Mindfulness is now routinely recommended for stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain and general wellbeing. It appears in psychotherapy, hospitals, schools, workplaces, smartphone applications and wellness programs. For many people it is useful. Research supports small-to-moderate improvements in several psychological outcomes, particularly anxiety, depression and pain (Goyal et al., 2014). However, the popular idea that mindfulness is intrinsically benign is not supported by the evidence....

“Narcissist” has become one of the most casually used psychological labels on the internet. A selfish partner, an arrogant manager, an emotionally unavailable parent or someone who enjoys attention may quickly be described as narcissistic. Clinically, however, Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is something considerably more complex. Narcissistic traits exist on a continuum. Confidence, ambition, pride, competitiveness and even a desire for recognition are not disorders. Personality...

A person who is distracted, forgetful, restless, emotionally reactive, socially withdrawn or overwhelmed by change may be experiencing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, trauma-related symptoms, executive-function difficulties—or several of these simultaneously. From the outside, these presentations can look remarkably similar. Underneath, however, their developmental origins, triggers and treatment needs may differ significantly. Trauma does not “turn into” ADHD or...