The Mental Compass

When everything around you becomes a little too easy, not in the world outside, but inside: the way you think, the way you approach things, the way you deal with not knowing. Because if you really look closely, there are things you used to do without thinking that you don’t really do anymore. Not because you forgot them in one moment, but because life slowly stopped asking you to use them. It doesn’t feel like a loss. That’s the strange part. It feels like comfort. There was a time when effort was built into almost everything. If you didn’t understand something, you had to sit with it. Not for a few seconds, but sometimes for a long time. You had to go through confusion, try different ways, get it wrong, and then slowly get closer to understanding. That process wasn’t always enjoyable, but it shaped something inside you. It made you used to difficulty. It made you patient without even realizing it. Now, things move differently. When something feels unclear, the answer is usually right ...

The Emotional Power of Tattoos Tattoos have long been viewed as a form of body art, but in recent decades they have gained recognition as a deeply personal form of self expression and even therapeutic practice. For many people the decision to place permanent ink on their skin is not merely aesthetic but symbolic of resilience, growth, and healing. Each design carries meaning, often linked to personal struggles, triumphs, or memories of loved ones. In this way tattoos can act as emotional anchors, reminding individuals of their strength during difficult times. Psychologists note that the process of getting tattooed can itself be cathartic. The anticipation, the physical sensation, and the final result all combine into a ritual of transformation. For survivors of trauma or loss, tattoos become an external representation of inner battles that were once invisible. Rather than being hidden, their experiences are given shape and color on the body, transforming pain into an enduring form of a...

College doesn’t just change what you study. It changes how you see yourself, often in ways that aren’t obvious while they’re happening. You arrive with some idea of who you are, shaped by school, family, and whatever you’ve been told you’re “good at.” But once you’re there, that idea starts to shift. Not all at once, not in a clear direction, but gradually, through everyday experiences that feel ordinary at the time. Classes are part of it, but they’re only one layer. There are pressure assignments, deadlines, expectations, but there’s also freedom. No one is watching you the way they used to. No one is structuring your time for you. And that freedom can feel both exciting and unstable at the same time. You’re given space, but you’re also expected to figure out what to do with it. That’s where identity starts to form in a different way, not just from what you’re told, but from what you choose. At first, those choices are small: when you study, how you spend your evenings, who you talk ...

“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.” – Steve Maraboli In Disney’s Frozen (2013), Elsa, the main character, constantly struggles with her inner thoughts, which causes her to be closed off and scared of making any mistakes. Just like Elsa, we all have an inner voice in our heads that is always active. It seems to have opinions on our choices, always replays awkward and embarrassing moments, and has a lot to say about our abilities and skills. Sometimes it is helpful and grounding. Other times, the same voice is extremely discouraging and off-putting. This ongoing and constant monologue, known as self-talk, shapes how we see ourselves, how we act, and how much mental space we give to doubt. Self-talk develops early in life, shaped by the voices we hear growing up. It could be what our parents, teachers, or friends said, or the expectations we pick up from society. Slowly, these become internal beliefs, hence reflecting in actions. Statemen...

When we meet someone for the first time, we often notice their appearance before anything else. It is not something most of us consciously choose to do; it is simply how our brains process information. We notice a smile, a hairstyle, the color of a shirt, or sometimes a visible difference in someone’s skin. For people living with vitiligo, these moments of being noticed can carry a weight that others may never fully understand. Vitiligo is a condition in which patches of skin lose their pigment, resulting in areas that appear lighter than the surrounding skin. It is not contagious, painful, or life-threatening. Yet, for many individuals, the greatest challenge of vitiligo is not physical but emotional. The condition often places them under a spotlight they never asked for. Imagine walking into a room and feeling as though people are looking at you before they are listening to you. Imagine being asked the same questions repeatedly, hearing unsolicited advice, or noticing curious stares ...

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. Open Schooling is a flexible, inclusive, and learner-centric educational pathway that supports students from foundational learning to Senior Secondary (Class 12), ensuring continuity, accessibility, and academic excellence for diverse learning needs. A Holistic Educational Journey Open Schooling empowers learners to progress at their own pace while maintai...

