέες, φύση και χρόνο μόνος του. Το πρόβλημα όμως εμφανίζεται όταν κάποιος προσπαθεί να κάνει διακοπές σύμφωνα με τις προσδοκίες των άλλων και όχι σύμφωνα με τις πραγματικές ψυχολογικές του ανάγκες. Ένα χαρακτηριστικό παράδειγμα είναι τα ζευγάρια όπου ο ένας σύντροφος επιθυμεί έντονη κοινωνική ζωή ενώ ο άλλος χρειάζεται ηρεμία. Εάν δεν υπάρξει επικοινωνία, οι διακοπές μετατρέπονται εύκολα σε πεδίο σύγκρουσης. Ένα από τα πιο ενδιαφέροντα κλινικά φαινόμενα είναι ότι αρκετά ζευγάρια αναφέρουν πως οι μεγαλύτεροι καβγάδες τους συνέβησαν... στις διακοπές. Αυτό δεν φυσικά σημαίνει ότι οι διακοπές δημιουργούν προβλήματα: Σημαίνει ότι αποκαλύπτουν προβλήματα που ήδη υπήρχαν. Στην καθημερινότητα, το ζευγάρι περνά περιορισμένο χρόνο μαζί, διότι η εργασία, οι υποχρεώσεις, τα παιδιά και οι μετακινήσεις λειτουργούν πολλές φορές σαν «ρυθμιστές απόστασης». Κατά τη διάρκεια των διακοπών, όμως, το ζευγάρι βρίσκεται μαζί σχεδόν όλο το εικοσιτετράωρο. Οι διαφορετικοί ρυθμοί, οι ανάγκες, οι προσδοκίες και οι ανεκπλήρωτες συναισθηματικές επιθυμίες εμφανίζονται πολύ πιο έντονα.

Δεν είναι τυχαίο άλλωστε, ότι μετά τους καλοκαιρινούς μήνες αρκετά θεραπευτικά γραφεία αναφέρουν αυξημένο αριθμό αιτημάτων για θεραπεία ζεύγους.

Οι οικογενειακές διακοπές θεωρούνται γενικότερα, από τις σημαντικότερες εμπειρίες ενίσχυσης της συναισθηματικής συνοχής. Πράγματι, η κοινή εμπειρία, η απομάκρυνση από τους γρήγορους ρυθμούς της καθημερινότητας και η δυνατότητα ουσιαστικής επικοινωνίας αποτελούν προστατευτικούς παράγοντες για τη λειτουργικότητα της οικογένειας. Ωστόσο, η περίοδος αυτή μπορεί να μετατραπεί και σε μία ιδιαίτερα απαιτητική ψυχολογική δοκιμασία.

Η καθημερινότητα λειτουργεί όντως συχνά ως ένας μηχανισμός που «διαχέει» την ένταση. Τα μέλη της οικογένειας εργάζονται, πηγαίνουν σχολείο, έχουν διαφορετικά ωράρια και περιορισμένο κοινό χρόνο. Στις διακοπές, αντίθετα, η συνύπαρξη είναι συνεχής. Οι γονείς καλούνται να ανταποκριθούν στις ανάγκες των παιδιών σχεδόν επί εικοσιτετραώρου βάσεως, ενώ ταυτόχρονα επιθυμούν και οι ίδιοι να ξεκουραστούν.

Αυτό δημιουργεί μία χαρακτηριστική ψυχολογική αντίφαση. Οι γονείς προσδοκούν να ξεκουραστούν, αλλά στην πραγματικότητα αφιερώνουν ακόμη περισσότερο χρόνο στη φροντίδα των παιδιών. Δεν είναι τυχαίο ότι αρκετές έρευνες δείχνουν πως οι γονείς μικρών παιδιών περιγράφουν τις διακοπές περισσότερο ως «μεταφορά της γονεϊκότητας σε διαφορετικό περιβάλλον» παρά ως περίοδο ανάπαυσης.

Από την άλλη πλευρά, για τα παιδιά οι διακοπές αποτελούν ίσως την πιο σημαντική περίοδο δημιουργίας αναμνήσεων. Η αναπτυξιακή ψυχολογία υποστηρίζει ότι οι θετικές οικογενειακές εμπειρίες ενισχύουν το αίσθημα ασφάλειας, τη συναισθηματική σύνδεση και τη δημιουργία μιας θετικής οικογενειακής ταυτότητας.

Ενδιαφέρον παρουσιάζει το γεγονός ότι τα παιδιά σπάνια θυμούνται το πολυτελές ξενοδοχείο ή το ακριβό εστιατόριο. Αντίθετα, θυμούνται το παιχνίδι στην παραλία, μια βόλτα στο ηλιοβασίλεμα, ένα αστείο μέσα στο αυτοκίνητο ή τη στιγμή που οι γονείς τους ήταν πραγματικά διαθέσιμοι.

Η διαπίστωση αυτή αποτελεί μία σημαντική υπενθύμιση ότι η ψυχολογική ποιότητα των διακοπών δεν εξαρτάται αποκλειστικά από οικονομικούς παράγοντες.

Τα τελευταία δεκαπέντε χρόνια, οι διακοπές απέκτησαν μια νέα διάσταση: τη δημόσια προβολή τους.

Παλαιότερα, οι φωτογραφίες των διακοπών προορίζονταν για το οικογενειακό άλμπουμ. Σήμερα, προορίζονται συχνά για εκατοντάδες ή και χιλιάδες διαδικτυακούς θεατές. Η αλλαγή αυτή δεν είναι αθώα από ψυχολογικής πλευράς.

Η συνεχής ανάγκη φωτογράφισης, βιντεοσκόπησης και δημοσίευσης μεταβάλλει τον τρόπο με τον οποίο βιώνεται η εμπειρία. Το άτομο παύει να λειτουργεί αποκλειστικά ως συμμετέχων και μετατρέπεται ταυτόχρονα σε παρατηρητή και σκηνοθέτη της ίδιας του της ζωής.

Αυτό το φαινόμενο συνδέεται με την έννοια της αυτο-αντικειμενοποίησης (self-objectification), όπου η προσοχή μετατοπίζεται από την εσωτερική εμπειρία προς τον τρόπο με τον οποίο αυτή θα παρουσιαστεί στους άλλους.

Παράλληλα, η διαρκής έκθεση στις εικόνες των διακοπών των άλλων ενεργοποιεί μηχανισμούς κοινωνικής σύγκρισης. Σύμφωνα με τη θεωρία του Festinger (1954), οι άνθρωποι αξιολογούν την προσωπική τους κατάσταση συγκρίνοντάς την με εκείνη των άλλων. Στην εποχή των κοινωνικών δικτύων, όμως, η σύγκριση γίνεται με επιλεγμένες, επεξεργασμένες και συχνά εξιδανικευμένες εικόνες της πραγματικότητας.

Από αυτή τη διαδικασία προκύπτει το γνωστό πλέον Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). Το άτομο αισθάνεται ότι οι άλλοι περνούν καλύτερα, ταξιδεύουν περισσότερο ή ζουν πιο έντονες εμπειρίες. Το παράδοξο είναι ότι το FOMO μπορεί να εμφανιστεί ακόμη και όταν κάποιος βρίσκεται ήδη στις δικές του διακοπές.

Ένας άνθρωπος μπορεί να απολαμβάνει μια ήρεμη ημέρα δίπλα στη θάλασσα και, μέσα σε λίγα λεπτά περιήγησης στα κοινωνικά δίκτυα, να αρχίσει να πιστεύει ότι οι διακοπές του υστερούν επειδή κάποιος άλλος βρίσκεται σε έναν πιο εξωτικό προορισμό.

Η σύγχρονη ψυχολογία προτείνει τη συνειδητή μείωση της χρήσης των κοινωνικών δικτύων κατά τη διάρκεια των διακοπών, επιτρέποντας στον εγκέφαλο να εστιάσει στη βιωματική εμπειρία και όχι στη δημόσια επιβεβαίωσή της.

Το σύνδρομο επαγγελματικής εξουθένωσης (burnout) αποτελεί ένα από τα σημαντικότερα ψυχολογικά προβλήματα της σύγχρονης εποχής. Χαρακτηρίζεται από συναισθηματική εξάντληση, αποπροσωποποίηση και μειωμένη αίσθηση προσωπικής αποτελεσματικότητας.

Ένα από τα συχνότερα ερωτήματα που τίθενται από ανθρώπους οι οποίοι βιώνουν burnout είναι το εξής:

«Αν πάρω δύο εβδομάδες άδεια, θα επανέλθω;»

Η απάντηση της σύγχρονης ψυχολογίας είναι περισσότερο σύνθετη από ένα απλό «ναι» ή «όχι».

Οι διακοπές μπορούν να μειώσουν προσωρινά τα συμπτώματα του burnout, αλλά σπάνια αρκούν από μόνες τους για την πλήρη αντιμετώπισή του. Εάν το άτομο επιστρέψει ακριβώς στο ίδιο δυσλειτουργικό εργασιακό περιβάλλον, με τις ίδιες υπερβολικές απαιτήσεις, τα ίδια ελλιπή όρια και την ίδια δυσκολία διαχείρισης του στρες, τα συμπτώματα συνήθως επανεμφανίζονται μέσα σε λίγες εβδομάδες.

