What Is the Average Number of Friends You Should Have to Be Coined ‘Normal’?

We’ve learned to count almost everything — calories, steps, followers, likes — so naturally, we began counting friends. Somewhere between adolescence and adulthood, friendship became a metric. You could scroll, compare, and quietly panic: Am I normal? The question sounds innocent enough. But behind it lies a complex psychology — part evolutionary design, part social anxiety. The truth is that friendship, once a survival instinct, is now a competitive sport. And the scoreboard isn’t emotional closeness anymore; it’s visibility. If a “normal” number of friends exists, who decided it? Anthropologists, algorithms, or the fear of eating lunch alone?

Make a Dog’s Day “The Rescue Reflex: Why Saving a Dog Feels Like Saving Ourselves”

Somewhere between loneliness and loyalty, between guilt and grace, lies the quiet exchange that happens when a person rescues a dog. It’s marketed as compassion — a simple act of kindness — but emotionally, it’s far more complicated. To save a dog from neglect, abandonment, or euthanasia is to participate in a deeply human ritual: the desire to mend something that mirrors our own brokenness. Every October 22, Make a Dog’s Day returns as both an adoption campaign and a cultural moment of confession — when we collectively try to prove we still know how to care. The campaign’s tone is light, often sponsored by automakers or pet brands, but beneath it lies a psychological truth that is neither cute nor commercial. When we save dogs, we often save fragments of ourselves that have long been waiting for rescue.

How the Brain Finds Focus: Silence, Noise, and the Psychology of Attention

There’s an old myth that the best studying happens in perfect silence. Another claims that a little background noise keeps your mind “in the zone.” Both sound plausible — and both are half true. Neuroscience has spent decades unpacking what really happens when the brain tries to focus amid silence or sound. The results reveal something deeper about how humans regulate attention, arousal, and self-awareness. In truth, the brain doesn’t crave quiet or chaos. It craves coherence.

7 Things You Can Do When Your 5-Year-Old Exhibits the Behaviors You’ve Battled for Decades

There is an instant in parenthood that feels like a small, uncanny betrayal: you see a movement, a tone, a sudden tightness of the jaw in your five-year-old and — like a glassware store hearing a dropped plate — your chest knows that sound. It is not merely resemblance; it is a likeness that demands something of you. You might feel anger first, then a cold, practical fear: not again. You have spent years arguing with certain reflexes, certain private scripts written in the margins of your life — perfectionism, a freeze that masquerades as obedience, shame thin as tissue. Now, in a child who can’t explain the shape of those things yet, they arrive raw and small, and everything inside you divides between two tasks: protect the child and manage the ghost. Those tasks are distinct. One is immediate and concrete; the other is long, slow work. This essay offers seven clear, adult things to do — not cheerfully promised cures, nor sentimental platitudes — but actionable practices grounded in both practical parenting and the psychological truth that cycles break when the adult changes their behavior first.

7 Things People Trying to Understand Anxiety Symptoms Should Know

Anxiety has become one of those words people use casually, almost like a throwaway line in a WhatsApp chat. “I have such anxiety about this meeting,” someone says, when what they mean is nervousness. “That traffic jam gave me anxiety,” another remarks, when what they felt was irritation. In popular language, anxiety has blurred into an all-purpose synonym for stress, tension, or nerves. But clinical and lived anxiety disorders are far more layered, often misunderstood not just by those who experience them but also by family, friends, colleagues, and society at large. Unlike a fever or a fractured limb, anxiety doesn’t present itself as an obvious, singular symptom. It can surface hours after an event has passed. It can mimic stomach upset, headaches, or dizziness before it ever announces itself as mental unease. It can hide beneath culturally coded words like ghabrahat in India, taijin kyofusho in Japan, or “burnout” in the West. Sometimes it appears to be avoidance, rituals, over-preparation, or irritability—behaviors often mistaken for quirks rather than distress signals.

