Vladimir Putin is expected to cancel Russia’s annual holiday parade at the end of July amid growing security concerns caused by Ukrainian drones, according to the UK.

In its latest update on social media, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) predicted that Putin would once again cancel celebrations around the “Day of the Russian Navy”, which is meant to take place on the last weekend of July.

It comes after Ukraine launched a series of successful long-range missile campaigns which have been causing havoc within Russia.

Putin marked the Day of the Russian Navy every year between 2017 and 2024 with a personal review of warships in the Baltic Sea off St Petersburg.

Ships from other fleets around the country would attend along with representatives from other nations.

But the main celebration was reduced in scale in 2024 and the 2025 parade was cancelled altogether, “almost certainly due to force protection concerns”, according to the MoD.

“This year, Russia’s main naval parade has highly likely been cancelled again due to continued security concerns,” the UK intelligence experts said.

It pointed out that a Ukrainian successfully attacked the Baltic Fleet near St Petersburg on June 3, which could have increased wider worries about safety.

The MoD said: “In the absence of the main naval parade, it is likely that Russia will hold a maritime exercise similar to its 2025 Exercise ‘July Storm’.”

The Kremlin ordered its navy to hold a series of drills last year in place of the usual grand display.

Putin also scaled back his annual Victory Day parade in May over fears about Ukrainian long-range strikes and battlefield challenges, in an apparent admission that the war is not going well for Russia.

The Russian president admitted in June that there are “problems” on the Ukrainian frontline, as his army fails to seize any more land.

Putin currently holds just a fifth of Ukraine’s sovereign territory, four and a half years after he first launched his illegal invasion.

A report from policy research organisation CSIS (Centre for Strategic and International Studies) also suggested this week that Russian losses now outnumber Ukrainian losses by a ratio of eight to one.

It comes after Putin ordered a “night of horror” on Russia’s European neighbour last night, according to Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha.

Russian strikes killed at least 17 people and injured dozens by launching 74 missiles and almost 500 drones across Ukraine.

Sybiha urged allies not to delay punishing Russia, adding: “War criminal Putin can only wage a vile and terroristic war against civilians, women and children. Because in his war against Ukraine’s Defence Forces, he cannot achieve a single result.

“Such strikes are grave war crimes and we are informing all partners and international organisations about them, calling for accountability and strong responses.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

While chart-topping musicians like Charli XCX and Dua Lipa have sparked a lot of conversation about the benefits of a low-key wedding ceremony in the last year, it seems their pop peer Taylor Swift is taking an altogether more elaborate approach when it comes to her big day.

For the last few weeks, rumours have been rampant that Taylor and her fiancé Travis Kelce are planning on tying the knot this weekend, shutting down an iconic New York landmark for the occasion.

But where have the rumours come from? And how likely are they to be true?

Well, here’s a quick run-through of all the questions you might have about what may well be the celebrity wedding of the decade…

Oh, come on. Really? Really?! OK…

She is a pop mega-star with 14 Grammys, seven UK number one singles and the highest-grossing concert tour of all time to her name.

He is one of the biggest names in American football, having played for the Kansas City Chiefs since 2013, winning the Super Bowl with them on three occasions.

Taylor and Travis got the whole world talking in 2024 when they began dating, and while the chart-topping singer is widely known for keeping her romantic life to herself (at least outside of her songwriting, that is) this is the most demonstrative and vocal she’s ever been about a relationship since her ascent to global fame.

In the summer of 2025, they confirmed they were getting married, with their engagement announcement becoming one of the most-liked Instagram posts in the site’s history.

Obviously, for the past year, there’s been plenty of speculation about exactly how the A-list couple plan on saying “I do”, but in the last couple of weeks, there’s been one theory that’s really taken shape.

While Taylor and Travis have both remained tight-lipped on the speculation, rumours have pointed to them getting hitched on either Friday 3 July or Saturday 4 July at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden arena.

New York City officials have confirmed to the BBC that someone successfully applied to have the streets surrounding Madison Square Garden shut down around the weekend of Independence Day, between Thursday 1 and Saturday 4 July – although crucially, they did not specify who was behind the request.

Fuelling the rumours that Taylor and Travis were behind this was a report in the New York Times, indicating that a number of the NFL star’s teammates and colleagues had booked themselves into a hotel around the venue for that weekend.

During a news conference at the end of June, NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani poked fun at the rumours while addressing a heatwave forecast for the city over the holiday weekend.