Οι διακοπές, επομένως, λειτουργούν ως ευκαιρία αποκατάστασης, όχι ως θεραπεία. Η θεραπεία προϋποθέτει συχνά βαθύτερες αλλαγές στις εργασιακές συνθήκες, στις προσωπικές πεποιθήσεις και στον τρόπο ζωής.

Σχεδόν όλοι έχουν βιώσει τη χαρακτηριστική μελαγχολία της επιστροφής. Το ξυπνητήρι χτυπά ξανά νωρίς, τα ηλεκτρονικά μηνύματα συσσωρεύονται και οι υποχρεώσεις επιστρέφουν απότομα.
Η κατάσταση αυτή περιγράφεται ως Post-Vacation Blues και δεν αποτελεί ψυχική διαταραχή. Πρόκειται για μια φυσιολογική αντίδραση προσαρμογής στη μετάβαση από ένα περιβάλλον χαμηλών απαιτήσεων σε ένα περιβάλλον υψηλής γνωστικής και συναισθηματικής επιβάρυνσης.

Η έντασή του επηρεάζεται από πολλούς παράγοντες. Όσο πιο απότομη είναι η επιστροφή στην εργασία, όσο μεγαλύτερο είναι το εργασιακό φορτίο και όσο λιγότερος χρόνος υπάρχει για σταδιακή προσαρμογή, τόσο πιθανότερο είναι να εμφανιστούν συμπτώματα όπως μειωμένο κίνητρο, ευερεθιστότητα, δυσκολία συγκέντρωσης ή ήπια θλίψη.

Οι περισσότεροι άνθρωποι επανέρχονται μέσα σε λίγες ημέρες. Όταν όμως τα συμπτώματα επιμένουν ή συνοδεύονται από έντονη απελπισία και απώλεια ενδιαφέροντος, απαιτείται διερεύνηση για πιθανή υποκείμενη αγχώδη ή καταθλιπτική διαταραχή.

Από κλινική σκοπιά, οι διακοπές δεν αποτελούν απλώς μία χρονική περίοδο ανάπαυσης. Αποτελούν ένα ιδιαίτερο ψυχολογικό «εργαστήριο», μέσα στο οποίο γίνονται περισσότερο εμφανείς συμπεριφορές, πεποιθήσεις και μοτίβα σχέσεων που στην καθημερινότητα παραμένουν καλυμμένα από τις υποχρεώσεις και τη ρουτίνα.

Δεν είναι τυχαίο άλλωστε, ότι αρκετοί θεραπευόμενοι ζητούν να ξεκινήσουν ψυχοθεραπεία αμέσως μετά την επιστροφή τους από τις διακοπές. Για πολλούς ανθρώπους, οι ημέρες αυτές λειτουργούν ως περίοδος αυξημένης αυτοπαρατήρησης. Η απουσία του συνεχούς επαγγελματικού φόρτου επιτρέπει στον άνθρωπο να έρθει περισσότερο σε επαφή με τον εσωτερικό του κόσμο. Όσα μέχρι πρότινος καταπνίγονταν από τον γρήγορο ρυθμό της καθημερινότητας γίνονται πλέον δυσκολότερο να αγνοηθούν.

Η ψυχοθεραπευτική αξιοποίηση επομένως της περιόδου των διακοπών δεν περιορίζεται στη διαχείριση του άγχους. Μπορεί κάλλιστα, να αποτελέσει ευκαιρία ουσιαστικής προσωπικής ανάπτυξης.

Στη Γνωσιακή-Συμπεριφορική Θεραπεία (CBT) μάλιστα, ο θεραπευτής διερευνά τις δυσλειτουργικές πεποιθήσεις που εμποδίζουν το άτομο να ξεκουραστεί. Συχνές πεποιθήσεις είναι:«Αν δεν είμαι παραγωγικός, δεν αξίζω.»
«Δεν πρέπει να χαλαρώνω όταν υπάρχουν εκκρεμότητες.»
«Οφείλω να ελέγχω τα πάντα.»

Η θεραπεία εστιάζει στην αναδόμηση αυτών των γνωστικών σχημάτων και στην ανάπτυξη μιας πιο ισορροπημένης σχέσης με την εργασία και την ξεκούραση.

Οι παρεμβάσεις Mindfulness βοηθούν το άτομο να επανέλθει στην παρούσα στιγμή. Στόχος δεν είναι να αδειάσει το μυαλό του, αλλά να αναγνωρίζει πότε επιστρέφει διαρκώς στις ίδιες αγχογόνες σκέψεις και να επαναφέρει την προσοχή του στη βιωματική εμπειρία.

Στη θεραπεία ζεύγους, οι διακοπές χρησιμοποιούνται συχνά ως ευκαιρία διερεύνησης των πραγματικών αναγκών κάθε συντρόφου. Πολλές συγκρούσεις δεν αφορούν τον προορισμό ή το πρόγραμμα, αλλά βαθύτερες ανάγκες για αποδοχή, ασφάλεια, αναγνώριση ή αυτονομία.

Η σύγχρονη βιβλιογραφία καταλήγει σε ορισμένες βασικές κατευθύνσεις:

1. Αποσυνδεθείτε πραγματικά από την εργασία.

Η απουσία από το γραφείο δεν αρκεί όταν ο νους παραμένει εκεί.

2. Μην προσπαθείτε να ζήσετε "τέλειες" διακοπές.

Οι πιο ουσιαστικές εμπειρίες είναι συνήθως οι πιο αυθεντικές και όχι οι πιο εντυπωσιακές.

3. Περιορίστε την έκθεση στα μέσα κοινωνικής δικτύωσης.

Οι διακοπές δεν χρειάζονται κοινό για να έχουν αξία.

4. Αφήστε χρόνο χωρίς πρόγραμμα.

Η δημιουργικότητα και η ψυχική αποκατάσταση εμφανίζονται συχνά στις στιγμές που δεν υπάρχει συγκεκριμένος στόχος.

5. Περάστε χρόνο στη φύση.

Η επαφή με φυσικά περιβάλλοντα έχει αποδειχθεί ότι μειώνει τη φυσιολογική ενεργοποίηση του στρες και ενισχύει τη συναισθηματική ευεξία.

6. Επενδύστε στις σχέσεις.

Οι πιο ανθεκτικές αναμνήσεις δημιουργούνται μέσα από ουσιαστικές συζητήσεις και κοινές εμπειρίες και όχι μέσα από φωτογραφίες.

7. Επιστρέψτε σταδιακά.

Εάν είναι δυνατόν, αφήστε μία ημέρα ανάμεσα στην επιστροφή και στην πρώτη ημέρα εργασίας.

Οι διακοπές αποτελούν πολύ περισσότερα από μια περίοδο αποχής από την εργασία. Αποτελούν μια σύνθετη ψυχολογική διαδικασία κατά την οποία ο άνθρωπος επαναπροσδιορίζει τη σχέση του με τον χρόνο, με τον εαυτό του και με τους σημαντικούς άλλους. Είναι η περίοδος κατά την οποία ο εγκέφαλος έχει τη δυνατότητα να ανακτήσει γνωστικούς και συναισθηματικούς πόρους, να μειώσει τη φυσιολογική επιβάρυνση του χρόνιου στρες και να δημιουργήσει νέες εμπειρίες που ενισχύουν την ψυχική ανθεκτικότητα.

Παράλληλα, όμως, οι διακοπές λειτουργούν ως ένας καθρέφτης της προσωπικότητας. Αποκαλύπτουν τις δυσκολίες αποσύνδεσης από την εργασία, τις δυσλειτουργικές πεποιθήσεις γύρω από την παραγωγικότητα, τις πραγματικές ποιότητες των διαπροσωπικών σχέσεων και τις ανάγκες που συχνά παραμελούνται μέσα στην ένταση της καθημερινότητας.

Από τη σκοπιά της κλινικής ψυχολογίας, οι διακοπές δεν πρέπει να αντιμετωπίζονται μόνο ως μέσο ξεκούρασης, αλλά ως μια ευκαιρία αυτοπαρατήρησης και προσωπικής ανάπτυξης. Η ουσιαστική ψυχική ανανέωση δεν εξαρτάται από την απόσταση που θα διανύσει κάποιος ούτε από την πολυτέλεια του ταξιδιού του. Εξαρτάται από την ικανότητά του να αποδεσμευτεί από το χρόνιο στρες, να επιτρέψει στον εαυτό του να επιβραδύνει και να επανασυνδεθεί με όσα πραγματικά προσδίδουν νόημα στη ζωή του.

Ίσως, τελικά, οι πιο επιτυχημένες διακοπές να μην είναι εκείνες από τις οποίες επιστρέφουμε με τις περισσότερες φωτογραφίες, αλλά εκείνες από τις οποίες επιστρέφουμε λίγο διαφορετικοί: πιο ήρεμοι, πιο συνειδητοί και περισσότερο συμφιλιωμένοι με τον εαυτό μας.