7 Tips for an Anxious Traveler Stuck in a Claustrophobic Hotel Room

Business trips in Gurgaon, pilgrimages in Haridwar, capsule hotels in Tokyo, layovers in Dubai: for modern travelers, the hotel room is often the midpoint between motion and arrival. Yet for some, that midpoint becomes a mental trap. An unfamiliar ceiling, the low thrum of an AC vent, curtains that hide a city you don’t know—suddenly, the mind begins its spiral. Claustrophobia does not always announce itself with dramatic panic attacks. Sometimes it’s subtler: a quickened breath, a racing thought that “the air feels stale,” a sudden itch to throw open a window that doesn’t open. For the anxious traveler, small rooms magnify unease. And if you’ve crossed time zones, battled jet lag, or carry a predisposition for anxiety, the box begins to feel like a cell. The problem is ancient. Vedic hymns praise the dawn sky as liberation; Biblical stories equate wilderness with freedom; Buddhist imagery paints boundless space as enlightenment itself. By contrast, confinement has always symbolized punishment—from medieval dungeons to solitary asylums. To find yourself in a modern business hotel and feel trapped is not weakness—it is a human inheritance. But humans have also always fought back with ritual, imagination, and rhythm. Below are seven expansive, culturally resonant, scientifically informed tips to help any anxious traveler manage the tight squeeze of a claustrophobic hotel room.

Trying To Talk Yourself Out of Depression Does Not Always Work

The actual professionals and the self-acclaimed psychology experts have embedded an idea via articles, blogs, and social media posts that talking about mental health issues, particularly depression, is perhaps the first and many times, the last, step to reclaiming a life without feeling the daily blues. However, the truth couldn't be any different. For starters, people suffering from depression are often in jobs and family roles where they have to speak throughout the day. Many people with depression have a rather well-established circle of friends with whom they converse every day. People visiting the family psychologist might continue to have long conversations about redemption, loss, and unhappiness and still, might feel that the therapy is not really making an impact. People need to realize that you cannot talk your way out of depression, at least not in most situations. For way too long, the role of counseling sessions has been given the maximum importance as a way to treat someone suffering from clinical depression. However, counseling and confessions are more important to address the problem and to make someone realize that it is okay to feel like not waking up, eating, exercising, going to school, or being regular at the office. However, the same approach does not help if the goal is to overcome depression. Many people fail to realize this assuming that therapy and treatment are the same and the more people talk about depression, the easier it will be to defeat the problem. Talking about depression can make the person more conscious about the underlying problem but therapy is rather different and it might not include a lot of communication.

Prozac works but why not try the un-chemical way to feel good?

This discussion is not about whether Prozac helps with anxiety. Yes, medicines like Prozac can help you control your anxiety levels but here, I am discussing some DIY methods that are not equally chemical, and don't make you chase around for a prescription. I have had issues with restoring my mental energy levels every time they get depleted with a few hectic days. Ever since I turned 25, a pattern emerged where after a couple of days of sustained physical and psychological work, my mind would go into a caffeinated mode, unable to wind down and as a result, my anxiety levels and the associated digestive symptoms would surface. The medicines I tried over the years to control this habit and its root cause helped to some extent but there is a catch to using them. No matter what the pharmaceutical world says, there is a downside to every drug out there, prescription or over-the-counter. Once you get into the habit of using mood boosters, or in my case, mood-sustaining salts, there is a big chance your body and mind stop evolving to help you navigate and manage different phases of your life, and some need you to be alert and calm. My continuous run-ins with these meds also helped me uncover some things that could boost the overall mood and energy levels. These mental health tips are not stolen from the web or blatantly rewritten to engage the search engines. This is from my cup of psychological wellness and I am sharing some of it with you:

What is self-compassion and it is important for you to accept your body?

Understanding Self-Compassion

Self-compassion is a critical psychological concept that entails treating oneself with the same kindness, concern, and support one would show to a good friend. Rooted in ancient Buddhist practices, self-compassion is fundamentally about recognizing our shared human experience, which includes suffering and imperfection. Dr. Kristin Neff, a pioneering researcher in this field, defines self-compassion through three main components: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness.

Components of Self-Compassion

Self-Kindness: Instead of being harshly self-critical, self-kindness involves being gentle and understanding with oneself. It means recognizing that it's okay to make mistakes and that imperfection is a part of the human experience.

A little bit of criticism ain't that bad - just get better at processing it!

Let us have a bit of a chat about dealing with criticism.

It's one of those things that can really sting, ain't it? When your flatmate moans about the rubbish or your boss pulls you up on a missed email, it's easy to start wondering if they secretly can't stand you. Those little comments can trigger all sorts of negative thoughts about ourselves that have been buried away.

Maybe you fixated on that one critical bit in your performance review because deep down, you doubted you were really cut out for the job. Or perhaps, having the right critical parent growing up means any suggestion about your cleaning habits feels like a massive blow to your self-worth.