“My recommendation to all New Yorkers is to stay inside and stay cool,” he said, before joking: “And if you happen to be getting married at Madison Square Garden, you will be staying inside and you will be staying cool.”

Per ITV News, public records show that a permit to load and unload “theatrical materials” outside the arena between 29 June and 4 July was also successfully acquired.

On those dates, trucks emblazoned with “Garden Party” and “GP” have been spotted near the venue unloading a red carpet (which was promptly removed once pictures of it had been snapped), as well as a large white staircase, which we could easily imagine being part of a lavish wedding set-up for an event with a rumoured guest list of around 1,000 attendees, including family members, friends and celebrities from both the music and sports world.

TMZ has also claimed invitees have been required to sign electronic NDAs, with every invite being individually watermarked so any leaks can clearly be pin-pointed.

In the same article, the US outlet also alleged that Taylor and Travis were going all out, to the extent that they’re constructing a castle inside MSG as part of their wedding celebrations.

According to CBS News, a smaller rehearsal dinner for around 100 guests is planned for Thursday evening, with the bigger wedding taking place the following day, and the ensuing reception expected to carry on until around two in the morning.

It’s worth pointing out that Taylor and Travis wouldn’t be the first to marry at the site, with Sly Stone and Kathy Silva holding their wedding there in the 1970s.

A mass wedding in the early 80s also saw more than 2,000 couples simultaneously saying “I do” at Madison Square Garden, at an event sponsored by The Unification Church.

You know it. In fact, in the weeks leading up to her rumoured wedding day, Taylor made an appearance at Madison Square Garden, where she and her friends, actor Mariska Hargitay and Este and Alana Haim, were all seen wearing matching t-shirts emblazoned with the names of different famous women.

Taylor’s top featured the name “Stevie Knicks”, which naturally led some to jump to the conclusions that the former Fleetwood Mac star could be in some way involved in the bash.

Swifties will know that Independence Day is always a big moment in Taylor’s calendar, as she usually throws huge parties to celebrate the event.

Taylor is nothing if not meticulous, and if she really wanted privacy on her big day, requesting easily accessible permits that are a matter of public record would definitely not be the way to go about that.

As a result, many are speculating that Taylor and Travis’ supposed Madison Square Garden is actually a ruse intended to distract from their real wedding, either taking place on the same day or on a completely different date entirely.

Before the Madison Square Garden rumour became the dominant theory among fans, it was previously suspected that she and Travis’ wedding would take place in Rhode Island in June, which is perhaps worth keeping in mind, too.

True to form, precious little, although she was put on the spot about it during an interview on The Graham Norton Show last year, while promoting her most recent album The Life Of A Showgirl.

When Graham grilled Taylor about whether she was planning a “big” wedding, she said that she intended to invite him, to which the host quipped: “If you’re inviting me, it’s very big.”

“I’m doing the album [promo] now, and I think the wedding is what happens after that, in the scheme of the planning,” she said in October. “But really, I’m so excited about it. I know it’s going to be fun to plan – because I think the only stressful weddings are the ones where you have a small amount, and people are in ‘the bubble’. And you have to evaluate or assess your relationship with them, to see if they should be there.”

She added: “I’m not going to do that. Anyone I’ve ever talked to [is getting invited].”

HuffPost UK has contacted Taylor Swift’s representatives for comment.

Everyone – and I mean, everyone – I’ve spoken to this week has remarked on how tired they’ve felt.

I’ve felt it too. That level of bone-deep exhaustion that makes you feel like you could simply drop to the floor and drift off to sleep, even thought it’s 1pm.

And it turns out there’s a relatively simple explanation as to why there’s been this level of collective fatigue, especially in areas impacted by last week’s extreme heatwave.

In Japan – where the summers tend to be hot but also very humid (a bit like last week’s heatwave) – they call it ‘natsubate’, which Tokyo Weekender said translates as ‘summer exhaustion’.

The heatwave has had more of an impact on your body than you might think.

There are a few factors at play here. Dr Ginni Mansberg, a GP and co-founder of ESK, said our bodies work overtime when the weather’s super hot.

“Summer fatigue is a real phenomenon, although it’s not a formal medical diagnosis,” she told HuffPost UK.

“During a heatwave, your body has to work much harder to keep your core temperature in a safe range. That means diverting blood to the skin, increasing sweating and making your heart work a little harder.”

All of that uses energy, which can result in that tired, sluggish feeling. On top of that, you’re also sweating a lot to cool yourself down, which results in water and electrolytes being lost in the process.

