Psycho

Psyche

There are many paths to addiction: boredom, loneliness, sadness, past trauma or thrill-seeking. Sufferers describe how their addiction slowly took over their lives, the shame they felt, and their concealment strategies. Even if doctors understand it as a condition and not a lack of will, getting help is still very difficult for many.

The Road to Addiction

There are many paths to addiction: boredom, loneliness, sadness, past trauma or thrill-seeking.

When someone looks her in the eye, Christine feels like they are looking into the depths of her soul. She describes herself as "autistic and disabled" and daily life is a struggle. Her brain takes in every sound, without selecting what she should listen to, and the outside world is overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. Charlotte, a PhD student at the University of Toulouse, describes how she would try and fail to make friends by copying how others behave.

Living With Autism

Christine describes herself as "autistic and disabled" and daily life is a struggle.

Depression is a very common, and very treatable, mental health condition. But without proper support, it can be lethal. Three young adults who have suffered, or are still suffering, from severe depression explain what it's like.

Dealing With Depression

Depression is a very common, and very treatable, mental health condition. But without proper support, it can be lethal.

Narcissists are thought of as manipulators who turn everything to their advantage. But narcissists have a real problem: their sense of self is fragile and must be protected. They have moments of great confidence, followed by phases of crushing doubt. 

Confessions of a Narcissist

Narcissists have moments of great confidence, followed by phases of crushing doubt.

Based on several testimonies and expert opinions, this episode sheds light on attachment disorders, which can be caused by early life experiences. Parental divorce, abuse and harassment can result in trauma that permanently changes how the person relates to others.

The Pain of Insecure Attachment

Based on several testimonies and expert opinions, this episode sheds light on attachment disorders.

Can we love our children too much? Is it ever OK to regret having children? And are we doomed to pass on our own childhood traumas? These issues around parenthood are difficult to address openly.

A Parent's Legacy

Lucille recounts what she felt when her husband died shortly after the birth of their child; Nadjib evokes the feeling of loss that overwhelmed him when he had to flee his country, Afghanistan; and Ramona explains how she overcame her brother's accidental death.

Journeys Through Grief

Lucille's husband died shortly after the birth of their child.

Insomnia affects people from all walks of life. Angel turns to a sleep clinic in desperation, and Silvia realises that she must relearn how to sleep at night after falling asleep at the wheel. Sandra could no longer sleep after losing a loved one and now makes ASMR videos to help other insomniacs, while Maud gave up trying and instead uses her nights to work on creative projects.

Insomnia: The Longest Night

Sandra could no longer sleep after losing a loved one and now makes ASMR videos to help other insomniacs.

A few months after breaking up with her boyfriend, Trang became plagued by doubt over whether she did the right thing. Marisoa was abandoned by her son's father during her pregnancy, and the pain of not knowing why stayed with her for years. Toralf was powerless to stop one of his best friends from drifting away from him. 

Broken Up and Broken-Hearted

A few months after breaking up with her boyfriend, Trang became plagued by doubt.

How often do you say yes without really meaning it? Maybe instead of caving into wheedling and unwanted requests, we should learn to respect and assert our own boundaries. In this episode, we meet people who have decided to ditch life as an emotional doormat and politely, but firmly, say no.

Ditching Doormat Mentality

Meet the people who have decided to ditch life as an emotional doormat and politely, but firmly, say no.

Fear is a universal emotion that is key to our survival. But what happens if you are paralysed by fear? Jens speaks about his struggles with panic attacks that can overwhelm him and therapist Remy uses hypnosis to treat patients with phobias and panic attacks.

Fear

Fear is a universal emotion that is key to our survival. But what happens if you are paralysed by it?

Finding pleasure, understanding your body, accepting your fantasies, getting rid of guilt, feeling free in spite of the boundaries imposed by society: Desire is a complex thing. This programme explores desire in its most intimate and its most uninhibited forms, freeing it from the mental prison in which it is sometimes locked.

Sexual Desire

This programme explores desire in its most intimate and its most uninhibited forms, freeing it from the mental prison in which it is sometimes locked.

Illnesses, accidents, assaults ... Faced with traumatic events, a force within us allows us to overcome and move forward: resilience. Far from being an innate characteristic, it is a capacity that we can work on.

Resilience

Drugs have a bad press. But scientists have long been convinced that the use of psychedelics can sometimes be beneficial. The use of ecstasy, LSD and other hallucinogens could soon be authorised for therapeutic purposes. Should we change our relationship to certain drugs?

Are We Doing More Drugs?

Scientists have long been convinced that the use of psychedelics can sometimes be beneficial.

42: The Answer to Almost Everything

Grieving is always difficult. Relatives of the deceased can feel helpless and alone in with their painful emotions. A new generation of professionals are using new methods to help the bereaved move on from their grief.

Coming Back to Life

A new generation of professionals are using new methods to help the bereaved move on from their grief.