The truth is that we cannot always get top marks, no matter how hard we try to be perfect little angels. So, it si crucial that we learn how to handle criticism without letting it chip away at our confidence. Next time you're feeling like a proper muppet or a total failure - trust me, you're not - give these expert tips a go:

Cultural Perspectives on Dream Interpretation: A Cross-Cultural Exploration

Dreams have been a subject of fascination and interpretation across various cultures throughout history. While the scientific understanding of dreams remains a complex and evolving field, cultural interpretations often influence how individuals perceive and derive meaning from their nightly visions. In this article, we will explore how different cultures interpret dreams, shedding light on the diverse perspectives that shape these nocturnal experiences. Drawing on research from anthropology, psychology, and cultural studies, we aim to provide a nuanced understanding of the cultural intricacies surrounding dream interpretation.

Ancient Egyptian Dream Traditions:

In ancient Egypt, dreams held a significant place in both religious and practical realms. Egyptians believed that dreams were a means of communication between the mortal and divine worlds. The Egyptian Dream Book, dating back to around 1275 BCE, documented a variety of dream scenarios and their interpreted meanings. Priests and dream interpreters played a crucial role in deciphering dreams, considering them as messages from the gods.

Authoritative Source:

In his book "Dreams and Experience in Classical Antiquity," Professor William V. Harris explores the role of dreams in ancient societies, including the elaborate dream traditions of ancient Egypt (Harris, 2009).

Negativity Detoxification - not just another DIY detox...

The need to detoxify from negativity has become paramount for maintaining mental and emotional well-being. Negativity, whether originating from external sources or internal thoughts, can take a toll on our overall health. This article explores practical and evidence-based strategies to detoxify from negativity, delving into the science behind these methods to provide actionable insights for cultivating a more positive mindset.

Understanding the Impact of Negativity on Mental Health:

Negativity, in its various forms, can significantly affect mental health. Constant exposure to negative stimuli, be it through news cycles, social media, or personal interactions, can contribute to heightened stress levels, anxiety, and even depression. Recognizing the impact of negativity is the first step toward implementing effective detoxification strategies.

A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology reviewed longitudinal studies on the prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders. The findings highlighted a correlation between increased exposure to negative life events and a higher risk of developing mental health issues (Kessler et al., 2010).

The Repetitive Ritual: Unraveling the Fascination Behind Toddlers' Love for Repeating Activities

From the moment a toddler takes their first wobbly steps into the world, they embark on a journey of discovery—one that often includes repeating the same activities over and over again. Whether it's stacking blocks, flipping through picture books, or playing with a favorite toy, the repetitive nature of toddler behavior can leave parents both intrigued and perhaps a bit puzzled. In this exploration, we delve into the fascinating reasons behind why toddlers exhibit this seemingly endless loop of repetition.

Understanding the Developing Brain:

At the heart of toddlers' penchant for repetition lies the complexity of their developing brains. According to Dr. Jane Nelsen, an expert in positive discipline, the repetitive nature of activities provides toddlers with the opportunity to master new skills. This process is crucial for their cognitive development as they learn through repetition and practice.

Citation: Nelsen, J. (2006). Positive Discipline: The First Three Years. Random House.

Imagine a toddler stacking blocks—each attempt involves refining motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness. Repetition, in this sense, becomes a learning tool, helping toddlers build a foundation of physical and cognitive abilities.

Recalling First Few Days of Returning to Work [April 2022]

Returning to work has been a somewhat unexpected journey for the last 3 months, and it continues to be a bit disruptive, and a bit of relief at the same time. The first week in the more-than-familiar office cabin was slightly suffocating. The COVID wave hadn't subsided when we were called back, and there was every reason to feel apprehensive. With just the senior managers and the upper hierarchy called in, the team, people who contribute to the dense headcount at our office was nowhere to be seen.

Just to share some insight about my personal struggles to keep wearing the mask, I have been claustrophobic since I was around 17, and I have been on & off anxiety medications for more than a decade. Being grounded at home due to the pandemic, having just become a father to a baby girl, also took a toll in some way though, at many levels, I am also thankful for giving me the opportunity to be there when the little monkey was gifted to us.

Anxiety | Mental Health | Lionel Messi - It Happens to the Best!

This discussion about mental health, anxiety, and how being anxious chronically can happen to the best, people as good and great as Lionel Messi, is inspired by this article by Adam Alter, on Ideas.Ted.com

For many people, when celebrities talk about mental health issues, it becomes a bit easier to comprehend the problem and understand that it can happen to anybody irrespective of the amount of inherent talent or the fandom that comes with being the best in anything, ranging from movies to soccer. The latter has its smart, Messi, whose psychological challenges of holding up his performance in the middle of a growing, global fan following. The problems with Messi' preparedness for the big stage have been doing the rounds for some time. Reports suggest that he usually vomits and according to some sources, his vomiting is a bit of a chronic thing that tends to happen en route to a big match. It was in 2014 that reports emerged about Messi showing symptoms of vomiting and perhaps, the condition being associated with trouble in handling anxiety.