“Even mild dehydration can leave you feeling tired, foggy and less able to concentrate,” added the expert.

“Add a few nights of poor sleep because it’s too hot, and it’s no surprise you’re running on empty.”

There’s also another factor that’s often overlooked, but will play a crucial part in tiredness levels.

Dr Asiya Maula, private GP at The Health Suite, highlighted that we tend to change our routines during a heatwave: “We often spend more time outdoors, walk more, travel more, exercise in warmer conditions or drink more alcohol at barbecues and social events.

“All of those place additional demands on the body and can contribute to that lingering feeling of fatigue.”

So, after a full week of disrupted sleep, dehydration, your body working overtime and shifted routines (potentially with a hefty dose of sunshine-fuelled socialising and booze), it’s going to take your body some time to feel refreshed again. And this is where your current ‘heatwave hangover’ comes in.

Dr Maula said: “Many people notice they feel unusually tired after a spell of very hot weather, even once temperatures have started to cool down. It’s sometimes referred to as a ‘heatwave hangover’, and it’s a very real response to the extra strain heat places on the body.”

Even people who have been mildly dehydrated can feel drained for several days afterwards, she added.

Recovery is usually straightforward. “The best approach is to continue drinking fluids regularly over the days that follow, eat balanced meals, replace electrolytes if you’ve been sweating heavily, and prioritise good-quality sleep,” said Dr Maula.

“Gentle movement, rather than intense exercise, can also help people feel more energised as they recover.”

With another bout of hot weather predicted for London this weekend and running into next week, it’s important to stay well hydrated, stick to early morning or later exercise sessions, and keep your home cool by shutting curtains and windows during the day.

And if your extreme tiredness doesn’t improve after a couple of weeks, becomes progressively worse, or is accompanied by symptoms such as chest pain, severe breathlessness, unexplained weight loss or persistent fevers, it’s important to seek medical advice, added Dr Maula, as fatigue can have many different causes beyond hot weather.

The Rochdale grooming gang leader has been released from prison – and, despite previous promises, is currently set to avoid deportation.

Shabir Ahmed’s victims were told in 2012 that he would be deported after serving his sentence for 30 child rape and sexual offences charges.

However, it now appears that he will not be sent to Pakistan, where he was born, despite being stripped of British citizenship.

There’s been a furious response to the revelation, with multiple critics calling for an urgent change to the law.

Here’s what we know so far.

Ahmed was one of nine men in the Rochdale grooming gang convicted of serious offences against five girls – some of whom were as young as 12.

They were given alcohol and drugs before being gang-raped.

He was jailed for 19 years but has now been released on licence, according to the BBC.

He will be forced to live at accommodation with 24-hour staffing and he will be subject to an “exclusion zone” around Rochdale.

Ahmed had dual British-Pakistan citizenship up until his conviction, when his British conviction removed.

However, documents sent to one of his victims this week showed he cannot be deported due to provisions of the Immigration Act 1971.

Having arrived in the UK before 1973, and having lived in the UK for at least five years before his deportation was considered, he is able to stay in the UK.

“There are two problems here,” skills minister Jacqui Smith told LBC. “Number one, there are a very small number of people who came to this country over 50 years ago from Commonwealth countries where the law doesn’t allow them to be deported.

“And, secondly, of course, in order to deport somebody, the country to which you are going to deport them needs to be willing to take them.

“We’ve removed this man’s British citizenship. He’s a Pakistani citizen.

“But there is also work that needs to happen in order to persuade Pakistan to take him back.”

Labour MP for Rochdale Paul Waugh told the Daily Telegraph that ministers should look at changing the law.

He said: “The people of Rochdale want him booted out of the country.”

Labour MP Jim McMahon for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton said Ahmed is a “very dangerous individual” who poses a “real, present danger”.

“It’s now been confirmed that he will not be allowed to return to either Oldham or Rochdale, but nevertheless that period has really been quite traumatic for many people,” he said.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp told the Today programme: “He’s a vile rapist who didn’t just organise the rape of young girls as young as 12 years old.

“He actually ran a gang, doing it on a huge scale. He should be kicked out of the country, deported back to Pakistan, and the law needs to be changed.”

The Conservative MP said he will be proposing an amending in the coming months to change the Immigration Act 1971.

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood is understood to be looking into the case and all options are being looked at.

The spokesperson said: “The government will always consider all options in these vile cases.”