Re: Rethinking Grief

Loss challenges us as human beings. Losing loved-ones, losing our independence or even the thought of losing our lives can be very difficult. How can we live fully and learn from the pain of loss without it taking over our lives? Ronja Von Rönne finds answers by talking to an author, a boxer, a visually impaired gallerist and a 70 year-old techno DJ.

Learning to Lose

Streetphilosophy

Should artists and musicians be active cultural warriors in the war in Ukraine? Or should art provide solace from the brutality of war? Tracks East focuses on artists from countries devastated by war and how they are received in the west.

Culture Warriors: Art in Wartime

Should artists and musicians be active cultural warriors in the war in Ukraine? Or should art provide solace from the brutality of conflict? 

Tracks East

A man has enough sperm. Or so you might think - up to 600 million per ejaculation. And yet there is cause for concern: several studies have shown a significant decline in sperm count, especially in Western countries, in the last 50 years. Are we heading towards a sperm crisis?

Is There a Male Fertility Crisis?

Several studies have shown a significant decline in sperm count in the last 50 years. Are we heading towards a sperm crisis?

With the pandemic many people are losing their libido. Manuel and Caroline speak frankly about how they feel about desire and their sexual drives in lockdown.

Desire

Psycho Bugs

The pandemic has provided us with a painful reminder of how important physical contact is for our mental well-being. Individuals share their experiences of physical isolation.

Need a Hug?

The pandemic has provided us with a painful reminder of how important physical contact is for our mental well-being.

Bonuses and Extracts

Discover more

At once seductive and dangerous, historical myth and male fantasy, the femme fatale represents both erotic promise and a death trap to the male observer. Conceived at the end of the 19th century in the works of Gustave Moreau, Franz von Stuck and Lovis Corinth, the femme fatale was completely reinvented in the 20th century by many female artists.

Seductive and dangerous, the figure of the femme fatale in art was completely reinvented in the 20th century.

The Femme Fatale in Art

The decisive moment in 1618 that triggered the Thirty Years' War between Catholics and Protestants and changed the course of European history.

The decisive moment in 1618 that triggered the Thirty Years' War between Catholics and Protestants. 

The Defenestration of Prague

Tensions between Moldova and Russia are escalating over the breakaway region of Transnistria, an investigation on how prepared Europe is for another summer of wildfires, and a report from the Dissident Club in Paris.

Tensions in Moldova / WildFires in Europe

Tensions between Moldova and Russia are escalating with street protests and controversy over Russian secret documents.

ARTE Europe Weekly

Highly influential indie rockers from Boston, famous for such tracks as Debaser and Where is my mind perform in Paris as part of a European tour for their latest album Doggerel.

Legendary and highly influential indie rockers perform in Paris as part of their European tour.

Pixies - Live at the Paris Olympia

Behind his polite exterior lies a formidable leader with a ruthless character, ready to do anything to make China the world's leading power by the People’s Republic’s centenary in 2049. This well-documented portrait of the Chinese president gives an unprecedented insight into his politics and shows how Xi Jinping's personal journey has shaped his choices as he steers China towards world domination.

A portrait of the Chinese president giving an unprecedented insight into his politics and showing how Xi Jinping's personal journey has shaped his choices as he steers China towards world domination.

The New World of Xi Jinping

Eclectic American singer-songwriter Ben Harper performs from his latest album, 2022’s Bloodline Maintenance. Filmed at Ground Control in Paris.

Ground Control

Eclectic American singer-songwriter Ben Harper performs from his latest album, 2022’s Bloodline Maintenance.

Ben Harper

An exclusive investigation into the Russian paramilitary organisation Wagner, headed by oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin. 2,500 documents were leaked from Prigozhin’s servers by anti-Putin hackers, shedding light on this secretive group of mercenaries, a key element in the war in Ukraine.

Data Sources

An exclusive investigation into the Russian paramilitary organisation Wagner, headed by oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin. 

The Prigozhin Papers

Music director of the WDR Symphony Orchestra, Cristian Măcelaru takes his musicians on a tour of his homeland, Romania. A tour stopping in Timişoara, his hometown. On the programme: The Piano Concerto No. 2 by Johannes Brahms with soloist Simon Trpčeski.

Concert from the European Capital of Culture 2023

Conductor Cristian Măcelaru and the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne perform Brahms and Klaus Lang in Romania.

Cristian Mācelaru in Timişoara

Lyubov, which means love in Russian, is 80 years old and lives alone on the shores of Lake Baikal. She bears witness to this wonder of nature and possesses and unbreakable bond with the world’s deepest lake in Siberia. Her life here is hard, especially in winter, but she would not live anywhere else.

On the shores of Lake Baikal, an old woman lives alone in a beautiful place that is dear to her heart.