Have you ever walked past a cracked pavement that was never repaired, a streetlight that stopped working months ago, or a pile of litter that seems to grow a little larger every day? Most of us barely notice these things. They appear insignificant in the grand scheme of life. Yet, what if these small signs of neglect were silently shaping the way people behave? What if the little things we ignore today create bigger problems tomorrow? This idea is at the heart of the Broken Windows Theory, a concept that extends far beyond crime and public spaces. It offers an interesting lens through which we can understand our homes, workplaces, relationships, and even our mental well-being. Understanding the Broken Windows Theory The Broken Windows Theory was introduced in 1982 by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling. The theory suggests that visible signs of disorder and neglect, such as a broken window, graffiti, litter, or vandalism, can encourage further disorder if left unad...

From Providers to Partners: The Evolution of Modern Fatherhood Written By Gurneet Kaur Jaitly Counselling Psychologist | Educator | Parenting & Mental Health Advocate “My father rarely said, ‘I love you.’ Yet, I never doubted that he did.” For many of us, this sentence captures the essence of fatherhood growing up. Love was not always spoken. It was packed into school lunches, long commutes to work, repaired bicycles, paid tuition fees, and countless sacrifices that often went unnoticed. Today, fatherhood looks different. Fathers are changing diapers, attending parent-teacher meetings, discussing emotions with their children, and becoming active participants in everyday family life. But while parenting has evolved, one thing remains unchanged—the profound influence fathers have on the emotional well-being of their children. As a counselling psychologist, I have witnessed how the role of fathers has transformed across generations, bringing both opportunities and challenges for famil...

Love is often imagined as natural, effortless, and healing. Yet, for many people, loving and being loved can feel confusing, frightening, or deeply painful. This is not because they lack the capacity for love, but because past emotional wounds quietly influence how they relate to others. Trauma does not stay in the past; it shapes expectations, emotional reactions, and patterns of connection. Understanding how trauma affects love is an essential step toward building healthier and more secure relationships. Emotional Wounds and Attachment Patterns Early relationships, especially those with caregivers, lay the foundation for how we experience closeness later in life. When these early bonds are marked by neglect, inconsistency, criticism, or abuse, the nervous system learns that connection may not be safe or reliable. As adults, these early experiences often reappear as attachment patterns. Some individuals develop anxious attachment, where love is associated with fear of abandonment. The...

There are certain moments that don’t look like anything from the outside, but inside they feel very real. You’re just there maybe sitting, maybe thinking and suddenly something feels slightly off. Not in a bad way, not in a confusing way, just not fully settled. One part of you feels calm, almost certain. It quietly knows what makes sense. It feels steady, like it already understands what should be done. But at the exact same time, another part of you feels something else. It’s quicker, more immediate, harder to ignore. It doesn’t explain itself. It doesn’t need to. It just pulls. And you pause. You don’t decide right away. You don’t move. You just sit in that space for a few seconds, feeling both sides at once. That space is more important than it seems. Because in that moment, you’re not confused. You’re actually aware of something most people move past too quickly. You’re feeling two ways of understanding at the same time. One comes from thought. The other comes from feeling. And th...

India is often described as a young nation with immense potential. More than half of its population is under the age of 30, and every year millions of young people enter colleges, training institutes, and the workforce. On paper, this demographic advantage should be one of the country’s greatest strengths. Yet, despite economic growth, technological advancements, and expanding opportunities, many employers continue to report difficulties finding job-ready candidates. This has sparked an important debate: Is India’s biggest economic challenge a skill deficit, or are we facing a distraction crisis? At first glance, the answer seems obvious. Many industries report shortages of skilled workers. Employers often speak about graduates who possess degrees but lack practical skills, communication abilities, critical thinking, or problem-solving competencies. This phenomenon is not unique to India, but the scale at which it occurs makes it particularly concerning. However, focusing solely on ski...