A spokeswoman from No.10 said: “Ahmed’s horrific crimes were at the heart of the grooming gangs scandal that represents one of the darkest moments in our country’s history.

“He will rightly be on the sex offenders register for life, ordered to stay away from his victims and banned from contacting any child or young person.

“His every movement will be tracked, forced to wear an electronic tag and, on this specific case, we cannot deport someone who is protected by the 1971 Immigration Act.

“These were the same provisions which have protected many individuals caught up in the Windrush crisis.”

Labour MP Andy Burnham, who is expected to succeed Keir Starmer as prime minister in a matter of weeks, has said his government would explore “all possible options” to close the loopholes.

He wrote on X: “Like everyone, I want this vile criminal out of the country. Victims must come first. I will ask the Home and Foreign Secretaries to review all possible options – and they should consider nothing is off the table.”

In 2022, when he was Greater Manchester mayor, Burnham called on the Tory government to do “everything within [its] power to deport grooming gang members”.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

The three lions on the shirts of England’s football gear have become so strongly associated with the men’s national team that they’re nicknamed The Three Lions.

The women’s team, meanwhile, goes by The Lionesses.

The animals have been England’s official crest since 1863, when the Football Association was formed.

The lion is England’s national animal, and most of us know it’s also associated with royalty.

But why three – and why doesn’t the England team’s emblem match England’s non-football coat of arms exactly?

As we’ve said before, the crest was adopted by the Football Association when it was first founded.

But that’s because of a long, royal history of lions in England’s heraldry.

King Henry I had a lion on a red background on his coat of arms way back in the 12th century.

And when he married Adeliza of Louvain, whose father, Godfrey I, Count of Louvain, had a lion on his coat of arms, too, he added a second. That happened in 1121.

That meant King Henry I’s grandson, Henry II, was born with two lions on his coat of arms. But then he, too, married into a big-cat-coat-of-arms family: Eleanor of Aquitaine’s heraldic badge also contained a lion.

But, per the i Paper, it took Eleanor and Henry’s son, Richard the Lionheart, to combine the three lions into a single emblem.

That flag – three lions on a red background, or Gules, three lions passant guardant in pale or – was used by every Plantagenet king until the ascension of Edward III in 1327.

The Football Association would have had to ask for permission to use the Three Lions emblem due to its royal associations. But it doesn’t exactly match the royal version.

Firstly, the colours are different – England’s football badge is blue and white, while the historic version was red and gold.

And the England football badge has 10 Tudor roses on it. “The reason for the specific amount of roses is unknown,” the BBC said.

England’s football badge also used to have a crown on top. But in 1949, that was removed so as to distinguish it from the England cricket team’s emblem.

The star above the lions is a relatively new addition, representing England’s 1966 World Cup win.

Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff has admitted Labour did not do enough preparation before they were elected into government.

Morgan McSweeney, who was forced to quit over his links to disgraced peer and ex-ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson earlier this year, told the BBC his party was not ready to deliver quickly for voters after their landslide win in 2024.

His remarks come after Starmer announced he was stepping down as Labour leader and prime minister last Monday.

McSweeney told the Political Thinking podcast: “We didn’t prepare enough for what kind of world we were going to. We are now in a very different era than when Labour was last in government.

“I think we didn’t have enough conversations at the top of the party about what that meant, how to prepare for it, what that meant for the state.

“You have to deliver quite quickly for people, for them to see the change quickly. And I think we didn’t come in with enough of a theory about how we would do that.”

McSweeney said Labour should have been “way more optimistic” about the state of the country when it got into office in 2024.

The former aide ran Labour’s general election campaign. He was seen as a key element of Starmer’s rise to the top of the party and into No.10.

He added: “I take my own responsibilities for [not being prepared], rather than blaming one person.”

McSweeney sat as Starmer’s head of political strategy but after three months became his chief of staff once Sue Gray was kicked out of the role.

He added that he was still “processing” Starmer’s fall from grace and said Labour’s 14 years in opposition “went quickly”.

McSweeney also claimed that there was an expectation within the party that Labour would need at least two elections to return to power after its defeat in 2019 – which is why they were unprepared in 2024.

Labour MP for Makerfield Andy Burnham is expected to be crowned the next prime minister by July 20.

He is currently the only Labour MP who has announced his intention to run in the contest to replace Starmer.

But there has been some contestation from his team that Starmer’s departure timetable did not give Burnham long enough to come up with a sound plan for government.

They were allegedly hoping he would stay in post as a caretaker PM until September.