For those who have IBS in the times of Corona Pandemic

If you have a history of IBS, it is most likely that no one and I mean not even the most qualified physician out there, would have been able to fully understand your set of symptoms -  that is the problem with IBS, it is highly symptomatic and very unpredictable. That is how complicated IBS can be but strangely, despite all the medicinal and guidance-based support, nobody really understands what the sufferer is put through. At this time, when the Corona scare is at its worst, you need to double-up your layers of protection to ensure a flare-up is prevented. For starters, the Corona global pandemic is about a lot of cynical views around you - don't let this get you into that space where you start believing that the world is coming to an end. It looks like it but in reality, we will bounce back - everyday folks like you and me and the governments that are responsible for protecting us. Don't read too much into how much worse it can get. The idea is to control your anxiety levels on a daily basis since right now when the more normal Joe seems to be slightly frantic.

The Pandemic Fear was Inside our Home [when someone tests positive]

My father just got his first shot of the vaccine after waiting out his recovery from what has now become an integral part of our lives - the Coronavirus. While I was making a reminder of the date on which he would be getting his second shot, memories of the first couple of days when my father tested positive rushed in. This happened on April 17th, 2020 - last year. He had been feeling a bit heavy in the head for a few days, and like many folks, his mask-wearing etiquette was rather questionable. He has always been someone proud of his immunity, the fact that he played cricket from the school to club level despite all the hardships, and he would never take a sick leave from his workplace [CITIBANK - the CITI never sleeps]. He did not have the reserves of energy to collect the pathology report, and with my bits-and-piece knowledge about the healthcare genre, I was trusted to gather it and confirm that he wasn't infected - we were rather sure about it. My father, falling ill? A smart betting man would never invest in this preposterous theory!

Helping at the shelter can be self-therapeutic, self-healing...selfish

I have been watching YouTube videos recently and so many have volunteers working at animal shelters. I get the feeling that a lot of these folks are working purely out of undefined compassion and love for animals. There is no other way to explain it. Nobody can be motivated by a branded t-shirt that a shelter provides perhaps three times a year to spend that much time with animals, working with animals that are often injured, horrifically uncared for, and often in a state of neglect that seems frightening. But then, I also see the other side of it. Some people need this to heal themselves, placate a mind that wanders too much, or often give way to temptations that are highly destructive.

DIY Anxiety Explorations: it is not generalized, not GERD, not Acute or Extreme!

This blog is a testament to my anxious soul, my habit of overthinking things, and being a bit volatile. For a long time, I had been believing that there is nothing really new about anxiety issues, about the anxiety of any type that I have not experienced. But September was a rude awakening and a realization that I did not see coming. This time, I have experienced anxiety in its most unusual way. Think of it as some sort of shakiness or feeling unsettled despite not worrying about anything, without obsessing over things around me. This bout of anxiety is very subtle, but it remains in the system for the day. A few lone moments or working on some DIY project where my mind wanders around a bit can bring it on. This is the most spontaneous form of anxiety that is not about meeting new people or handling new situations. Many times, it comes up when there is nothing disturbing me at the moment, even when I am not fixating on the small imperfections, I tend to notice a bit too much.

It is present when I am doing the everyday tasks, the daily duties, and still, it manages to surface, making me a bit shaky. This is not Generalized Anxiety, for I understand it rather well. This does not feel anxious due to something bothering me subconsciously. The feeling can be very unsettling. It is new to me despite having experienced this problem for more than a decade. I had been talking about it and trying to explain it even before talking about anxiety and mental health issues became cool.

Even worse is the fact that this undefined anxiety surfaced at a time when there were birthdays to celebrate, and I had to undertake abstinence from all types of alcohol. Perhaps, the mind dug a bit too much into elders in the family being old, very old, and some passing away. Perhaps, the mind was unconsciously concerned about the cycle of Life and impending Death, which everyone knows and talks about but does not know how to interact with when such incidents actually come calling. No Valium this time around. I am like, "...let us do this without trying to create a fix". Yes, any instance of death in the far-away family circle too starts this bout of anxiety, and it creeps up like a feeling of wire going through my lower legs. 

