Author: Dorcas Onasa

When your mind feels overloaded, a few minutes of intentional movement, breathing or reflection may help you create some much needed space. Stress can show up in more ways than simply feeling worried. You might notice tension in your shoulders, a racing mind, restless energy or difficulty concentrating. When several demands pile up at once, even finding the time to slow down can seem like another task on an already crowded list. Fortunately, calming down does not always require a long meditation session or an entire afternoon away from your responsibilities. Mental health professionals recommend several short practices that can…

New research is examining how certain chatbot behaviors could reinforce ungrounded beliefs, particularly among people who may already be vulnerable. Artificial intelligence has quickly become part of everyday life. People use chatbots to organize their schedules, brainstorm ideas, answer questions and even talk through personal concerns. But researchers are now taking a closer look at what can happen when those conversations become extremely personal or prolonged. A June 2026 review published in NPP—Digital Psychiatry and Neuroscience proposed a framework called the “amplification spiral,” which explores how certain characteristics of AI chatbots could interact with existing vulnerabilities and contribute to increasingly…

Your home is supposed to be a place where you feel comfortable and protected. Yet some products used every day can expose you to chemicals that researchers have linked to cancer or other health problems. That does not mean using a particular household product will cause cancer. Cancer risk depends on many factors, including the type and amount of exposure, how long someone is exposed, and individual characteristics. Still, understanding where potentially concerning chemicals can occur can help you make more informed choices. Here are 10 household items worth paying attention to. 1. Cleaning products Some cleaning products can release…

British entertainer Yung Filly is headed for a second trial in Australia after a jury failed to reach a verdict on three serious charges connected to an alleged 2024 incident, even as he was found guilty on two separate counts stemming from the same night. What led to the case The case traces back to September 2024, when a woman said she met the performer at a Perth nightclub following one of his shows. According to her account, the two went back to his hotel room, where what had begun as a consensual encounter turned into a situation she says…

Grammy winning rapper Lil Durk is set to face a high profile federal trial that opens with statements on Monday in Los Angeles, in a case where prosecutors intend to use the artist’s own lyrics as evidence. The allegations against Lil Durk Prosecutors allege the Chicago born rapper, born Durk Banks, orchestrated a bounty on fellow musician Quando Rondo in retaliation for the 2020 loss of King Von, a member of his OTF crew who was fatally shot at an Atlanta nightclub. Authorities say the plan led to a confrontation near the Beverly Center mall in August 2022 that instead…

America’s history of racial violence casts a long shadow over how many Black communities view law enforcement today. Research from the Equal Justice Initiative documents more than 4,000 racial terror lynchings of Black Americans between 1877 and 1950. For decades, some public officials failed to protect Black lives during that era, and perpetrators of racial violence often faced no consequences. That history did not disappear when the practice ended. It left behind a lasting wariness that continues to inform how many Black families and communities respond when law enforcement announces conclusions in sensitive cases. Why scrutiny of investigations matters Calls…

The Democratic Party is facing a renewed conversation about the progressive politics that became especially influential around the 2020 election cycle. The debate has become particularly relevant as political campaigns revisit social media posts and policy positions from several years ago. Ideas that once reflected the center of progressive activism can now carry different meanings as Democrats consider how to appeal to voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The period is sometimes described as Woke 1, reflecting the first major wave of this modern political conversation. How woke politics changed The word woke originally described an awareness of social…

For millions of young adults, the markers that once defined success owning a home, landing a stable job, building long term savings feel further out of reach than they did for previous generations. Rising costs, a tight housing market and unpredictable career paths have pushed Gen Z to approach money differently than their parents did. Housing costs have climbed sharply in many cities, and rent alone has become a major hurdle for young people trying to live independently. Recent research suggests nearly half of adults in this age group are currently living with parents or splitting housing costs with roommates…

The space around you can influence how you feel, think and focus throughout the day. Light, sounds, scents, colors and even the objects within a room can all contribute to the atmosphere. Environmental and design psychologists say you do not need a major renovation to create a more comfortable setting. Small adjustments can help make a bedroom feel more restful, a home office more focused or a common area more inviting. Here are 13 practical ways to shape your surroundings. 1. Open the blinds in the morning Natural light can help you feel more alert when you wake up and…

The internet can deliver an enormous amount of information in seconds, but not everything that appears on a screen is easy to process. A person can move from an ordinary video to deeply upsetting material without warning, sometimes before there is even enough time to decide whether they want to see it. That constant exposure has prompted psychologists to examine what happens when disturbing material becomes a routine part of online life. The concern goes beyond feeling uncomfortable after seeing an upsetting post. Repeated exposure to highly emotional material may influence how the body responds to stress and how people…