The Mental Compass

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Why College Elections Matter: Learning Democracy Before Entering It

College elections in India may look loud, dramatic, or even chaotic from the outside, but inside that noise something deep is happening. Young people are taking their first steps into public life. They are learning what it means to make decisions that affect not just themselves but also the people around them. When a student fills a nomination form or even listens to a candidate speak, they are participating in a smaller version of the world they will soon enter. College elections are not just about posters, promises, or rallies. They are training grounds for democracy. For many students, college is the first environment where they see power in action. Until school, most rules come from teachers and parents. But in college, students watch their seniors and peers contest for roles like president or secretary. They see how leaders are chosen not by age but by trust. This shift has a psychological impact. It teaches responsibility. It shows that leadership is not given by authority b...

Written By Gurneet Kaur Jaitly, Counselling Psychologist RPS International, Gurgaon In many Indian homes, the mobile phone has quietly become part of everyday parenting. It keeps children occupied, helps with studies, and offers comfort during boredom or loneliness. At first glance, it feels harmless. But psychologically, its impact runs much deeper than we often realise. The recent and deeply saddening case from Ghaziabad, involving three young sisters, shook the nation. Beyond the shock and grief, it served as a painful eye-opener—reminding us that emotional harm in the digital age often grows silently, within homes that appear safe and loving. Such tragedies force us to confront an uncomfortable truth: children today are navigating digital spaces their developing minds are not fully prepared for. The parts of a child’s brain responsible for judgment, impulse control, and understanding consequences are still maturing. According to UNICEF and WHO observations, increased and unsupervis...

For decades, the dominating conceptualization of depression has been through the prism of serotonin deficiency, or the "chemical imbalance" theory. Yet, even though serotonin, among other neurotransmitters, remains an important piece of the puzzle, recent scientific progress has started to change the landscape in the understanding of depression. Emerging evidence points to a prominent role for inflammation and brain-cell dynamics at the roots of this complex disorder, particularly within young adults facing unique biological and environmental challenges. Although this model has led to the development of many different types of antidepressants, it is only partially explanatory. Increasingly, psychologists and neuroscientists are beginning to think of depression as a complex, multivariate illness that also involves the immune system and problems in the functioning of brain cells. This conceptual shift is especially important for young adults, whose brains and psychological deve...

Human relationships often end suddenly, through breakups, friendship fallouts, family conflicts, or even professional betrayals. When this happens, many of us feel an overwhelming urge for closure. We crave answers, explanations, apologies, or just one final conversation to help us make sense of what went wrong. Psychologically, closure isn't just an emotional desire; it’s a deep cognitive need to complete an unfinished story. This article explores why closure feels so essential, why we often chase it from the very people who hurt us, and how real-life situations reveal just how powerful unresolved endings can be. The Psychology of Closure: Why the Mind Craves Completion Closure is rooted in what psychologists call cognitive closure, that sense of relief that comes from certainty and a finished narrative. Our brains don’t handle ambiguity well. When a significant relationship ends unexpectedly, our minds keep searching for missing pieces, trying to fill in the gaps. Several ...

There is a common assumption whispered in classrooms, offices, and even casual conversations that philosophy belongs to people with comfort, leisure, and financial security. According to this belief, only those who have extra time and extra stability can afford to sit and think about the meaning of life. Everyone else must focus on getting through the day. But this idea is not only wrong. It is deeply unfair. Philosophy was never meant to be a luxury. It was born out of confusion, pain, wonder, and the ordinary struggles of people. It is not a subject reserved for the privileged. It is a way of seeing life that belongs to every human being who has questions in the heart and thoughts that refuse to stay silent. To understand why this belief exists, we must look at how modern society views thinking. We live in a culture that values speed, productivity, and visible results. If something does not create money or show clear output, people assume it has no value. Thinking quietly is see...

There’s a strange kind of exhaustion that comes not from doing too much, but from doing the same things every day. It’s not burnout. It’s not laziness. It’s that quiet fading of motivation that creeps in when life becomes too predictable, when every day looks like a copy-paste version of the last. Many people don’t talk about this feeling because it sounds ungrateful. “ Your life is stable. What more do you want?” they’ll say. But stability and fulfilment are not the same thing. Predictability may keep us safe, but it doesn’t always keep us alive inside. The Psychology Behind the ‘Why Bother?’ Feeling Motivation thrives on dopamine, the brain’s reward chemical released when something feels new, challenging, or meaningful. When life becomes a routine loop, your brain stops releasing the little bursts of anticipation that keep you moving. It’s like running on a treadmill that never speeds up, never slows down, never changes scenery. You’re not tired, you’re under-stimulated. Humans are ...

American actress Dakota Johnson made headlines when it was discovered that the bowl of limes shown in her Architectural Digest home tour was actually a prop and not for use, given that she later revealed in another interview that she is allergic to limes. While the moment became a subject of online scrutiny for its supposed “fakeness,” it raises an important psychological question about how people behave in social and interpersonal settings. Often, individuals divide their actual self from the persona they put forward when interacting with others. This phenomenon is not limited to public figures like celebrities or influencers; it exists everywhere and is largely universal in nature An important concept in social psychology that helps explain this is Role Theory. Role theory suggests that daily interactions with others are shaped by socially constructed roles that people learn, internalize, and perform based on context. For instance, within a household, the highest earner often assumes...

"Sesame Street" is more than just a beloved children's television show; it also offers valuable psychological lessons for mental health that can benefit viewers of all ages. The show's characters and stories are designed to teach children about emotional regulation, empathy, and resilience in a simple yet impactful manner. For example, characters like Big Bird and Elmo often face everyday challenges that mirror real-life struggles, providing young viewers with relatable scenarios to understand their own feelings. This approach helps children develop emotional intelligence early on, which is crucial for mental well-being. One of the key psychological lessons from "Sesame Street" is the importance of expressing emotions healthily. Through various storylines, the show encourages children to identify and communicate their feelings, whether they are happy, sad, or frustrated. This can reduce feelings of isolation and promote emotional resilience. Additionally, ...

There is a particular kind of silence that doesn’t come from peace, but from fear. It sits in classrooms where students smile through panic attacks, in offices where burnout is worn like a badge of honour, and in homes where sadness is dismissed as weakness. This silence is not accidental, it is learned, reinforced, and shared. And psychology has a name for it: the Spiral of Silence. At its core, mental suffering is not just an individual experience; it is a social one. What we choose to express and what we suppress, is deeply shaped by our environment. Many people don’t stay silent because they don’t have pain. They stay silent because they fear what will happen if they speak. Understanding the Spiral of Silence The Spiral of Silence theory, proposed by German political scientist Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, explains how individuals often withhold their opinions when they believe they are in the minority. The driving force behind this silence is the fear of isolation. Humans are social b...

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The Mental Compass

Posts

Why the Brain Romanticises ‘What Could Have Been’ More Than Reality

Why College Elections Matter: Learning Democracy Before Entering It

The Phone Is Not the Problem. The Silence Around It Is.

Understanding Depression in Young Adults: A Biopsychosocial Perspective

The Need for Closure: Why We Seek Answers and How to Find Peace Within

Is Philosophy Only for the Privileged? A Rejection of That Idea

Why Motivation Disappears When Life Feels Too Predictable

Private Selves, Public Faces: The Psychology of Identity Shifting

Toon Therapy : Lessons from the Animated World - Sesame Street

The Spiral of Silence: Why So Many Minds Suffer Quietly