The Mental Compass

Note: "Productivity dysmorphia" is a colloquial term from social media and pop-psychology, not a clinical diagnosis in the DSM-5. It is used here as a descriptive framework to explore the psychological gap between objective achievement and subjective self-worth. You open the mail, and there is the email confirming that competitive internship you have been working three months for, the notification stating you finally have the GPA to qualify for a promotion, or the update on the role you have been dreaming of. Your heart skips a beat, but this time, it is not with the joyous excitement. As apprehension washes over you, you realize, "Now I actually have to perform.", "Everyone else in my batch is smarter than me," you think, "What is the next benchmark I need to hit myself so that I do not lag behind?" Within ten minutes, instead of popping a champagne or calling your friend to share the good news, you open a new Notion page and have a color-coded ...

Anger is a normal emotion. What matters is how we understand, regulate, and express it. What Is Anger? Anger is an emotional reaction that can arise when we feel that something is unfair, frustrating, threatening, disrespectful, painful, or obstructive. It may arise because someone has crossed a boundary or because we feel our views haven’t been heard. It may be because something we’ve worked hard for didn’t turn out as expected. At other times, anger isn’t really about the situation in front of us; a minor event might bring to mind an old wound, accumulated stress, exhaustion, disappointment, or a sense of helplessness. Psychologically, anger can prepare us to respond to what we see as wrong or threatening. In this way, anger has a purpose: it can draw our attention to a problem and encourage us to protect ourselves, set boundaries, or make a change. That doesn’t mean all angry thoughts are correct. It means the emotion should be recognised before it is judged. Did you hear this kind ...

Are you worried about impending work almost all the time and then, when you finally get time to yourself, you can't stop binge-watching or can't stop thinking about keeping yourself busy again?  You can ask yourself whether you do your work solely to achieve an outcome. Or whether you do it to keep yourself occupied In some sense, both can be draining. When you do an activity just for the achievement of a goal, without enjoying the process itself, you tie your worth to external outcomes and overlook the intrinsically rewarding part of the process. And when an activity itself serves as an escape from your daily life or your own thoughts, you are perhaps exhibiting avoidance, a reluctance toward what you may need to face. Most of us imagine peace and contentment, yet we spend time in activities that offer neither. Sitting with our thoughts is either too overwhelming or too difficult so we stick to momentum and continuous activity.  But why is it so difficult to sit idle for a mo...

Written by Mr. T Mugunthan Chari,  Counselling Psychologist & Social Observer,Chennai India—Bharat—is a vast and vibrant nation with a population exceeding 1.4 billion and a median age of 29.2 years. With a workforce comprising approximately 69% of individuals aged 15 to 64 years the country encompasses a mosaic of faiths, including Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, and Islam. By and large, society thrives on peace, togetherness, harmony, and dynamic living. The Agrarian Roots of Celebration:  Historically, as an agricultural economy, Indian festivities evolved directly from farming practices and natural rhythms. Agricultural routines revolved around the monsoons—spanning field preparation, sowing, transplanting, weeding, cultivation, and harvest. To supplement farming incomes, rural families engaged in cattle rearing and poultry farming, empowering women to achieve self-reliance and contribute to household finances. While Hinduism represents the largest ...

When you start getting exhausted by comparing yourself to people daily, you might start sensing self-doubt and feeling like you are a fraud despite your notable achievements, despite people congratulating you on your many triumphs. This psychological experience is known as Imposter Syndrome or Impostorism.   Imposter syndrome starts evolving because socially comparing yourself to people around you, whether online or offline, starts becoming a habit. The thought of “I am not doing enough, but I will try” starts turning into “Yes, I put in a lot of effort, but I didn’t achieve any of this in comparison with my peers, and my boss was too kind to give me a promotion.” It’s when you constantly start weighing your worth on the scales of others’ achievements.  All this can impact you in many ways, like feeling anxious about your life, procrastinating because you think you do not have the knowledge, avoiding major opportunities, feeling sad and incompetent, straining relationship...

Image by Education Edge Global Written By : Ms. A. Gayathri Special Educator and Academic Consultant A. Gayathri is a seasoned education professional and special educator with more than two decades of experience in inclusive education, learning disabilities, counselling, and psychotherapy. She has served as a special educator, NIOS consultant, lecturer, vocational trainer, and educational consultant across reputed schools, universities, and trusts in Tamil Nadu. Her work reflects strong expertise in special education and teacher training. She has been honoured with multiple state and national awards for her outstanding contributions to the field of education. The Indian education system is undergoing major transformation through the New Education Policy (NEP 2020).  Today, CBSE and other educational boards are introducing flexible learning methods, competency-based education, skill development programs, multiple exam opportunities, and student-centered learning approaches. Interest...

Image by Counselling Directory Have you ever checked your phone repeatedly, waiting for someone to reply to your message? Have you felt a sudden wave of insecurity when a close friend started spending more time with someone else? Or perhaps you have found yourself saying, “I’m only doing this because I love you,” while secretly hoping the other person would behave exactly as you wished. These experiences are common in human relationships. We want to feel loved, valued, and connected. Yet, sometimes, the very desire to hold on to someone can make us anxious, fearful, and emotionally exhausted.  Indian psychology offers an interesting way to reflect on this tension through the ideas of Sukhanushayi Rāga and Anāsakti,  two concepts that can help us understand the difference between loving someone and becoming attached to the happiness they provide us. In the Indian philosophical tradition of Yoga, particularly in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras , Rāga refers to attachment or attraction...

Image by FamilyDoctor When Aarav was four, Meena noticed the way he lined up his toy cars instead of playing with them, how he avoided eye contact, and how loud sounds made him cover his ears in panic. In a house where boys were expected to be “strong” and “normal,” these small differences were dismissed as stubbornness. Her in-laws called it bad parenting; her husband believed Aarav just needed stricter discipline. But Meena felt something deeper, this wasn’t defiance, it was distress. At the clinic, a doctor finally gave her a word she had never heard before, ASPERGER’S, now understood as part of the autism spectrum. In simple terms, he explained, it meant Aarav’s brain worked a little differently. He could be intelligent and capable, but might struggle with social cues, communication, or handling changes and sensory overload. “He doesn’t see the world the way we do,” the doctor said gently, “and that’s not a flaw, it’s a difference.” Meena held onto that sentence like it was someth...

The easiest child to praise can sometimes become the hardest child to understand. The “smart one.” The “good one.” The “mature one.” The “talented one.” These labels often begin with affection. They are ways adults express pride and appreciation. But when a compliment is repeated often enough, it can become more than praise. It can become an expectation and eventually becomes a role the child feels responsible for maintaining. The child who is known for being intelligent may begin to fear situations in which they could stumble. The child who is always praised for being good may hesitate to disagree or express anger. The child who is admired for being mature may feel that they are no longer allowed to be confused, dependent or simply childlike. The label may sound positive to everyone else. But for the child, it can gradually become a standard they feel they must never fall below. When praise becomes an identity Praise is an important part of childhood. A supportive environment can help...