Mental Health Disclaimer
Off the Couch publishes educational psychology content. It is not a substitute for personal assessment, diagnosis, treatment, therapy or emergency care.
If there is immediate danger
If you or another person may be in immediate danger, is at risk of serious harm, or needs urgent medical or psychiatric assistance, contact the appropriate local emergency service or seek urgent professional help. Do not rely on this website for emergency response.
Educational information, not individual care
The articles, resources, videos and other material on Off the Couch are provided for general education and public understanding. They are not intended to diagnose any person, determine whether someone has a mental-health condition, recommend an individual treatment plan, or replace care from an appropriately qualified professional.
Psychological information can be useful for reflection, but the same behaviour or symptom can have different meanings in different people and situations. Personal history, medical factors, family context, culture, environment and current circumstances may all matter.
Reading the website does not create a clinical relationship
Using this website, subscribing to a newsletter, sending a general enquiry or reading material written by a psychologist does not by itself create a therapist–client, doctor–patient or other clinical relationship.
If you need individual psychological support, assessment or treatment, seek a suitably qualified professional who can understand your circumstances directly.
Do not use articles to diagnose yourself or someone else
Online descriptions of symptoms and behaviour are necessarily general. A checklist, article or social-media term cannot establish a diagnosis. We also avoid encouraging readers to diagnose partners, family members, colleagues, public figures or people described in news stories from a distance.
Medication, treatment and medical decisions
Do not start, stop or change prescribed medication, therapy or another treatment solely because of something you read on Off the Couch. Decisions about medication, treatment risks, side effects and changes in care should be discussed with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional who knows the relevant clinical history.
Information can change
Psychological and mental-health evidence develops over time. We aim to review important claims carefully, but no website can guarantee that every article reflects every new study, guideline or local service change immediately.
Publication dates, updates, sources and caveats should be considered alongside the content itself.
External links and services
Off the Couch may link to external organisations, services, research papers or public resources for additional context. A link does not mean we control that service or can guarantee its availability, suitability, privacy practices or current information.
If something you read causes concern
If an article raises concerns about your own wellbeing or someone else’s, consider discussing the issue with an appropriately qualified professional rather than relying on online interpretation alone.
For urgent situations, see Emergency Help & Resources. For how we research and present psychological information, see How We Research & Source Content.