Ψυχική Υγεία
Κοσσυβάκης ΝικηφόροςΛεωφόρος Πεντέλης 12, 152 35
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ΠΗΓΗ:

https://med-professionals.gr/art/11-iatrika-arthra/836-psychologia-ton-diakopon(accessed 11.8.26)

Up Against The Wall: Politics, Community & Psyche – in discussion with Bonnie Bright, PhD

Posted on 25th September 2017 in Video Lectures, Videos


https://www.andrewsamuels.com/up-against-the-wall-politics-community-psyche-in-discussion-with-bonnie-bright-phd/

What if this thought means I'm bad?

Clinical Psychologist Marcus Lewton with a letter to the adolescent who is frightened by their own mind.

03 August 2026

To every adolescent who has sat across from me and asked, "What if this thought means I'm bad?", and to every one of you I have not met yet.

People will have told you that adolescence is difficult. They will have told you about hormones, friendships, exams, and all the uncertainty that comes with growing up. But there is something they rarely mention.

Intrusive thoughts.

Thoughts that appear out of nowhere and stop you in your tracks. Thoughts that jar you, frighten you, make you question yourself. Sometimes they are not thoughts at all but images, of things you never wanted to picture.

At first they might have seemed ridiculous. You brushed them aside. You laughed at them. Perhaps they stayed a while and drifted into the background. Then, somehow, they stopped drifting. Maybe it was gradual. Maybe it felt like an explosion.

They began taking up more space in your day. You stopped enjoying the things you used to enjoy. Maybe you found yourself tapping a table, repeating phrases in your mind, asking people for reassurance, or confessing things that did not need confessing. Anything that made the anxiety ease, even for a few moments. You got good at hiding it, carrying out the compulsions without teachers or friends or parents noticing. It felt safer that way. Less embarrassing.

The first thing I want you to know is this.

You are not alone.

I also know what your OCD is probably saying as you read these words.

"Yes, but mine is different."

"You don't understand mine."

"These words don't apply to me."

They do. OCD has a remarkable ability to take your own intelligence and turn it against you.

If your intrusive thoughts or images are violent, sexual, blasphemous or simply disturbing, OCD begins asking questions no young person should ever have to answer. What if this thought means something about me? What if I secretly want this? What if I am actually a bad person? What if this is showing me who I will become?

Sometimes those questions alone are enough to make you want to hide in your bedroom and never come out.

So let me answer the question at the top of this letter as plainly as I can.

Almost everybody has thoughts like these. Most people notice them for a second, find them unpleasant, and let them pass. The difference is not the thought. The difference is what happens next.

And there is something else, something OCD will never tell you. It does not attach itself to things you do not care about. It goes for what matters most to you, and takes the shape of whatever you would least want to be. That is why it hurts as much as it does. If you were the person the thought accuses you of being, it would not frighten you.

The fear is not evidence against you. It is evidence of exactly who you are.

The shame feels real. The guilt feels real. But they are not yours to carry. They belong to the OCD.

One of the most important things I have learned, after years of working with adolescents from all walks of life, is that OCD creates a relationship with you that you never asked for.

For some people it behaves like a bully. It threatens catastrophe unless you obey, and you become frightened of not listening, or even of saying it out loud in case that makes things worse. For others it pretends to be a protector, convincing you it is only keeping you safe.

Either way, it hands you responsibilities no human being could carry. It tells you someone might die unless you perform a ritual. It tells you that if you do not repeat something enough times, something dreadful will follow, and it will be your fault.

Deep down you know that is not how the world works. But OCD does not care what you know. It wants you to feel responsible.

Life already feels uncertain at your age, and OCD hijacks that uncertainty, convincing you that certainty is something you have to achieve. So everything starts having to feel right. Walking, eating, breathing, entering a room, leaving it. Sometimes your own mind becomes the thing you fear most.

Whatever form it takes, it is not telling you the truth about who you are.

You ask the people you love for reassurance because for a few moments it quietens the fear. But the relief never lasts, and you find yourself asking again. And again. You start noticing the frustration in the people around you, not because they do not love you, but because they are frightened too. Then the guilt arrives, and the shame with it. You begin wondering whether you have become a burden. You start feeling disconnected from your friends, your family, and eventually from yourself.

That loneliness is one of OCD's favourite places to work. It grows louder when you are on your own, not because it is your friend, but because there is nobody there to answer back.

But it is still a relationship you never asked for. And relationships can change.

I want to tell you about a young person I sat with once. They came into the room and they cried. That was the whole session. They could not get the thoughts into words, and I did not ask them to. We sat there together while it happened. There was hopelessness in that room and I felt it too. But there was something else, and it took me a while to name it.

Nothing had been done. No ritual, no checking, no confessing, no asking me whether they were a bad person. The thoughts had arrived, and they had been unbearable, and they had been survived anyway. At the end of the hour that young person stood up and went home.

That is what recovery is actually made of. Not the thoughts stopping. The discovery that when they arrive, nothing has to happen next.

I have also sat with a young person certain they needed to be admitted to a hospital ward, because they had become too dangerous to be out in the world. They had done nothing. Nothing whatsoever had happened. They had had thoughts, and the thoughts alone had convinced them.

I watched that young person recover. Not overnight, and not easily, but steadily. Life slowly got bigger again. Friends came back. Confidence came back. Hope came back.

The first step is getting the right help. You will probably spend time on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube or Reddit looking for answers. Some of it will help. Some of it will frighten you, and some will leave you convinced you will never recover. Please do not let an algorithm decide your future. Find someone who genuinely understands OCD.

That can feel terrifying, because good treatment will eventually ask you to do the thing that feels impossible. It will ask you to have the thought, or the image, or the urge, and then not do what OCD demands afterwards. For a while your anxiety may be higher than it has ever been. You may feel worse before you feel better. That is frightening. It is also how recovery begins.

Telling somebody is the hardest part and the part that changes things. A parent, a GP, a teacher you trust. If you cannot say it out loud, write it down and hand it over. And if things ever get dark enough that you are frightened of what you might do, tell someone that day. Not tomorrow. That day.

If it helps, give this letter to a parent. They are often just as lost, and just as frightened of saying the wrong thing. There is help for them too.

I am not going to pretend any of this is easy. OCD will keep trying to convince you that you are the exception. That your thoughts are different. That you really do want the things you fear. Some days it will tell you none of this is OCD at all. Other days that you are better now and no longer need help.

OCD lies. It is extraordinarily good at lying.

There will be days when it convinces you that your future has disappeared. Do not believe it.

You are not dangerous. You are not broken. You are not alone. You are a young person living with OCD, and that is something that can be treated. One day these thoughts will no longer decide how you spend your day. One day they will no longer tell you who you are.

One last thing. You may find yourself coming back to this letter, reading it again, looking for the line that settles it. That is the OCD, and coming back to me is feeding it. Let my words stick if they are going to stick. There is no need to read this twice. Nothing changes here.

Everything changes out there, with somebody who understands OCD, when you let them help you change a relationship you never asked for.

MarcusMarcus Lewton is author of Intrusive Thoughts and Compulsions in Adolescent OCDA Psychoanalytic Framework for Treatment, published by Routledge.

SOURCE:

https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/what-if-thought-means-im-bad(accessed 11.8.26)

Overreliance on AI leaves students distressed

Studying at university is meant to help you gain skills and confidence — for many, AI usage seems to do the opposite.

15 July 2026

By Emily Reynolds


For better or for worse, generative AI tools are now widely used across academia. Their use is so widespread that some figures suggest over 90% of students use AI in one way or another, be that creating summaries, conducting searches, or completing essays. As these tools become more and more embedded, researchers are asking whether there may be downsides to relying on them too heavily.

In a new study, published in BMC Psychology, Wenlong Wang and colleagues found that students who relied more heavily on AI tended to have less confidence in their ability to succeed — a pattern that was linked to higher levels of burnout and anxiety. Their findings suggest that using such tools to help cope with the stresses of their workload may inadvertently undermine confidence and leave students more vulnerable to distress.

To understand the impact of AI tools, the team surveyed 1,623 undergraduate students from China. Participants completed questionnaires measuring academic stress, anxiety, burnout, and their belief in their ability to cope with challenges and succeed at tasks. They also completed a self-report measure of AI dependence, which focused not on how often they used AI tools, but how strongly they felt they relied on them for thinking, problem-solving, and getting academic work done. The researchers then looked at how these factors were related to one another.

Students who were under greater academic pressure were more likely to depend on AI tools, and those who relied more heavily on AI also reported higher levels of burnout and anxiety. But the researchers found that AI dependence was not just associated with these outcomes, but may actually help explain why they occur.

In fact, students who relied more heavily on AI tended to feel less capable of dealing with academic challenges on their own, a reduced sense of competence that was, in turn, linked to higher levels of burnout and anxiety.

