Our Top Mental Health Stories of 2023

Insights and revelations that advanced understanding and resonated with readers

This was supposed to be the year we emerged fully from the pandemic. From a mental health perspective, not even close.

But hope is not lost. By bringing mental health issues out of the shadows and discussing them more openly, our collective consciousness gained a better understanding of the great need for improved mental healthcare resources and solutions individuals can lean into on their own or with professional guidance. In that spirit, several Wise & Well writers — journalists, doctors, research scientists, therapists and other professionals — created dozens of thoughtful, science-backed articles about a range of mental health topics that resonated with Medium readers.

Here are just a few our most important and widely read mental health stories of 2023, along with a selection of insightful comments from readers who participated in these vital conversations.

Coming to Terms With Mental Health Labels
Any helpful conversation about depression, autism, ADHD or any other mental health topic starts with thoughtful word choices. Psychiatrist and neuroscientist John Kruse offers sage advice on how to talk about — and write about — mental health issues, and when to use words like illness, disease and disorder.

“I think the term ‘condition’ rather than ‘disorder’ or ‘disease’ will make having a…