170. The psychology of acne

In Come As You Are, author Emily Nagoski uses scientific research and her years of experience as a sex educator to change the negative way that women talk, think, and feel about their sexuality due to years of misinformation and harmful cultural messaging surrounding sex. Arguing that a scientific perspective on sexuality can free women from unrealistic standards and help them to appreciate their individual experiences, Nagoski considers sexuality from every biological angle while dispelling cultural misconceptions along the way.

In this guide, we’ll follow Nagoski’s exploration of topics ranging from basic anatomy and the mechanics of sexual response to individual experiences of arousal, desire, and orgasm. As we discuss each of these concepts, we’ll compare Nagoski’s arguments to those of other experts in her field, discuss additional research on human sexuality, and add historical and cultural context to her ideas.

How can you improve your self-esteem? In The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem, psychotherapist and self-esteem expert Nathaniel Branden argues that the key lies in your behavior: What you do is the most important factor that determines your self-esteem.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to behave to improve your self-esteem, including by living with awareness and taking responsibility for your life and actions. You’ll also learn why so many techniques people recommend for raising self-esteem just don’t work. Along the way, you’ll discover what self-esteem actually is, why it matters, and how others affect it. Throughout, we’ll examine how modern scientific research supports or weakens Branden’s ideas (originally published in 1994), and we’ll provide practical strategies for implementing those ideas and improving your self-esteem.

You may have learned that a chemical imbalance in the brain causes depression, but that’s only part of the story. Biology lays the foundation, but trusted sources like the World Health Organization agree that your life experiences and the society you live in are the biggest causes of depression.

In Lost Connections, journalist Johann Hari investigates the psychological and social factors that contribute to mental illness (which he calls “disconnections”), as well as innovative social and environmental treatments for depression (or “reconnections”). Learn the questionable history of antidepressants, why Amish people hardely ever get depressed, and how mushrooms might be the antidepressants of the future.

Most people believe that mental and physical deterioration go hand in hand with aging. They assume that, with every year that passes, they’ll look and feel older, suffer more aches and pains, and become more susceptible to debilitating diseases that nudge them closer to death.

Entrepreneur, Silicon Valley investor, and best-selling author Dave Asprey argues that you can grow older in years and extend your lifespan without suffering these ill effects. In Super Human, he draws on advancements in anti-aging science to explore ways to slow down and reverse the aging process, optimize your mental and physical health, and extend your lifespan.

This guide explores Asprey’s advice for improving your health now while ensuring you live a longer, healthier, and more youthful life in the future. Additionally, we’ll expand on each of his ideas with research, advice, and actionable ideas from health practitioners and longevity specialists.

What if you could think yourself to better health and a happier life—using the power of your brain and your body, not by asking the universe to do it for you? Science writer David Robson argues in The Expectation Effect that your brain’s predictions about your body, your health, your intellect, and your emotions are so powerful that they create your reality. By changing what your brain predicts, you can change the reality your brain creates for you and the limits it sets for you.

Drawing on extensive scientific research, the book explores the expectation effects that shape your health, determine how well you age and how long you live, and influence how you respond to stress. Throughout the guide, we’ll look at the strategies Robson recommends for stopping the negative outcomes of expectation effects and creating positive outcomes, and we’ll connect his ideas to what other experts say about how you can use these effects to improve your health and happiness.

Many everyday people strive for wealth and happiness, but most of us struggle along the way and very few seem to achieve both. Still fewer share their insights about how to get there—entrepreneur and self-made millionaire Naval Ravikant has become known for doing this online, via Twitter, podcasts, interviews, and blog posts. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant is a collection of those insights on wealth and happiness compiled by business blogger Eric Jorgenson.

In our guide, we’ve followed the basic structure of The Almanack, which has two parts: advice on how to build wealth and advice on how to build happiness. In the first section of this guide, we’ll explore Ravikant’s principles for building wealth and in the second section, we’ll explore his ideas about building happiness.

Along the way we’ll explore what others have to say about wealth and happiness, and we’ll consider other factors that affect your ability to achieve these things.

Happiness is more than just a positive state of mind—it’s a state of being that enhances your health, strengthens your relationships, and fuels both your creativity and productivity. However, though many people are aware of these benefits and try to feel happier, their efforts often fail to create consistent, long-term happiness.

In The How of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky—psychology professor and recipient of the Templeton Positive Psychology Prize—addresses this challenge. Drawing from her extensive research as well as insights from leading scientists in the positive psychology field, she unpacks the factors that fuel happiness and provides practical strategies to nurture and sustain it.

In this guide, we’ll explore Lyubomirsky's thoughts on what contributes to long-term happiness and how you can amplify it in your life. Additionally, we’ll supplement her ideas with psychological research and actionable methods from other self-improvement authors and practitioners.