Thoughts — Emotions

We all need someone to lean on; and no, I am not (just) talking about the billboard hit from the 00’s with those catchy beats and killer moves. It's also a basic human need that we all share - how about we all share a high-five for relatability? According to our very own Malsow, our need to be loved and feel a sense of belonging is primarily our need to have intimacy, friendship, family and a deep sense of connection in our lives. I am always fascinated with human connection because even though we all have this one common need,...

  Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’d know that ‘Everything Everywhere, All At Once’ has been getting a lot of red carpet hype (and for good reason)! So, of course, I had to go watch the multiple Academy Award winner. But here’s the thing. I couldn't help but also watch it from a lens of mental health and see how familial patterns play out through various generations in the film. Now, when you look at the relationship between the mother, Evelyn, and her daughter, Joy, you see the complexities of how love can be defined so differently for...

Ugh, they are just trying to get more attention!  Does that sound familiar? Wanting to prove that you are not just doing things (like dressing a certain way) or crying just for attention? Feeling embarrassed for wanting more attention? It sounds like needing attention has a bad reputation.  Why is needing attention so shamed? Why is not needing attention considered cool? It doesn’t make any sense because we are hardwired for connection and attachment, and in so many ways, seeking attention helps us connect with others. Take, for example, one of the most human experiences known to mankind: as shocking...

Literally, everybody around me, and the current trend is to go and have an education abroad. We have this notion of the west and how the quality of education is better from what we have in India.  Don't get me wrong, some of the short term courses can be really insightful as well. But intersectionality and privilege are two things that cannot be isolated from mental health. The culture and the background that a person comes from play a large role in how their mental health is affected. When we see people from marginalized communities we also see that they...

Have you ever felt frozen?  No one is a stranger to the hijacking of the brain with self-doubt. Standing up in front of a crowd, presenting with your camera turned on during a Zoom call, or the moment before you take the proverbial leap. The biological component of ‘feeling anxious’ is something we’ve all experienced (and shuddered at). It starts as children when we are about to perform in front of our friends, participate in our very first recital, or even own up to a mistake.  It’s scary.  But being scared is a real human experience.  As a new mum...