This suggests that, while AI can help students navigate academic challenges in the short term, it might also reduce opportunities to build the confidence and sense of mastery that protect against burnout and anxiety in the long term. The findings also echo a growing body of research suggesting that regularly offloading cognitive work to AI can undermine people's capacity to think through problems independently, as well as their confidence in their own reasoning.

The study's analyses don't show whether dependence on AI actually causes lower self-efficacy, burnout, or anxiety, and it's possible that students who already lacked confidence were more likely to rely on AI in the first place. Future research could track students over time and test whether educational approaches that encourage students to critically engage with AI-generated content help preserve confidence and reduce reliance on AI.

Overall, the study suggests that AI is at its most beneficial when it acts as a scaffold for learning rather than a substitute for it — but that this is easier said than done (especially given its well-documented limitations, including inaccuracies and fabricated information).

SOURCE:

https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/overreliance-ai-leaves-students-distressed(accessed 27.7.26)

Fatigue in Older Adults

Fatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy. It can be a normal response to physical activity, emotional stress, boredom, or lack of sleep, but it can also signal a more serious mental or physical condition.

Everyone feels tired now and then. If you feel tired continuously for multiple weeks, you may want to see your doctor, who can help discover what’s causing your fatigue and identify ways to relieve it.
What causes fatigue?


Sometimes, fatigue can be the first sign that something is wrong in your body. For example, people with rheumatoid arthritis, a painful condition that affects the joints, often complain of fatigue. People with cancer may feel fatigued from the disease, treatments, or both.

Many medical problems and treatments can add to fatigue. These include:Having medical treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation, or recovering from major surgery
Infections
Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, thyroid disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Untreated pain and diseases like fibromyalgia
Anemia
Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders
Recent stroke
Parkinson’s disease
Taking certain medications, such as antidepressants, antihistamines, and medicines for nausea and pain

Talk with your doctor about any concerns you may have about fatigue and your health condition. Treating an underlying or known health problem may help reduce fatigue.
Parkinson’s disease and fatigue


Fatigue can be a non-movement symptom of Parkinson’s disease. It is common early on in Parkinson’s, but a person can experience fatigue at any point during the disease. If you or someone you know with Parkinson’s is experiencing fatigue, it’s important to talk with your doctor.

Emotional exhaustion: Can emotions cause fatigue?

Do you worry about your health and who will take care of you? Have you recently lost a loved one? Or have you lost your mobility and independence? Emotional stresses like these can take a toll on your energy. Fatigue can be linked to many conditions, including:Anxiety
Depression
Grief from loss of family or friends
Stress from financial or personal problems
Feeling that you no longer have control over your life

Not getting enough sleep can also contribute to fatigue. Regular physical activity can improve your sleep, help reduce feelings of depression and stress, and boost your mood and overall well-being. Yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and stretching may help reduce stress and anxiety and help you get more rest. Therapy or certain medications may also help relieve anxiety and depression that may be contributing to fatigue.

Talk with your doctor if your mental health seems to be affecting your sleep or making you tired.
What is chronic fatigue syndrome?


Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or ME/CFS, is a condition in which fatigue lasts six months or longer and is not related to other diseases or conditions. People with CFS experience symptoms that make it hard to do daily tasks like dressing or bathing. Along with severe fatigue that doesn’t get better with rest, CFS symptoms can include problems with sleep, memory and concentrating, pain, dizziness, sore throat, and tender lymph nodes.

Lifestyle habits and fatigue

Some lifestyle habits can make you feel tired, such as:Staying up too late. A good night’s sleep is important to feeling refreshed and energetic. Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
Having too much caffeine. Drinking caffeinated soda, tea, or coffee, or even eating chocolate, can keep you from getting a good night’s sleep. Limit the amount of caffeine you have during the day and avoid it in the evening.
Drinking too much alcohol. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that changes the way you think and act. It may also interact negatively with certain medicines.
Getting too little or too much exercise. Regular exercise can help boost your energy levels. Overdoing it without proper rest can cause stress and lead to fatigue.
Boredom. If you were busy during your working years, you may feel lost about how to spend your time when you retire. Engaging in social and productive activities that you enjoy, such as volunteering in your community, can help maintain your well-being.
Tips to feel less tired

Making changes to your lifestyle may help you feel less tired, for example:Exercise regularly. Almost anyone, at any age, can do some type of physical activity. If you have concerns about starting an exercise program, ask your doctor if there are any activities you should avoid. Moderate exercise may improve your appetite, energy, and outlook. Some people find that exercises combining balance and breathing (for example, tai chi or yoga) improve their energy.
Try to avoid long naps (over 30 minutes) late in the day. Long naps can leave you feeling groggy and may make it harder to fall asleep at night. Read A Good Night’s Sleep for tips on getting better rest at night.
Stop smoking. Smoking is linked to many diseases and disorders, such as cancer, heart disease, and breathing problems, all of which are associated with fatigue.
Ask for help if you feel swamped. Some people have so much to do that just thinking about their schedules can make them feel tired. Working with others may help a job go faster and be more fun.
Participate in activities you enjoy. Socializing with friends and family or volunteering in your community can help you feel more engaged and productive throughout the day.
Eat well and avoid alcohol. Eating nutritious foods can give you energy throughout the day. Staying away from alcoholic drinks can help you avoid negative interactions with medications.
Keep a fatigue diary. This can help you find patterns throughout the day when you feel more or less tired. It can also help you plan out activities that may give you more energy.
When should I see a doctor for fatigue?

If you’ve been tired or been experiencing low energy for several weeks with no relief, call your health care provider. They will ask questions about your sleep, daily activities, appetite, and exercise, and likely provide a physical examination and order lab tests.

Your treatment will be based on your history and the results of your exam and lab tests. You may be prescribed medications to target underlying health problems, such as anemia or abnormal thyroid function. Health care providers also may suggest therapy or certain medications to help reduce depression, anxiety, or other emotional contributors that are associated with fatigue. They may also advise that you eat a well-balanced diet and begin an exercise program.

SOURCE:

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/fatigue/fatigue-older-adults(accessed 24.7.26)

'Do we really want experiences mediated by algorithms and swipes?'

Jonathan Day reviews 'UberTherapy' by Elizabeth Cotton.

13 July 2026



Iintend this review to read like one of those letters that you find lost within the drawer of old furniture, that will likely end up at an auction, or house clearance. Upon buying the furniture, you discover this review like unearthing a time capsule. UberTherapy is a book on the sociology of therapy conceptualised within industrial relations. The book offers an insight into a zeitgeist we'll be reminded of when our grandchildren ask us about RealTherapy™ – 'so you used to meet a human therapist in-person, that's wild!' Followed by 'and you used to holiday where!?' [a location that is now unhabitable due to the consequences of the climate emergency].

I hadn't initially intended to start this review with doom, but then again, my copy was addressed directly to me by Elizabeth with the words 'it won't make you rich or happy'. My initial associations questioned whether Elizabeth meant the book, or my personal motivations to inhabit therapyland as both a patient and as a qualified psy-professional; had some kind of teletherapy taken place? A more relevant question might be, knowing that I would be neither rich or happy, why did I proceed to read the book? For me, I think the issues raised by UberTherapy cannot be denied or turned away from. Even if you, dear reader, do not currently work for or subscribe to a digital or uber-ized solution for your existential difficulties in living, you or a loved one may do tomorrow. So, I read on.

The prologue is a personal positioning, and makes clear that the book's project is not aiming to name, shame or indict those working in or making use of digitised intimacy. The prologue is emotive in how the personal and the political are intentionally linked, even though we might hope our consulting rooms can ward off the outside, something which psychotherapy has grappled with since its inception. Elizabeth certainly argues that projects like UberTherapy and Surviving work can instigate collaboration and solidarity rather than alienation and withdrawal from social life. This reminded me of the hope of co-operative initiatives and anarcho-syndicalism. However it remains unclear whether grassroots solidarity and organising like artisans can survive the forces and vast resources of capital. We are already witnessing the coercion of labour around a mass e-commerce model, hosted by platforms operated by ambitious technofeudalists (Varoufakis, 2023) marketing self-care rather than mutual aid.

I found the chapter titled Angerland to be a useful introduction to the forces and systems at work. Many patients and practitioners will be aware of these forces, but may not frame their experience within industrial and employment relations. Arguably this is the product of a workforce subject to sedition and alienation. Elizabeth effectively provides an overview which even those living off the grid can understand. What follows is the growth of the 'homo consumens' (Fromm, 1976:153) and Elizabeth holds a mirror up to us, and, how we manically try to escape from the facts of life through the phantasy of auto-intimacy (Zeavin, 2021). This poses the question; do we really want experiences mediated by algorithms and swipes? Or can we tolerate the frustrations and inconveniences of human interaction which constitute genuine relatedness?

A personal preference may be Elizabeth's style. Personally, I can appreciate sardonic comedy, and the lightening of the mood by referencing cultural phenomenon such as dating-app inspired interactions with various platforms. Some psychoanalysts say comedy and creative outputs are two resources to sublimate the angst is being alive.