Starmer pushed Labour’s executive body to block Burnham from running to be the party’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election back in February.

After Labour was thrashed in the May elections, Josh Simons stood aside as Makerfield MP so Burnham – then Greater Manchester mayor – could run as a candidate.

Only MPs can contest a Labour leader.

But, Starmer clearly saw the writing on the wall after after Burnham’s comfortable victory in Makerfield and announced he was stepping down days later.

Despite Burnham’s rivalry with Starmer, McSweeney said he feels “optimistic” about the new era for the party.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Though Ryanair has recently launched a range of new routes and bases, including Trapani, Rabat, and Tirana, they’ve cut some flights too.

That includes reduced capacity at Athens, Chania, and Heraklion Greek airports, as well as cutting their Thessaloniki base altogether.

The Mirror reported that the airline has “slashed” flights in multiple EU and UK airports ahead of their 2026 summer schedule, too.

That includes locations like Malaga, Birmingham, and Dublin.

Per the Mirror, these include:

• London Stansted
• Manchester

• Berlin Brandenburg
• Cologne Bonn
• Hamburg

Passengers flying to or from these destinations are advised to check their bookings before flying to ensure they’re still going ahead.

The Mirror claimed these are part of an attempt to streamline profits as jet fuel prices soar.

Rising costs have led to cancellations and suspensions for airlines like:

• KLM

• Air Canada

• Asiana Airlines

• Delta Airlines

• Lufthansa

• SAS.

However, it’s worth noting that Ryanair is expanding its services in multiple locations and has mentioned in the past that the company isn’t especially worried about jet fuel shortages.

Some of the reasons they’ve given for cutting or reducing flights to airports include “uncompetitive costs” in Greece and the Air Passenger Duty (APD) tax in the UK.

“While Ryanair is growing modestly in London, many UK regional airports are being hammered by Rachel Reeves’ stupid decision to increase APD from today. This APD hike makes UK air travel even less competitive versus countries like Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia and regional Italy, where Govts are abolishing enviro taxes and being rewarded with rapid traffic, tourism and jobs growth,” Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said.

The CEO previously said Ryanair would move the three aircraft from its recently-ditched Thessaloniki base to those in Albania, regional Italy and Sweden.

The Government has issued a warning on oak processionary moth caterpillars “ahead of peak season”.

They have said it’s important for the public to “stay vigilant” as the “pest” begins to make its hairy way onto oak trees.

Not only can they harm the iconic trees, which The Tree Council has described as being “under threat” in the UK, but they can also cause irritation “and should not be touched under any circumstances”, the Government said.

They’re the caterpillar, or the younger stage, of the oak processionary moth.

The Forestry Commission’s Oak Processionary Moth Programme Manager, Dr Edward Straw, said we might see more of these than usual as “The warm weather in spring has led to oak processionary moth growing quicker than in previous years and we may see higher infestation levels”.

They’re about 2-3cm-long caterpillars with a grey body and a dark head with lengthy, white hairs. They usually form a nose-to-tail formation in groups as they travel down oak trees.

They have nests which the Government has said are usually teardrop-shaped or dome-shaped and can range from the size of a 50p coin to that of a melon. These look white at first, but can turn brown later on.

Forest Research said that while the invasive oak processionary caterpillar looks like harmless native species – including the lackey moth and brown tail moth caterpillars – there are ways to distinguish the “pest” from the rest.

They said, ”(The) oak processionary moth feeds only on oak and produces large nests on oak trunks and large branches from May onwards. Hairy caterpillars which are not on oak or are not associated with a silk nest are almost certainly not (oak processionary moths)”.

They’re usually found in the South-East of the UK.

Professor Nicola Spence, Defra Chief Plant Health Officer, said: “I would advise that members of the public living in the South East, Derbyshire and Dorset, avoid any contact with the caterpillar and its nests, as this can cause irritation”.

Firstly, they feed on the leaves of oak trees, which means they can hamper the trees’ growth. This can leave them more vulnerable to disease.

Secondly, the tiny hairs on the caterpillars’ bodies can “cause itchy rashes, eye and throat irritation and should not be touched under any circumstances,” said the Government.

Firstly, don’t touch them. Don’t even touch the nest, the government warned, as this could contain the irritating hairs.

Secondly, report any sightings so experts can keep track of the caterpillars.