Meera was fifty-three when she finally admitted to herself that loneliness inside a marriage felt heavier than loneliness outside it. After thirty years of smiling through silences that cut deeper than words, she walked out, not because she wanted freedom, but because she wanted peace. The world whispered that starting over at her age was foolish, but she was tired of shrinking herself to fit into a life that no longer felt like hers. Healing came slowly, like sunlight leaking through curtains after a long night. She learned to eat alone without feeling abandoned. She learned that choosing herself was not selfishness but survival. And she learned to sit with grief without letting it define her. On a rainy Tuesday, at a community library class she joined just to feel less invisible, she met Arvind, a quiet man with kind eyes and a history full of bruised edges. He, too, carried a past that had taught him love could be conditional and companionship could turn into captivity. They spoke l...

Written By : Dr. Vamshi Krishna Arumbaka, Positive Psychologist and TedX Speaker, Hyderabad In the posh conference room of a sleek IT park in Hyderabad’s HITEC City, Anika Rao sat perfectly still, her fingers gently tapping against the underside of the table where no one could see. It was April 2026—Autism Awareness Month, and the irony was visible.  Around the table, her team from a global software firm chatted loudly about weekend plans and cricket scores, their voices overlapping in the easy rhythm of small talk. Anika smiled at the right moments, nodded, mirrored their high energy. She had perfected this script over years of masking, the exhausting art of appearing neurotypical so colleagues wouldn’t label her “difficult” or “not a team player.” By the time the stand-up meeting ended, her temples throbbed and her jaw ached. That evening, back in her family’s apartment in Kondapur, with the ceiling fan whirring and the pressure cooker whistling from the kitchen, Anika finally le...

Imagine this scenario: You are on an e-commerce website, comparing two similar products, a pair of headphones. One of them is advertised as “best seller,” which means that it appears in first place on the webpage and gets a slightly better rating than the second model. However, the latter model is cheaper and offers nearly the same features as the “best seller.” After spending a few moments scanning through these models, you decide to choose the “best seller” option, which seems logical and justified. In fact, this situation represents a typical decision-making practice that people face in their daily lives. Reasoning is one of the important processes during decision-making, which implies making conclusions based on available information. Deductive reasoning involves moving from a general principle to a particular situation. Therefore, if there is a rule stating that higher ratings mean higher quality, one would conclude that buying the best-rated headphones is a logical step. Inductiv...

DIRECTOR  : VIVEK CAST : FAHADH FAASIl, SAI PALLAVI, ATUL KULKARNI AND OTHERS "Athiran" is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complex realm of mental health, highlighting the importance of awareness, empathy, and accurate diagnosis. The film masterfully portrays the devastating effects of misdiagnosis and the dangers of unethical treatment methods, as seen through Dr. Benjamin’s primitive and harmful approaches. The character of Vinayan, who suffers from schizophrenia, underscores how mental illnesses can be deeply misunderstood and hidden behind layers of delusion and paranoia, emphasizing the need for compassionate, professional intervention rather than exploitation. The narrative also explores the devastating impact of trauma and family secrets on mental health. Nithya’s traumatic past and her subsequent dissociation reflect how unresolved grief and guilt can manifest as psychosis, illustrating the importance of sensitivity and proper psychiatric care. ...

Written by : Dr. Jaikumar Velayudham, Consultant Psychiatrist, Chennai and Vellore Dr. Jaikumar Velayudham is a consultant psychiatrist with a deep interest in the intersection of history, psychology, and leadership. Through his writings, he explores the minds of iconic figures to uncover timeless mental health insights. He is a regular contributor to Mental Health Compass Magazine The life of Emperor Ashoka stands as one of history’s most compelling demonstrations of psychological transformation. Few rulers have travelled so dramatically from sanctioned violence to ethical governance. For mental health professionals, Ashoka offers a rare longitudinal case study of moral injury, guilt, post-traumatic growth, and the therapeutic potential of spirituality. Ashoka began his reign as a typical imperial expansionist. Raised in the politically charged Mauryan court under Emperor Bindusara, his early psychological environment was marked by rivalry, insecurity, and ruthless competition. Perso...