In terms of my constructive critique of the book, Elizabeth is evidently invested in conserving the kind of help that helped her, namely, psychoanalytic/dynamic/ depth-orientated therapies – a set of ideas she revisits throughout the book. At various points she uses psychoanalytic ways of thinking to consider the dynamics enacted by UberTherapy. Yet I interpreted some ambivalence, such as chapter four, 'do you have to be a rich man to be a therapist?'. We know that few people ever make it to an psychoanalyst's consulting room... Whilst I too am sympathetic to depth approaches, I do wonder, what would happen if we just do away with psychotherapy all together? (Smail, 2018; Masson, 2012). Elizabeth goes some way in one of the later chapters RealTherapy™ to outline the potential emancipatory power of collective action, informed by Paolo Friere's approach to pedagogy and community capacity-building over bourgeois foreclosure.

To end, sometimes my book club ends with a pledge of action, so the last month's reading doesn't become an expensive paper weight. So, my pledge is to try and have a conversation about this book in my workplace. I might be referred to an EAP moodsplainer to 'manage' my feelings. Worse still, as I write I may be under the watchful gaze of the mental health 'first-aiders'.

SOURCE:

https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/do-we-really-want-experiences-mediated-algorithms-and-swipes(accessed 21.7.26)

Ζήλια και ερωτική σχέση: όταν ο φόβος συναντά την αγάπη

Η ζήλια είναι ένα συχνό και έντονο συναίσθημα στις ερωτικές σχέσεις. Πολλοί τη θεωρούν ένδειξη αγάπης ή πάθους, όμως στην πραγματικότητα συνδέεται περισσότερο με τον φόβο απώλειας και την ανασφάλεια παρά με την ίδια την αγάπη. Πρόκειται για ένα σύνθετο συναίσθημα που περιλαμβάνει άγχος, θυμό και αίσθημα απειλής, όταν πιστεύουμε ότι κάτι ή κάποιος μπορεί να «απειλήσει» τη σχέση μας.

Ψυχολογικά, η ζήλια ενεργοποιείται όταν αμφισβητείται η εικόνα που έχουμε για τον εαυτό μας μέσα στη σχέση: αν είμαστε αρκετοί, αν αξίζουμε να μας επιλέγουν, αν μπορούμε να εμπιστευτούμε τον άλλον. Γι’ αυτό και συχνά δεν σχετίζεται τόσο με την πραγματική συμπεριφορά του συντρόφου, όσο με εσωτερικές ανασφάλειες, χαμηλή αυτοεκτίμηση ή παλαιότερες εμπειρίες απόρριψης και προδοσίας.

Σε ήπιο βαθμό, η ζήλια μπορεί να λειτουργήσει ως σήμα ότι χρειαζόμαστε περισσότερη επικοινωνία ή επιβεβαίωση. Όταν όμως γίνεται έντονη και επίμονη, μπορεί να οδηγήσει σε καχυποψία, ανάγκη για έλεγχο, περιορισμό της ελευθερίας του άλλου και συχνούς καβγάδες. Τότε, αντί να προστατεύει τη σχέση, αρχίζει να τη φθείρει, δημιουργώντας έναν φαύλο κύκλο έντασης και απόστασης.

Σημαντικό ρόλο παίζει και ο τρόπος που σχετιζόμαστε συναισθηματικά. Άτομα που φοβούνται έντονα την εγκατάλειψη τείνουν να ζηλεύουν περισσότερο και να ζητούν διαρκή επιβεβαίωση, ενώ άλλα μπορεί να αντιδρούν απομακρυνόμενα, κάτι που συχνά εντείνει ακόμη περισσότερο τη ζήλια του συντρόφου. Έτσι, η ζήλια δεν είναι απλώς προσωπικό ζήτημα, αλλά επηρεάζει και τη δυναμική του ζευγαριού.

Το κρίσιμο σημείο είναι η διάκριση ανάμεσα στο συναίσθημα και στη συμπεριφορά. Το να νιώθει κανείς ζήλια είναι ανθρώπινο. Το να ελέγχει, να κατηγορεί ή να περιορίζει τον άλλον, όμως, βλάπτει την εμπιστοσύνη και τον σεβασμό, που είναι βασικά στοιχεία μιας υγιούς σχέσης. Η ανοιχτή επικοινωνία, με έκφραση συναισθημάτων χωρίς κατηγορίες, μπορεί να βοηθήσει σημαντικά στη μείωση των παρεξηγήσεων και στην ενίσχυση της συναισθηματικής ασφάλειας.

Ο ρόλος της ψυχοθεραπείας

Η ψυχοθεραπεία μπορεί να παίξει καθοριστικό ρόλο στη διαχείριση της ζήλιας, γιατί βοηθά το άτομο να κατανοήσει τις βαθύτερες αιτίες του συναισθήματος και τα μοτίβα που επαναλαμβάνονται στις σχέσεις του. Μέσα από τη θεραπευτική διαδικασία, ενισχύεται η αυτογνωσία, βελτιώνεται η αυτοεκτίμηση και αναπτύσσονται πιο λειτουργικοί τρόποι επικοινωνίας και συναισθηματικής ρύθμισης. Σε επίπεδο ζευγαριού, η συμβουλευτική μπορεί να βοηθήσει τους συντρόφους να χτίσουν εμπιστοσύνη και να αντιμετωπίζουν τις δυσκολίες ως κοινή πρόκληση και όχι ως προσωπική επίθεση. Έτσι, η ζήλια παύει να είναι απειλή για τη σχέση και μπορεί να μετατραπεί σε αφορμή για προσωπική και συναισθηματική εξέλιξη.



Ηλίας Κασσάρας
Ψυχολόγος MSc, MSc, PhD
Γνωστικός & Συμπεριφορικός Ψυχοθεραπευτής

ΠΗΓΗ:

https://www.askitis.gr/zilia-kai-erotiki-schesi-otan-o-fovos-synanta-tin-agapi/(accessed 13.7.26)

Do geopolitical events affect red card decisions?

New research investigates through the lens of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

06 July 2026

By Emma Young



As the World Cup continues, there have been controversies over some refereeing decisions and even allegations of bias. No matter the football competition or the country in which a match is being played, referees are obliged to follow a common set of rules, which are designed to ensure neutrality and uniformity in their decision-making, note the authors of a recent paper in the Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology and Economics.

However, referees are human, and there is evidence that certain factors can influence their thinking, with work finding that decisions on red and yellow cards tend to favour home teams, for example. For their study, Desirè De Luca at the University of Calabria, Italy, and colleagues set out to explore whether major geopolitical events — in this case, the Russian invasion of Ukraine — might affect high-level football refereeing decisions, too.

The researchers first created a data set from official UEFA match reports and score sheets for 3,187 matches played in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League between the 2015 and the 2024 season. A total of 2,184 of the matches were played before the start of the Russia–Ukraine war on 24 February 2022, and 1,003 came afterwards. For each match, the researchers noted the nationalities of the players and referee, as well as who received any red or yellow cards or had fouls awarded against them.

Referees are assigned by UEFA's central Referees Committee using strict criteria aimed at ensuring neutrality in a match, the team notes. However, when they compared data from before and after the outbreak of the war, they noted a distinct difference. Though Russian players were no more likely to receive a yellow card after 24 February 2022, compared with before, they were 34% more likely to be given a red card. Red cards are rare. But, given that the player is then sent off, and cannot be substituted, this difference for Russian players is meaningful, the researchers note.

Overall, these results suggest that while the outbreak of war didn't change how referees punished more minor rule infringements, when it came to decisions that involved the highest level of personal discretion, and the most severe sanction, they did. The team did not see any difference for Ukrainian players, so the change did not seem to reflect any general 'anti-war' referee sentiment, they add.

The team then looked at whether referee nationality was linked to the changes in red-card decision-making in relation to Russian players. They found that German, Polish, and Turkish referees didn't alter their red card behaviour after the outbreak of war. The data on Ukrainian referees was not clear-cut. However, English, Italian, and French referees were more likely to give red cards to Russians after the war began. The finding that the red shift was mostly explained by decisions from referees from some countries that publicly aligned themselves with Ukraine suggests that geopolitical differences may have influenced their behaviour, they write.

"Geopolitical conflicts are increasingly recognised as factors that can shape individual behaviour even within formally neutral and highly regulated environments," the team notes. Understanding whether and how these biases arise is crucial for understanding the broader impact of political conflict on individual behaviour, they add. This new work suggests that even referees in tightly regulated international sports competitions are not immune.

