SHANE​ WARREN

As we roll into the end-of-year season - family dinners, office parties, group catch-ups, and those “let’s do this every year!” barbecues - there’s always that one person.

A strange thing happens when a country starts arguing with itself: we forget who benefits. We trade side-eye with the person down the street who votes differently, while those who profit from chaos quietly toast another bumper quarter. We rage at each other online, and the engagement metrics purr. We are, as the saying goes, taking the bait.

What fascinates me and frankly disturbs me, is not whether guns are deadly. That is obvious. The real question is: why are guns clutched so tightly in the American psyche? Why, even after classrooms are turned into morgues, does the national conversation erupt in rage instead of reason? Why do so many cling to the “right to bear arms” as if it is the last thread of dignity they have left?

Suicide is preventable. Together, we can build a world where fewer families know this grief. A world where people don’t wait until it’s “too late” to ask for help. A world where, instead of silence, there is solidarity.

Those who have worked with me know I carry a deep fascination with politics. Not in the shallow theatre of who “wins the day,” but in the deeper way policy shapes how we live, how we feel, and even how we connect with one another. Politics, at its heart, is human psychology in action. And if we take a moment to look honestly at what’s happening in the world today, it’s hard not to feel a little unsettled.

In recent weeks, the world has been shaken by news of a tragic case: a teenager who died by suicide after reportedly using an AI chatbot as a substitute for companionship in his final days. According to court filings, the young person’s conversations with the chatbot shifted from homework help to discussions of anxiety, isolation, and ultimately, methods of self-harm. His parents have since taken legal action, alleging that the system not only failed to protect him, but in so

It’s funny, isn’t it? The way we can sit comfortably in our lives, sipping our drinks, clicking away on our laptops, all while a world of dysfunction and upheaval swirls outside, barely making a ripple in our calm.

Here’s the psychological quirk: the longer it’s been since we’ve done something joyful, the more likely we are to delay doing it again. Yes, you read that right. The more starved we are for joy, the more we tell ourselves: “Not yet. I’ll wait until it’s extra special.”

By adopting a positive perspective, individuals can easily navigate challenges and foster more meaningful and fulfilling life...

Vicarious trauma refers to the emotional and psychological impact experienced by individuals who are regularly exposed to the trauma...