The Old Woman and the Lake

Working her way out of poverty as a sex worker all while supporting her family in Romania. That’s Andrada’s goal. She speaks confidently and openly about her work in a red-light district in Germany’s Ruhr region.  
This programme by German channel ARD is part of The European Collection, a joint initiative of European public media (ARD, ARTE, France Télévisions, SRG SSR and ZDF), coordinated by ARTE.

Portrait of a sex worker in the Ruhr region, Germany.  

Hard Life – I sell sex for money

Far from the metropolitan centre of Tel Aviv, Sderot show another side of Israel. One with high-levels of social deprivation and strong support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government’s controversial judicial reforms.

Sderot - The Other Israel

Far from the metropolitan centre of Tel Aviv, Sderot is a different Israel with strong support for Netanjahu and high levels of social deprivation.

ARTE Reportage

In El Salvador, gangs have terrorised the country for decades. But when Nayib Bukele was elected president in 2019, becoming the youngest head of state in Latin America, he vowed to take back control from the gangs by installing a state of emergency.

El Salvador: The coolest dictator in the world?

When Nayib Bukele was elected president in 2019, he vowed to take back control from the gangs by installing a state of emergency.

In Peru, every year, the people who live in remote mountain villages gather to build the Inca bridge of Q'eswachaka, a traditional structure of woven grass, and the last of its kind. This ancestral know-how inherited from the Incas, and the enduring spirit of community, enables the villagers to pull off a stunning feat of engineering, time and again.

In Peru, every year, villagers build the Inca bridge of Q'eswachaka from woven grass, and the last of its kind.

The Inca Grass Bridge of Q'eswachaka

One aspect of the war in Ukraine is being played out in the shadows. Our reporter met partisans in the Kherson region, which was occupied by Russian forces until last November. These Ukrainian civilians have set up resistance networks in Russian-occupied territories.

Ukraine: Resistance in Occupied Territories

Our reporters met partisans in the Kherson region, which was occupied by Russian forces until last November. Ukrainian civilians there have set up resistance networks in Russian-occupied territories.

Palestinian prisoners in Israeli gaols have fathered around one hundred children over the last ten years. Their sperm is smuggled out of prison to be used in IVF with their partners.

Israel-Palestine: Secret Babies of the Intifada

Palestinian prisoners in Israeli gaols have fathered around one hundred children over the last ten years.

With all the religious wars, the 17th century was a tense time in Europe. And in art one theme caught everyone’s imagination: the Virgin Mary.

Assumption of the Virgin - Nicolas Poussin

Look But Don't Touch

The Greek government is under intense pressure to explain how February’s tragic train accident happened. The crash has sparked widespread anti-government protests. We take a broad view of the state of gender equality across Europe and find out about a pioneering law to help menopausal women in Spain.

Greece train crash / Gender equality / Photography

Massive protests engulf Greece after a deadly train crash, with the public pointing fingers at the government.

From an incredibly varied selection of 19th century postcards, the Paris of the Belle Epoque (1871 – 1914) comes to life. Street-photography captured Parisians from all walks of life and conveyed the optimism and elegance of the period.

From an incredibly varied selection of 19th century postcards, the Paris of the Belle Epoque (1871 – 1914) comes to life.

Paris in the Belle Epoque

A look at how we are getting better at managing and conserving water supplies in drier parts of our planet like southern Spain, Israel and the desert city of Las Vegas.

Water

 A look at how we are getting better at managing and conserving water supplies in drier parts of our planet like southern Spain, Israel and the desert city of Las Vegas.

Good News From Our Planet

BirthStrike are a group of activists that are fighting climate change by not having children. A Fridays for Future for thirtysomethings founded by musician Blythe Pepino, they say that they cannot bring life into a world with impending ‘climate breakdown and civilisation collapse’.  

Birthstrike are a group of activists that are fighting climate change by not having children. A Fridays for Future for thirtysomethings founded by musician Blythe Pepino, they say that they cannot bring life into a world with impending ‘climate breakdown and civilisation collapse’.  

Psyche

Psyche

Living With Autism

Psyche

Dealing With Depression

Psyche

Confessions of a Narcissist

Psyche

The Pain of Insecure Attachment

Psyche

The Road to Addiction

Psyche

A Parent's Legacy

PsycheThe Road to Addiction

You may also like

42: The Answer to Almost Everything

Are We Doing More Drugs?

Re: Rethinking Grief

Coming Back to Life

Streetphilosophy

Learning to Lose

Tracks East

Culture Warriors: Art in Wartime

42: The Answer to Almost Everything

Is There a Male Fertility Crisis?

Psyche

Fear

The most viewed videos on ARTE

The Femme Fatale in Art

The Defenestration of Prague

ARTE Europe Weekly

Tensions in Moldova / WildFires in Europe

Pixies - Live at the Paris Olympia

The New World of Xi Jinping

Ben Harper

Ground Control