SOURCE:

https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/do-geopolitical-events-affect-red-card-decisions(accessed 13.7.26)

Βίντεο: Οι προκλήσεις που αντιμετωπίζει η Ελληνική ΛΟΑΤΚΙ+ κοινότητα

https://voiceup.avmag.gr/%ce%b2%ce%af%ce%bd%cf%84%ce%b5%ce%bf-%ce%bf%ce%b9-%cf%80%cf%81%ce%bf%ce%ba%ce%bb%ce%ae%cf%83%ce%b5%ce%b9%cf%82-%cf%80%ce%bf%cf%85-%ce%b1%ce%bd%cf%84%ce%b9%ce%bc%ce%b5%cf%84%cf%89%cf%80%ce%af%ce%b6/


Το Γραφείο του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου στην Ελλάδα συνδιοργάνωσε τη Δευτέρα 16 Μαΐου στις 18:00 ανοικτή εκδήλωση στο πλαίσιο των δράσεων για τη Διεθνή ημέρα κατά της ομοφοβίας, αμφιβοβίας, ιντερφοβίας και τρανσφοβίας (17/5) με την ομάδα υλοποίησης του έργου LGBTQI+ Voice Up: Project Greece.

Στο πλαίσιο της εκδήλωσης παρουσιάστηκαν οι κεντρικές δράσεις του προγράμματος και διεξήχθη συζήτηση με εκπροσώπους οργανώσεων της ΛΟΑΤΚΙ+ κοινότητας με συντονιστή τον αρχισυντάκτη του περιοδικού Antivirus Βασίλη Θανόπουλο. Στη συζήτηση συμμετείχαν οι: Άννα Απέργη (Σωματείο Υποστήριξης Διεμφυλικών), Αλέξανδρος Διακοσάββας (Αρχισυντάκτης LiFO, curator του Upfront Initiative για τη συμπερίληψη στο χώρο εργασίας), Τζωρτζ Κουνάνης (LGBTQI+ Employment Support Group), Χάρης Κούντουρος (Γραφείο ΕΚ στην Ελλάδα), Στέλλα Μπελιά (Οικογένειες Ουράνιο Τόξο), Νικόλας Μαλανδράκης (LGBTQI+ Voice Up: Project Greece) και Νικολέττα Πικραμένου (Intersex Greece).

Δείτε το βίντεο από την εκδήλωση στο οποίο εκπρόσωποι οργανώσεων της ΛΟΑΤΚΙ+ κοινότητας συζητούν για τα προβλήματα και τις διακρίσεις που αντιμετωπίζουν μέχρι σήμερα τα ΛΟΑΤΚΙ+ άτομα στην Ελλάδα.

ΠΗΓΗ:

https://voiceup.avmag.gr/%ce%b2%ce%af%ce%bd%cf%84%ce%b5%ce%bf-%ce%bf%ce%b9-%cf%80%cf%81%ce%bf%ce%ba%ce%bb%ce%ae%cf%83%ce%b5%ce%b9%cf%82-%cf%80%ce%bf%cf%85-%ce%b1%ce%bd%cf%84%ce%b9%ce%bc%ce%b5%cf%84%cf%89%cf%80%ce%af%ce%b6/(accessed 10.7.26)

Hot Flashes: What Can I Do?

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Hot flashes, a common symptom of the menopausal transition, are uncomfortable and can last for many years. When they happen at night, hot flashes are called night sweats. Some women find that hot flashes interrupt their daily lives. Research has shown that there can be different patterns of when women first experience hot flashes and for how long, and that African American and Hispanic women have hot flashes for more years than white and Asian women.

You may decide you don't need to change your lifestyle or investigate treatment options because your symptoms are mild. But, if you are bothered by hot flashes, there are some steps you can take. Try to take note of what triggers your hot flashes and how much they bother you. This can help you make better decisions about managing your symptoms. You can also visit My Menoplan, an evidence-based tool developed by NIA-funded researchers, to identify treatment and coping strategies best suited for you.



Lifestyle changes to improve hot flashes

Before considering medication, first try making changes to your lifestyle. If hot flashes keep you up at night, lower the temperature in your bedroom and try drinking small amounts of cold water before bed. Layer your bedding so it can be adjusted as needed and turn on a fan. Here are some other lifestyle changes you can make:Dress in layers that can be removed at the start of a hot flash.
Carry a portable fan to use when a hot flash strikes.
Avoid alcohol, spicy foods, and caffeine. These can make menopausal symptoms worse.
If you smoke, try to quit, not only for hot flashes, but for your overall health.
Try to maintain a healthy weight. Women who are overweight or obese may experience more frequent and severe hot flashes.
Explore mind-body practices. Some early-stage research has shown that hypnotherapy and mindfulness meditation could help with management of hot flashes.

Find more facts about hot flashes in this fact sheet (PDF, 146KB) provided by the NIH-funded Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation.
Nonhormonal medications to treat hot flashes

If lifestyle changes are not enough to improve your symptoms, nonhormone options for managing hot flashes may work for you. These may be a good choice if you are unable to take hormones for health reasons or if you are worried about the potential risks.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of paroxetine (Brisdelle), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant, to treat hot flashes associated with menopause. Researchers are studying additional antidepressants that could be prescribed for off-label use to treat this symptom. People who take an antidepressant to help manage hot flashes generally take a lower dose than people who use the medication to treat depression or other psychiatric conditions.

FDA has also approved a medication called fezolinetant (Veozah) to help treat moderate to severe hot flashes caused by menopause. Fezolinetant is a type of drug known as a neurokinin 3 (NK3) receptor antagonist. It works in the part of the brain that regulates body temperature.

When considering any medication, talk with your doctor about whether it is the right medication for you and how you might manage any possible side effects.
Buyer beware: Unproven, nonscientific 'treatments' for hot flashes

You may have heard about black cohosh, DHEA, or soy isoflavones to treat hot flashes. These products are not proven to be effective, and some carry risks such as liver damage.

Phytoestrogens are estrogen-like substances found in some cereals, vegetables, and legumes (like soy), and herbs. They may work in the body like a weak form of estrogen, but they have not been consistently shown to be effective in research studies, and their long-term safety is unclear.

Always talk with your doctor before taking any herb or supplement. Currently, it is unknown whether these herbs or other "natural" products are helpful or safe to treat your hot flashes or other menopausal symptoms. The benefits and risks are still being studied.
Using hormones to treat hot flashes and night sweats

Some women may choose to take hormones to treat their hot flashes or night sweats. A hormone is a chemical substance made by an organ like the thyroid gland or ovary. During the menopausal transition, the ovaries begin to work less effectively, and the production of hormones like estrogen and progesterone declines over time. It is believed that such changes cause hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.

Hormone therapy steadies the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body. It is a very effective treatment for hot flashes in women who are able to use it. They can also help with vaginal dryness, sleep, and maintaining bone density.

Hormone treatments (sometimes called menopausal hormone therapy, or MHT) can take the form of pills, patches, rings, implants, gels, or creams. Patches, which stick to the skin, may be best for women with cardiac risk factors, such as a family history of heart disease.

There are risks associated with taking hormones, including increased risk of heart attack, stroke, blood clots, breast cancer, gallbladder disease, and dementia. Women are encouraged to discuss the risks with their health care provider. The risks vary by a woman's age and whether she has had a hysterectomy. Women who still have a uterus would take estrogen combined with progesterone or another therapy to protect the uterus. Progesterone is added to estrogen to protect the uterus against cancer, but it also seems to increase the risk of blood clots and stroke.
Research on risks of menopause hormone therapy

In 2002, a study that was part of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), funded by NIH, was stopped early because participants who received a certain combination and dosage of estrogen with progesterone were found to have a significantly higher risk of stroke, heart attacks, breast cancer, dementia, urinary incontinence, and gallbladder disease. This study raised significant concerns at the time and caused many women to become wary of using hormones.

However, research reported since then found that younger women are at less risk and have more potential benefits than was suggested by the WHI study. The negative effects of the WHI hormone treatments mostly affected women who were over age 60 and postmenopausal. Newer hormone formulations seem to have less risk and may provide benefits that outweigh possible risks for certain women during the menopausal transition. Studies continue to evaluate the benefit, risk, and long-term safety of hormone therapy.

Before taking hormones to treat menopause symptoms, talk with your doctor about your medical and family history and any concerns or questions about taking hormones. If hormone therapy is right for you, it should be at the lowest dose, for the shortest period of time it remains effective, and in consultation with a doctor.
You may also be interested inReading general information about menopause
Finding out more about sleep problems and menopause
Downloading or sharing an infographic with tips for staying healthy during and after menopause
For more information on treatments for hot flashes


National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
888-644-6226
info@nccih.nih.gov
www.nccih.nih.gov


The Menopause Society
440-442-7550
info@menopause.org
www.menopause.org

SOURCE:

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/menopause/hot-flashes-what-can-i-do(accessed 7.7.26)

Educational psychology within the polycrisis

Dr Dan O’Hare and Dr Louise Edgington call for commitment and action.

28 January 2026


We are living in an existential moment for children, society, and our profession.

This is a time of deep rupture. Climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, ecological collapse, accelerating inequality, the extreme concentration of wealth and power, geopolitical instability, and rapidly advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence are not distant threats or abstract concerns. They are interconnected, mutually reinforcing crises, a polycrisis, and they are reshaping the conditions of childhood, learning, development, safety, and mental health. This polycrisis threatens the conditions that sustain human life and wellbeing

We were prompted to write this piece following the recent publication of the UK National Security Assessment that identifies ecological collapse as a major threat to national security. This was a frightening document to read. The National Security Assessment finds, with high confidence, that 'Every critical ecosystem is on a pathway to collapse – irreversible loss of function beyond repair'. The evidence for the crisis we are in is no longer contested. What is now in question is how institutions, including our own, choose to respond.