Why not take an adventure trip within your home with almost zero gear? [DIY Anxiety Management]

What seemed like an empty patch of floor in our reserve bedroom now challenges me - I must do mountain climbers and skull-crushers to ensure my physicality is maintained to some extent. I haven't stepped out, not compared myself with others at the gym, or done anything drastic, and still, this challenge is huge, as daily motivation levels can vary, and I tend to be dicey with time management. What am I talking about? The fact that your home itself can be the canvas for some adventure-type activity without Googling the best nearby locations for a weekend break!

You can easily do things that help to challenge your overall fitness with basic supplies at home. There is no camping or hiking gear involved here. This is about getting adventurous with the least important things that are found in nearly every household. Lately, I started doing mountain climbers, and as compared to push-ups, these are much more full-body involving and can be done in so many ways. But then, there are a million push-up varieties too. So, let us not compare them. If you could combine mountain climbers with push-ups, 30 minutes can seem like an eternity. Plus, all you need to do them is a plain, empty floor and a towel, because you will sweat a lot for sure! These are two core-killers and seriously, even if you happen to be in good shape, 5 sets of each, alternated, can leave you panting, sweating, and almost blushing...just like the after-glow. The rushing of blood also kills the anxiety pangs. It keeps you occupied even after wrapping up the session, as the body is trying to cool itself and recuperate from the torture you just unleashed!

One Exercise for Most Core Gains - Fast, Slow, Sides Variations

Another home-based exploration can be DIY car care, inside-out. Everyone knows how to wash or wa,x and clean a car, but how many people actually do it all together? You have to start with dry dusting, followed by soaping, pressure washing, and then allowing your vehicle to dry. Take a breather while the car dries up. Now, coat the insides and external surfaces with a good waxing compound and buff. This has to take at least 1 hour, and by the end of it, you will have completed the most complex, full-body workout without even knowing it. This tires your body and engages your mind in the most unexpected ways. Every inch of your body feels stretched. It is like a complete workout, cardio, and muscle with good stretching, and helps to use up those free hours and tires you sufficiently to fall asleep like the dead.

USE SPRAY PAINT TO REVAMP WORN-OUT DOOR MATS: homesthetics.net

You have to try spray painting. The spray cans are easily available on Amazon stores these days, and there is so much you can do with them. From planters to pots and all surfaces that are rusting, you can spray-paint them into new glory. The only thing is doing some prep in terms of covers and sheets that don't allow the underlying and surrounding surfaces to catch the spray. You want painting and not discoloration or spotting, so ensure the spraying room is pretty much free from stuff that can be wrongly coated. Try to play around with colors. Have patience of allow each coating to dry before applying the next one. This is easy, artsy-crafty sorts, and brings back the enthusiasm we once had during the schooling years. You can even find reasonably priced finishing cans, overcoat supplies, and items to lend the perfect finishing touch. For the uninitiated, this can be really engrossing and fun. There is so much to self-learn, learn via self-exploration. Just Google priming and you discover a whole lot of science about surface preparation when it comes to DIY painting jobs.

Try the single-legged pose and its many variations. What seems easy and doable can be a bit embarrassing and gives you the opportunity to laugh at yourself. If you can do it already, perhaps it is time to hold the pose for a much longer period and time yourself. If you are a starter, this is like discovering how your body communicates to balance itself. Yes, you realize the mechanism via which the upper & lower back, the hands & arms, waist & sides, and your mind work together to uplift and keep the body positioned in a different way. It is like uncovering new zones and sensations in your body. Give it a couple of tries, and it will roll out to be more interesting than it seems. Remember, you are not doing this to lose weight but just to do something different! No goals. No objectives. Just for the sake of trying it.

Explore Other DIY-themed Discussions

Try to be a dust-buster. When is the last time you really did any type of home-care activity that shone through? Nothing can be as rewarding as cleaning up the house in a way that your entire family or your partner craps their pants. No wait, no crapping of any type needed. That would neutralize the cleaning thing. So, what I am trying to say is that if you really get into cleaning the garage and the basement and the attic, there is so much that you will uncover and perhaps even reconnect, within the same home you have been occupying for ages. Attack the cobwebs that need to be destroyed. The floor mats are not your friends anymore. Those niggling crevices need the seriousness of a nuclear scientist. The peeling paint strips are a shout for help. All damp patches are your enemy, and the mopping tools are now your weapons of mass destruction. Every & and any of all types of Dust, Debris, and Grime should feel your wrath!

Explore Other Anxiety-themed Discussions