Last Updated: September 14, 2026
At Behavior Secrets, we are committed to explaining mental health, emotional life and relationships in plain language that is faithful to the research. This Editorial Policy outlines our content creation process, quality standards, fact-checking methodology, safety rules and commitment to transparency.
On this page
Our Content Creation Process
AI-Assisted Writing with Human Editorial Oversight
Behavior Secrets uses generative AI language models (such as Google Gemini and Anthropic Claude) to assist in outlining and drafting articles from a curated set of sources. Every draft is then checked and edited by the named editor of its section. This technology allows us to create comprehensive, well-researched content efficiently while maintaining high quality standards.
Our 6-step process includes:
- Topic Selection: Human editors identify topics from the questions readers ask most, seasonal patterns (for example, seasonal mood changes) and developments in clinical guidance
- Research from Authoritative Sources: All content is grounded in our source tier hierarchy (see Fact-Checking Methodology below)
- AI-Assisted Drafting: A language model drafts the article from the selected sources, following detailed editorial guidelines
- Fact Verification: Human editors verify factual claims, statistics and treatment descriptions against Tier 1 and Tier 2 sources before publication
- Plain Language and Safety Review: We make sure explanations are clear, free of jargon, never alarmist, and that every article about a condition or a crisis points to appropriate professional help
- Regular Review and Updates: Articles are reviewed on a defined schedule and updated whenever clinical guidance changes
We believe this hybrid approach combines the efficiency of AI with the critical judgment of human editors, resulting in helpful, accurate content for our readers.
Fact-Checking Methodology
Source Tiers
We use a tiered source hierarchy to prioritize the most authoritative information available:
Tier 1 — Primary Authoritative Sources (Highest Priority)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health and the National Library of Medicine (NIH, NCBI, MedlinePlus), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), American Psychological Association (APA), American Psychiatric Association and the DSM-5-TR, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
Tier 2 — Strong Secondary Sources
Peer-reviewed journals (JAMA Psychiatry, The Lancet Psychiatry, Psychological Science, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology), Cochrane systematic reviews, academic medical centers (Mayo Clinic, Harvard Health, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Cleveland Clinic), university psychology departments and research labs
Tier 3 — Supporting Reference Sources
Psychology Today, Verywell Mind, Healthline, the Gottman Institute, Greater Good Science Center, and other established publications with named clinical reviewers
Source Hierarchy Rule
When sources conflict, we apply a strict hierarchy: government health agencies, professional bodies and peer-reviewed research take precedence over academic medical centers, which take precedence over consumer health publications. We document conflicting information and explain our reasoning when it affects what we tell readers.
Content Review and Updates
We review published articles at least once a year so that links, diagnostic terminology (DSM-5-TR and ICD-11) and public health resources stay current. When a major guideline from a body such as the APA, NIMH or NICE changes, or a reader shows us that something is out of date, we update the article and it shows an “Updated” date.
Safety Standards
Mental health content carries risks that most topics do not. Every article on this site follows these rules:
- We never describe methods of self-harm, and we follow safe-messaging guidance when suicide is discussed
- Articles that touch on suicidal thinking, abuse, psychosis or a mental health emergency point readers to crisis services and professional help
- We describe conditions and treatments without promising outcomes, and we never tell a reader to start, stop or change a medication
- Language is person-first and free of stigma; we do not use diagnoses as insults or labels
If you are in crisis right now, please use one of these services:
- United States: call or text 988 (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line)
- Immediate danger anywhere: call your local emergency number (911 in the US, 112 in the EU, 999 in the UK)
- Outside the US: findahelpline.com lists free, confidential crisis lines by country
Corrections Policy
We are committed to correcting errors promptly and transparently. We apply a three-level corrections framework:
Level 1 — Minor Corrections
What qualifies: Typos, grammatical errors, formatting issues, broken links, minor phrasing improvements that do not change meaning.
How we handle it: Fixed silently. No correction notation is added to the article.
Level 2 — Factual Corrections
What qualifies: Incorrect statistics, misstated diagnostic criteria, wrong dates, wrong source citations, inaccurate descriptions of a treatment or study, or other factual errors.
How we handle it: The error is corrected. The article’s “Last Updated” date is changed. A brief inline correction note is added near the corrected passage. We distinguish between:
- “Updated” — new information is available that supersedes the original
- “Corrected” — the original information was wrong and has been fixed
Level 3 — Significant Corrections
What qualifies: Misleading guidance that could affect a reader’s safety or treatment decisions, substantially wrong information, or errors that affected a large number of readers.
How we handle it: A prominent editor’s note is added at the top of the article explaining what changed, why, and when.
How to Report an Error
- Email: contact@behaviorsecrets.com
- Subject line: “Error Report”
- Include: The URL of the article, a description of what you believe is incorrect, and a source showing the correct information (if available)
Response timeline: We acknowledge all error reports within 24–48 hours, investigate within 5 business days, and correct verified errors immediately upon verification.
Quality Standards
- Accurate: Faithful to the current research, including where the evidence is thin or contested
- Accessible: Clear explanations without unnecessary jargon
- Practical: Concrete next steps a reader can actually take
- Careful: Never alarmist, never diagnostic, always pointing to professional help when it is warranted
- Respectful: Written for the person living with the problem, not about them
Conflicts of Interest and Disclosures
Behavior Secrets does not take part in affiliate programs, and our articles carry no affiliate links; the site is supported by display advertising. Advertisers have no say in which resources we mention or how we evaluate them. See our Advertiser Disclosure for complete details.
Behavior Secrets does not currently publish sponsored content or paid reviews.
Reader Privacy and Data
We respect reader privacy. We do not sell personal information. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
Contact Our Editorial Team
- General Questions: Contact Form
- Report an Error: contact@behaviorsecrets.com
- Content Suggestions: contact@behaviorsecrets.com
Your input helps us improve and provide more valuable content for our readers.
Thank you for trusting Behavior Secrets as your resource.