As a profession, Educational Psychology has been largely silent.

This silence is not neutral, it is a choice. And in the context of foreseeable, escalating harm to children and young people, it is an ethically and professionally dangerous one.

Educational Psychologists are explicitly trained to understand development within context – a professional strength which is often espoused. We know that children's wellbeing is shaped not only by individual factors, but by social, economic, political, technological, and ecological systems. When those systems are destabilising, the impacts on children are profound and unavoidable.

From a children's rights perspective, continued inaction is indefensible.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child affirms children's rights to life, survival and development (Article 6), to the highest attainable standard of health (Article 24), to education (Article 28), and to have their best interests treated as a primary consideration in all decisions affecting them (Article 3). Climate and ecological breakdown threaten all of these rights. No meaningful engagement with this reality means we are failing to uphold the principles that underpin our work.

Educational Psychologists are duty bound to prevent harm, promote wellbeing, and attend to the wider contexts shaping development. When systemic and scientifically established threats to children's futures are repeatedly evidenced and accelerating, professional silence cannot be framed as caution or neutrality. It indicates that our professional ethical obligations are not being met in practice.

It is alarming that Educational Psychology has failed to meaningfully engage with mitigation and adaptation, despite their centrality to the climate and ecological crisis.Mitigation involves acting to reduce the drivers of harm, including challenging systems, practices, and policies that exacerbate environmental destruction, inequality, and intergenerational injustice.
Adaptation involves preparing children, schools, communities, and services to live in a profoundly altered world dominated by instability, supporting psychological, social, and systemic resilience in the face of unavoidable disruption, loss, and uncertainty.

As a profession we have not seriously interrogated what mitigation or adaptation mean for our theories, training, ethical frameworks, leadership, or day-to-day practice. We have not asked how Educational Psychology must change in a future marked by climate anxiety, displacement, ecological grief, disruption to education, and repeated systemic shocks. We have not sufficiently questioned how our current models risk pathologising children's entirely rational emotional responses to a world in crisis.

Critically, these challenges cannot be addressed at the individual level alone.

The polycrisis demands multi-level action:At the individual level, supporting children and young people without individualising or medicalising systemic harm.
At the group and school level, helping educational systems to adapt their cultures, curricula, and practices in psychologically informed ways.
At the community level, strengthening collective resilience and mutual care.
At the national and policy level, using psychological expertise to influence preventative, ethical, and rights-based responses to systemic risk.

To continue focusing predominantly on individual adjustment, while the wider conditions of childhood deteriorate, is not only inadequate, it is professionally obsolete.

History will not judge our profession on whether this work felt comfortable or aligned neatly with existing frameworks. It will judge whether we acted when the evidence was clear that the stakes were existential. We are at a crossroads: either Educational Psychology evolves to meet the realities children are inheriting, or it continues to operate as if those realities are peripheral to its remit, ushering in its own obsolescence.

We further recognise that in times of existential crisis, reliance on parliamentary or institutional processes alone have repeatedly proven insufficient. History shows that transformative change has been driven by collective resistance including grassroots struggle, community organising, and acts of civil disobedience that disrupt harmful norms. These are predictable and often necessary expressions of collective distress. Educational Psychology cannot meaningfully engage with the polycrisis while ignoring the psychological and social power of collective action as a route to change.

There are already good examples of educational psychologists taking the matter into their own hands and shifting the focus of their work to acknowledge and confront the realities of the polycrisis. EcoEdPsychs, a grassroots community group, has worked to ensure that there is explicit reference to the climate and ecological crisis in the accreditation standards for trainee educational psychologists. This work has at its core an explicit recognition of the interconnected nature of climate justice, social, political, health, technological and economic concerns. Individual EPs have contributed to work with the Department for Education to sharpen their focus and understanding of issues relating to climate breakdown, sustainability, inequality and the psychological effects this has on children and teachers. Individual EP work has also been used by the UK Health Security Agency to synthesise the evidence base relating to climate change and mental health. Educators and schools are increasingly seeking out climate-aware EPs to help them understand how to support young people with the challenges we face.

Work by individual EPs or small groups is essential, but the polycrisis is fundamentally systemic and cannot be solved through individual efforts alone. To find solutions to these interconnected problems at the level of individual practice obscures the scale of the challenge and the need for collective action. Organisational statements and commitments can often appear symbolic, but they are not inconsequential. Statements and commitments from our professional leadership bodies establish legitimacy, signal priorities, offer a starting point for accountability and determine what work is considered permissible and valued within the profession.

Organisational commitments that are not followed through, with actions that rest on proper resourcing, risk running counter to any efforts. We have both been part of the British Psychological Society's Climate and Environmental Action Coordinating Group for the past three years. The members of this group represent dedicated climate, environmental and psychological experts in their respective fields. We have experienced the passion, energy and commitment of those members in every meeting. We have also watched in dismay as resourcing for the already voluntary group has dwindled, creating what has felt like a purposeful organisational limbo. In the context of the polycrisis this seems confusing at best. Such a group needs increased status, organisational clout and firm resourcing commitments over a number of years.

We need, and would urge, our professional leadership bodies, The Association of Educational Psychologists, The British Psychological Society, The National Association of Principal EPs, The Health and Care Professions Council, and The Department for Education, to act urgently and decisively commensurate with this moment.

Specific actions that we would see as important in this context are:The immediate convening of emergency, cross-sector discussions and professional CPD addressing the implications of the polycrisis for children, education, mental health, and educational psychological practice.
A profession-wide re-evaluation of the role of Educational Psychologists, explicitly engaging with climate and ecological breakdown, inequality, technological risk, and global instability.
The development of ethical, practice, and policy frameworks that explicitly address mitigation and adaptation across individual, community, and systemic levels.
Clear public leadership and time-bound commitments, recognising that delay itself constitutes harm.

Silence is no longer tenable and incrementalism is not sufficient. The conditions of childhood are changing rapidly, and our profession must change with them.

Dr Dan O'Hare

Dr Louise Edgington

SOURCE:

https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/educational-psychology-within-polycrisis(accessed 7.7.26)

How to find hope in a polycrisis

We’re living in a time of multiple, distinct yet overlapping crises and threats. Our journalist, Ella Rhodes, asks if psychology can help us to find a way to understand our strange new world and foster positive change.

03 July 2026

By Ella Rhodes




Every generation has lived through frightening times. Ancient civilisations rose and fell, modern history is pockmarked by wars, pandemics, genocide, inequality and struggle. But our current time feels distinct – we're more aware than ever of what is happening to our climate, conflict rages across the globe, and we are still struggling with the fallout from the Covid pandemic. Yet even in this backdrop of existential threat, we have little choice but to carry on with our normal lives – finding work, keeping our families housed and fed, paying the bills. Is it any wonder most of us feel powerless in the face of the polycrisis?

The World Economic Forum's 2023 Global Risks Report defines the polycrisis as situations where crises interact in a way where their overall impact 'far exceeds the sum of each part'. Like many, I often wonder what can help us to live in a time like this. So, I asked psychologists focusing on these current threats for their thoughts.
The climate crisis

According to UK government surveys, around 80 per cent of people say they are very or fairly concerned about climate change. This is a pattern seen across the globe, with wide support for taking action. Our concern also impacts our behaviour – Whitmore-Williams Professor of Psychology Susan Clayton from The College of Wooster in Ohio tells me that distress about the climate impacts people's decision-making in all areas of life, including careers, education, housing and finances. Sometimes, this distress can feel so all-consuming that we freeze.

'People are overwhelmed by the multiple existential threats we seem to be facing, and one response is just to tamp down on their emotional response and avoid thinking about the issues,' says Clayton. 'Of course, in the long run, avoidance is not an effective strategy'.

But, if we feel powerless to do anything about it, and the crisis is being caused by structural and global stressors, surely, as individuals, there's nothing we can do but avoid?

'Individual behaviour alone will not stop climate change,' agrees Clayton, but she says there is evidence that working together to campaign for systemic change can help give us more sense of control. 'There are ways of communicating about climate change which can help people to take action. Feeling our core values are at risk, having activist role models, and communicating in a way that emphasises personal risk can also help to drive people to work towards change. It's also important not to dismiss anger', adds Clayton. It can be a 'powerfully energising emotion'.
Crisis of community

If, as Clayton states, anger can promote positive action, is there a downside to us collectively drawing on this resource to demand change? According to Aleksandra Cichocka, Professor of Political Psychology at the University of Kent, there is.

'Feeling out of control and frustrated about the state of social affairs can make people cling to other things that make them feel more positively about themselves, at least in the short term,' she tells me.

