Kyle MacDonald

I’ve put up a short update: signed copies of Sh*t Happens are now available directly from me, with an optional personalised message. For a limited time I’ll also include a free copy of Mike King’s The Nutters Club, while stocks last. buff.ly/qfo1HM1

Is it too late to get a refund on Eden Park tickets for Friday? Asking for a friend. 😬

This is unbelievable batting from India. And one of the batters is the same age as my daughter, who is in bed as she has school tomorrow

Fuel prices aren’t just an economic story. Rising energy costs flow into transport, goods, household budgets, and stress. Useful explainer on why prices may climb further. buff.ly/cjMqovh

Off the Couch: From the Archives... Negativity bias means the hard stuff often sticks more than the good. A useful older piece on optimism, pessimism and everyday wellbeing. buff.ly/sCJqjTY

Have you or someone you know been turned away from voting? Newsroom wants to hear from you! newsroom.co.nz/2026/10/27/e...

I'm a traditionalist when it comes to voting, and prefer the feeling of voting on the day. The running (dad) joke in our house is I vote late because I might change my mind...

The political right have failed to overturn democracy in Brazil and Serbia. What a great day.

A study of former GDR citizens links soft political repression — surveillance, denunciation, harassment — with higher distress and signs of inflammation. Control can harm health without overt violence. buff.ly/UmqZDHW

Ashley Tisdale talking openly about postpartum depression and wanting divorce is a useful reminder: distress after birth can show up in relationships, not just mood. Support matters. buff.ly/DHMBakw

Well done Brazil and Serbia.

The long-serving strongman leader of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, has conceded defeat in an election that pitted him and his right-wing party against a diverse student-led opposition movement that spent two years protesting his government.

The Government™ has made an ad about all these protests happening around the world, and it’s surprisingly honest and informative.

A useful interview with Galit Atlas on relational psychoanalysis, and what it means to meet the patient where they are rather than treating therapy as a fixed expert-patient binary. buff.ly/0R09t61

A useful piece on planning for spaciousness: not just fitting more in, but making room to reflect, reground, and support wellbeing. buff.ly/NHNDkXi

Depression in men isn’t always obvious, and suicide prevention needs attention beyond September. A useful reminder to notice warning signs and ask directly when you’re worried. buff.ly/F91c5Sz

Always fun hanging out with Tim Beveridge on The Weekend Collective and having a yarn about the weeks events. Even got a few plugs for solar power and the electrification of everything in 😜💚 buff.ly/UomSnwV

I’ve written about habit stacking and habit pairing: small ways to make useful changes less dependent on motivation, willpower, or becoming a completely different person by Monday. buff.ly/s4iqMU7

Public transport in Auckland is a million times better than when I was a kid. As Devonport kids we could catch the ferry to town (largely to go to Real Groovy) but that was about it.

Imagine if both Chris’s had the courage to say, “talking to gang members is fine actually. You can call it campaigning if you want, but does it matter?”

Love languages can sound like pop psychology, but the useful question is practical: are we offering care in ways our partner actually recognises? This piece looks at the research. buff.ly/l5KVqCR

A useful reminder from this study: for some people with severe depression, body clock disruption may be part of the picture. Not a simple explanation or fix, but sleep timing, routine and circadian rhythm can matter in mental health care. buff.ly/nHBQzl2

I don’t know if you will have noticed this. In the midst of an absolute crisis in every level of our health system, the Green Party announced a policy to massively boost funding to Health with a $30Bn investment over four years.

This was so bad ass Greens overtake Labour as the serious left party when? "Come on Nicola, let's get our credentials and credibility and put them to the test" she said. "If you've got anything to say about our plan, which I'm sure you will, come and say it to my face" www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

💚🫡 www.greens.org.nz/greens_to_de...

