14 h. ago Should ChatGPT be your therapist? Why women are turning to AI for emotional support

With therapy waitlists at record highs and sessions costing £60+, some women are leaning on AI tools like ChatGPT to cope but can it really replace human connection?

Politics

6 d. ago BBC Countryfile star Adam Henson inundated with support as he shares emotional news

BBC Countryfile star Adam Henson has been a regular face on our TV screens for more than 20 years, and also shares tips and animal insights from his Cotswold Farm Park in Gloucestershire

Politics

2 w. ago Veteran with prescription for 'emotional support tigers' fuming as cops take action

Representatives for the Nye County Sheriff's department claim Karl Mitchell threatened to unleash his tigers on deputies when they came to seize them from his home

Politics

2 w. ago Psychologist warns about the dangers of becoming emotionally dependent on AI

Some Americans are using AI programs like ChatGPT to ask for emotional support and advice. But clinical psychologist Paul Losoff warned against getting to close to robots.

Events

2 w. ago Strictly Come Dancing star Tasha Ghouri holds back tears during 'surreal' life update

Tasha Ghouri has been inundated with support from fans after she shared an emotional update on her Instagram stories about her next move that's a departure from the dancefloor

Politics

3 w. ago I’m disagreeable – and it’s backed by science. Can I change my personality?

I scored low for agreeableness in a personality test for the ‘big five’ traits – does this mean I’m doomed to be disagreeable? I looked into how I can change who I amThe other day, a friend decided to playfully name our individual roles within the group: planner, emotional support, and so on. I was the fault-finder – or, as she put it, “the grumpy teenager” – who points out problems, but doesn’t suggest alternatives.She was only kidding around, but she struck at an insecurity I have: that I’m unacceptably, intolerably negative.I’m an adult. Why do I regress under my parents’ roof?I like my own company. But do I spend too much time alone?People say you’ll know – but will I regret not having children?Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change by Olga Khazan is out now Continue reading...

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3 w. ago Woman stuck in Puerto Rico as airline refuses to let emotional support parrot on flight

Maria Fraterrigo, 81, had flown into Luis Manoz Marin International Airport in San Jose, Puerto Rico without an issue, but when she got to the gate she was told to "get rid" of her emotional support parrot, Plucky

Politics

3 w. ago Man claims his 7 caged big cats 'rescued' from Tiger King are for 'emotional support'

Karl Mitchell, 71, said he had “'rescued' the big cats from 'Tiger King' Joe Exotic and that he kept them as 'emotional support animals', but his home was raided last year

Events

3 w. ago Emotional support animals may be a thing, but seven tigers? Sorry, this fad has gone far enough | Elle Hunt

Dogs in court, alpacas on trains the debate shows how much we lean on animals, and how little we regard their wellbeingIt’s not the first time that the justice system has been accused of going to the dogs – but it may be the first time it’s been meant literally.According to recent reports, defendants and witnesses in England and Wales have taken to bringing pets to court with them for emotional support, “causing chaos”. Judiciary officials have advised judges on how to deal with the issue after anecdotal reports of dogs barking, urinating and defecating, jumping up and otherwise disrupting proceedings. Assistance animals, such as guide dogs and medical alert dogs, are highly trained and covered under equality legislation to enter courts. “Emotional support animals” (ESAs), however, are not regulated in the UK; they may not necessarily even be trained at all.Elle Hunt is a freelance journalist Continue reading...

Politics