“If you spot the pest, report the sighting via our TreeAlert portal. Alternatively, you can email opm@forestrycommission.gov.uk,” Dr Straw said.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) also said that “Due to the irritant hairs, control of this insect should only be carried out by professional contractors”.

The government previously said, “if you or someone in your care has a serious allergic reaction, get medical help. For less severe reactions, a pharmacist can provide advice on relief from skin or eye irritations.”

They also say that “if an animal in your care is seriously affected, get advice from a vet”, and warn to “Tell the medical person or vet you suspect it is due to OPM [oak processionary moth] contact.“

Did you know that Tesco had an own-brand product before the supermarket had even been named?

Yup ― Tesco was given its moniker long after it first went to Tesco Tea.

The TES came from supplier TE Stockwell’s name, and the Co came from founder Jack Cohen’s surname.

I had a vague idea Tesco, Lidl, and Aldi were all clever portmanteaus or acronyms.

But for some reason, I had no idea the letters in ASDA contained little Easter eggs about the company’s past too ― until today.

According to the company’s site, the Asquith family whose sons created ASDA were originally butchers. Peter and Fred Asquith went on to open some supermarket stores.

Meanwhile (in the 1920s) a group of dairy farmers united to form Hindell’s Dairy Farmers Ltd ― this included the Stockdale family.

By 1949 Arthur Stockdale turned that dairy collective into a single company called Associated Dairies & Farm Stores Ltd.

Noel Stockdale, Arthur’s son, met with the Asquith brothers and liked their work. So, in 1965, they officially joined together to form ASDA.

Per ASDA’s site, the name therefore stands for “ASquith + DAiries.”

The more I think about it, the wilder it seems that I never questioned the brand name…

Most of the company (67.5%) now belongs to private equity giant TDR Capital, City AM reports.

Mohsin Issa has 22.5%, while Walmart still has a 10% stake.

The American superstore had previously owned ASDA, the publication explains.

And according to Reader’s Digest, Walmart’s name has its own history ― it “was likely an abbreviation for Walton’s Market”.

Do you sometimes feel like your feelings need to stay on the back burner while you attend to everyone else’s, or find yourself saying “Don’t worry about me!” far too often?

This, BACP member therapist Joanne Strong said, could be a sign of “emotional over-functioning”.

Emotional over-functioning is “is where one person takes on responsibility for
another person’s feelings, emotional processing and regulation,” she explained.

“This is usually a habit rooted in childhood and isn’t usually a conscious decision, more a way of being that the individual has learnt to inhabit.”

Here, HuffPost UK asked Strong how to spot the signs of emotional over-functioning, as well as how it can affect your relationship and what to do if you notice it.

“If one person is emotionally over-functioning in a relationship, they will be attempting to process the feelings of the other person, or to keep the other person emotionally regulated,” the therapist said.

That can take a lot of different forms, she added.

But some common manifestations may include:

1. Minimising, and feeling somewhat out of touch with, your own feelings,
2. Feeling that the experiences, emotions, and needs of the ‘recipient’ of the emotional over-functioning take up more space or ‘air time’,
3. Avoiding, redirecting, and/or shutting down some emotions, like anger,
4. Resentment on both sides “and a reduction in intimacy, as the dynamic can interfere with the natural flow of feelings and communication between partners,”
5. An emerging parent-child dynamic as responsibilities feel unequally shared.

Strong said the dynamic often creates distance and resentment between couples.

“For the person who is emotionally over-functioning, they might start to feel they are ‘doing all of the work’, that their feelings ‘don’t matter.’”

Loneliness may creep in for this person, who could be left to feel that they’re dealing with their emotions alone.

“For the recipient, there is often frustration, a feeling of being unheard, as their feelings are expressed or soothed by their partner without them getting the chance to explore and express what is going on in their internal world themselves,” she added.

“The parent-child dynamic inherent in this pattern can lead to a power imbalance which will often show up in other ways.”

Strong pointed out that many people who emotionally over-function learned the bahaviour as a child, when they may have felt the pressure to regulate others’ emotions to help control their environment.

“It is a pattern of looking after what is ‘on the outside’, so that what is
‘on the inside’ can feel some safety and security. What gets left out is the internal world of the child, and this persists into adulthood,” she said.

To address this, the therapist added, we need to turn our attention inwards – “To tend to, explore, express and regulate the feelings that belong to self rather than other.

“Anything that fosters internal awareness and connection can help: meditation, journaling, creativity, yoga, self-expression. Therapy can be incredibly helpful because the focus is on cultivating this self-contact and care,” she ended.