As cannabis becomes more available, older adults shouldn’t be left out of conversations about dependence and harm. This piece raises a useful clinical and public health question. buff.ly/CPhiyxR

AI chatbots can feel responsive and supportive, but this article reports links to addiction-like attachment, worsening mental health symptoms, and self-harm risk. Important questions for all of us. buff.ly/3zOyZV1

Interesting piece on flotation-REST — reduced environmental stimulation therapy — and anxiety/depression. I’d be cautious about big claims, but it’s a useful reminder that the body, nervous system and sensory environment all matter in mental health. buff.ly/il3aRca

Small, interesting study: a father’s scent appeared to help infants synchronise brain activity with an unfamiliar adult and engage in more energetic social play. A useful reminder that early connection is sensory and embodied, not just visual or verbal. buff.ly/CmV8Zep

Off the Couch: From the Archives... Decision fatigue is what can happen when too many choices leave us with less clarity, motivation and care for the next one. A useful idea for understanding mental overload. buff.ly/CRBKjBG

Research linking depression in pregnancy with higher rates of some neurodevelopmental disorders in children needs careful reading: association isn’t blame. It’s another reason to take perinatal mental health seriously and make support easier to access. buff.ly/Tl4KODx

A notable report on betting addiction as a public health cost: a government is suing betting companies for $191m, saying previous payments did not cover estimated treatment costs of $496m. The responsibility question matters. buff.ly/H0f67f5

Kratom is often described as a supplement, but this piece points to why the debate is growing: rising poison control calls and increasing concern from addiction specialists. “Supplement” doesn’t automatically mean low risk. buff.ly/mR9TxXO

AI, authorship and trust After a bestselling novel was pulled from a French literary prize shortlist. The hard question may be less whether AI can be used, and more what writers owe readers by way of transparency. buff.ly/3mYkgJg

Well, that was quite a half of rugby union…

The nocebo response is a useful reminder that expectations can shape how treatment is experienced. This piece looks at whether self-hypnosis may help with negative expectations around care. buff.ly/TJ2dXJX

The idea of an ‘addictive personality’ is simple, but addiction isn’t. This TIME piece is a useful reminder that addiction is a complex brain disorder, shaped by a range of factors, and can happen to anyone. buff.ly/if794Pz

A useful piece on “bracing” through the day, and the emotional cost of living in that kind of constant readiness. The nervous-system frame is a helpful reminder that stress is often embodied, not just something we think about. buff.ly/69DAwTH

Hamish and I spoke with Dr Caroline Ansley on The Nutters Club about cult recovery and coercive control. I’ve written more about what leaving can mean: not just getting out, but rebuilding judgement, connection, safety and trust in your own mind. buff.ly/nZZAyZF

Interesting piece on salvinorin A, a psychedelic compound that works quite differently from psilocybin or LSD. Animal studies suggest possible promise for pain, addiction and stroke models, but depression evidence is mixed and side effects remain a major barrier. buff.ly/Zjn7vOc

The “eight-hour rule” is a bit too tidy. This piece is a useful reminder that sleep needs vary, timing and regularity matter, and one bad night isn’t the end of the world. The goal is enough sleep over time, not a perfect number every night. buff.ly/fFtYFkP

Hamish and I were joined by Christchurch GP Dr Caroline Ansley to talk about childhood in a cult, coercive control, and why people leaving high control groups need practical help, compassion, and professionals who understand what they’re hearing. buff.ly/vF7Lw0m

A new column on mental health, relationships and families. Useful to see these conversations made more accessible — especially when they help people find language for experiences that can otherwise feel confusing or private. buff.ly/OiqjuzT

Kaden Shaw asked for help, and his family tried to get it. This report raises hard questions about risk thresholds, access to specialist mental health care, and what happens when distress isn’t treated as urgent enough. buff.ly/flrYU5T

Off the Couch: From the Archives... I’ve written before about bibliotherapy: how books can offer insight, comfort and reflection. Not a replacement for care, but sometimes a useful companion to it. buff.ly/RahLLLh