'For example, they may want to invest in a strong positive image of their own country.' This concept is known as 'collective narcissism', explains Cichocka – it's a belief that one's own country is superior, exceptional and deserving of privileged treatment. Cichocka has found that frustrations surrounding our fundamental needs can be related to higher collective narcissism, with people feeling the need to emphasise their country's strength and independence.

However, high levels of collective narcissism are not necessarily related to building a sense of community or supporting others who live in their country, Cichocka tells me. 'We have found that people were willing to support policies that would make their country look good in the international arena, even if they might hurt fellow citizens. One example was Donald Trump's proposal to slow down testing for COVID-19. Our research found people high in collective narcissism would support that policy even if they were aware that it meant the virus would be more difficult to contain, simply because it would mean the US would look better in terms of infection rates.'

So how do we emerge from the paradoxical state where the building of community, belonging, and connection that could help people restore a sense of control is threatened by collective narcissism? Perhaps we start by looking at those in power.

Cichocka explains that some political leaders, and those leading social movements, are particularly skilled at making people feel more disadvantaged than they truly are.

'Consider societal groups that have traditionally been more privileged, such as men. Even though they may have lost some status, they still enjoy a privileged position in our society. Yet certain messages may make them feel like their status is threatened and that could make them feel vulnerable, even if this is objectively not the case. National populist leaders, for example, are skilful at changing the narrative to make people feel at a disadvantage. This isn't to say that actual, objective threats don't influence people's attitudes and behaviours, but it is often about how people perceive them. Around 20 years ago, we saw fewer differences between Republicans and Democrats in the US, for example, in terms of how they viewed national identities. Now, the way they construct identity and wider societal issues is diverging. In this way, certain threats and issues are seen as more suitable to be concerned about depending on your political affiliation… and obviously, political leaders give cues with respect to which of them are worth your attention, and then motivated processes kick in. People might, for example, downplay certain statistics in favour of others.'
The misinformation crisis

As Cichocka points out, if those in charge are making decisions about the information we consume and how it is shaped, how do we keep ourselves safe in such a minefield of misinformation?

Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Cambridge, Sander van der Linden, is the ideal expert to turn to on the subject. He is known for his work on approaches to providing psychological 'vaccination' against misinformation. I ask him how we can cope when information about these crises is coming at us constantly.

Humans tend to have a 'finite pool of worry', he explains. 'In surveys that ask people to rank the most important threats, what you see is that when there are things going on in people's lives that affect them in a very visceral way, whether it's unemployment or a pandemic, issues like climate change get replaced by shorter-term threats. People can't be fully engaged with long-term risks when there are short-term disasters happening too. The finite pool of things that people can worry about differs from person to person, but psychologically, people cope by parking certain threats or crises.'

Van der Linden agrees that when regimes take over popular media and education systems, it makes it incredibly difficult to think critically for ourselves. 'In the US, this issue becomes more and more relevant every day, and what's going on there in terms of authoritarianism is also spilling over to the UK.
'When people are manipulated, they make choices they wouldn't have made otherwise'

Across the world, there is decreasing freedom of the press. In the UK, much of the media is owned by a small number of companies, which makes the infrastructure more vulnerable to takeovers. There aren't just issues with trust in the media… it spills over to scientists and experts in so many areas. Trust in each other is the fabric of democracy. I'd say the polycrisis impacts human interaction on many different dimensions in quite negative ways.'

One main concern van der Linden points to is the democratic backsliding we see across the globe. He stresses that authoritarian regimes aim to create political apathy. 'It's a way for regimes to gain soft power. If we've learnt any lessons from history and standing up to authoritarianism, it is not to engage in anticipatory obedience or not capitulate to what an authoritarian government is expected to demand. The idea is people should not think "well, this is going to happen anyway, so we may as well sacrifice ourselves in advance, to control what we're giving up a little bit before they take it all away."'

Speaking about his main area of misinformation research, van der Linden says the proliferation of false and misleading information in the media and online limits people's agency. 'When people are manipulated, they make choices they wouldn't have made otherwise. Some people suggest that intervening in misinformation restricts people's freedom, but I don't think that can be the case when people's choices and environments are polluted by false information which they don't know about.'

Van der Linden's work has made him the target of harassment from hostile actors, and his colleagues have faced physical threats due to their research. 'That's why I'm doing more of this than ever,' he says, 'talking about the value of science and why we should trust it, and why science matters for policy. I think it's important for scientists and psychologists to speak about these things, so the public has a better idea of the value of their tax money being spent on science.'
Collective action

We've heard that social processes can push people apart. But what, if anything, can we do to bring us further together? At the core of Dr Sara Vestergren's (from the University of Reading) research is looking at the power of collective action, including protests and activism. 'We do know that taking action collectively is beneficial psychologically,' she explains. 'First of all, there is shared identity – helping to build a support system where you support others and they support you, which is empowering. Having relationships and bonds and feeling social connectedness makes you feel good.

'As well as improving our psychological wellbeing, collective action is pretty much behind every social change, including getting votes for women, and improving equality. Gaining equality has some way to go, but collective action has helped us to step closer to it.'

Vestergren explains that there is an over-reliance on targeting individual behaviour as a way to affect social change. 'It's an easy way out. If you put the responsibility on the individual, then the system doesn't need to change. For example, it's a lot easier to tell people they need to recycle to help with the climate crisis, but there's a lot of other things that require bigger changes and support from the government.'

Vestergren says that Social Psychology can offer a lot by helping people to work together to effect change. 'There are three main variables that are important for getting involved in collective action. People need to have a feeling that a social movement is something they belong to, and it needs to align with our values. Then you might start getting involved and develop a shared identity, which is important for sustained collective action. There is also usually a perceived, preferably collective, injustice. The third variable comes from Resource Mobilisation Theory, and that's collective efficacy; you need to feel like you can achieve something.'

Despite the social change that comes about through collective action and the individual psychological and physical benefits, activists are judged in a negative way. 'There are barriers to collective action, often we don't think about what we've actually achieved in activism,' says Vestergren. She points to groups such as Insulate Britain, which blockaded UK motorways, ports and roads in London and were met with a less than favourable response in the UK press. However, what isn't as well documented is that a review of these protests, by the Social Change Lab, found this action raised a debate on UK home insulation and may have had a role in bringing about a £1 billion home insulation policy from the government.

While there are risks for getting involved in collective action – particularly in the form of protests – Vestergren says that collective action can take less physical forms. 'There are a lot of privileged people, including myself, who have a responsibility to act and support where others can't and provide opportunities to act.'
A route out of despair

So how do we navigate feelings of despair and hopelessness in these most difficult of times? Do the experts have any takeaways that can help us? Cichocka accepts 'there is no one simple solution'. While she used to believe education and information could be the answer, she is aware that information alone won't help if people are not motivated to hear it. 'I think we need to work across disciplines and sectors to develop better theories and interventions that would tackle issues more systematically', she says, 'but it has to go hand in hand with policy and structural changes.'

Van der Linden says his approach to tackling misinformation through inoculation was developed 'by the people, for the people'. He is hopeful that, 'If enough people are pre-bunked or vaccinated against misinformation, then that misinformation won't have a chance to spread. I think the way to do that is through interpersonal or social inoculation,' he says. 'People can help to inoculate their friends, neighbours and colleagues… just as we can pass on misinformation to others, we can pass on inoculation.'

Sara Vestergren emphasises the importance of collective action, not only because of its individual benefits, but also the broader societal changes it can bring about. 'Many peaceful protests go on, which aren't reported because there's no violence or headlines. People forget that signing a petition or sharing information on social media can also be collective.

If you look online for causes you'd like to get involved with, there will be groups in your community. If you want to do more, to join a group, there are lots of networks online. Get involved by educating yourself, because if you're educated, you're also likely to spread that knowledge.'
Taking back control

If I've learnt anything from the psychologists who spoke to me, not giving in to despair and regaining a feeling of control feels the most vital. Taking some control of how we cope with risks and focusing on really improving our communities, rather than clinging to false images of our countries as perfect and all-powerful, can help us move away from collective narcissism.

There is a silver lining, though. Each generation tends to believe that society marched steadily forward until quite recently, only to take a sudden turn for the worse. It's a pattern that shows up again and again: people look back on the past as a period of coherence, shared values, and steady improvement, while the present feels more fractured, uncertain, and off course. Tim Wildschut and Constantine Sedikides (University of Southampton) have studied this recurring perception and given it a name: declinism.

'Cultural shifts, new technologies, and changing norms can make the world seem unfamiliar, even destabilising, especially when they challenge what once felt fixed,' they told me. 'Memory also plays tricks, smoothing over past tensions and amplifying present anxieties, so that yesterday appears more orderly than it truly was. It's worth recognising this tendency and making a conscious effort not to let it influence our outlook more than it deserves.'

So, my closing message to you. Educate yourself about misinformation, refuse to spread it and support others to do the same: this can give us agency over both our information and our physical environments. And take action as a collective, through protest and activism, whether in real life or online, to help us affect the change we truly want to see in the world.

SOURCE:

https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/how-find-hope-polycrisis(accessed 7.7.26)