anxiety

A look at anxiety in its many forms and manifestations; what is the nature of this specific pattern of extreme fear and worry?

What Meta And AI Fundamentally Misunderstand About Loneliness And Therapy
Mark Zuckerberg has recently talked about the Future he Envisions. A Future that makes me Fundamentally Sick because of its Dystopian Consequences.
By Dr. Cody Dakota Wooten, DFM, DHM, DAS (hc)9 months ago in Psyche
Are we true or pseudo-scientists?
On 3 May 2025, an article by Dr Sue Ieraci, appeared in the online Medical Observer with the following headline: Are you an expert or just a doctor with a platform?
By Mal Mohanlal9 months ago in Psyche
Are You Using Your Phone or Is It Using You
Start writing.At first, it was just a tool. A shiny rectangle full of promise. You tapped the screen and marveled at the world it unlocked—endless knowledge, instant communication, and the comforting sense that you were never really alone. But somewhere along the way, the roles reversed. You used to reach for your phone with a purpose. Now, you reach for it without even thinking. Standing in line, sitting in silence, lying in bed at 2 a.m.—your hand gravitates toward it like metal to a magnet. You scroll, swipe, tap. What were you even looking for? You’re not sure anymore. It started with connection. But now? Now it feels more like a leash. The Silent Shift You didn’t notice it at first. Nobody does. The apps you downloaded were fun. Useful. Harmless. But they didn’t stay that way. Slowly, they learned about you—your habits, your patterns, your weaknesses. They began shaping your behavior, nudging your emotions, hijacking your attention. What began as convenience turned into compulsion. Have you ever caught yourself unlocking your phone without a reason? You’re not alone. In fact, studies show the average person checks their phone 96 times a day—that’s once every 10 to 12 minutes. Not because we need to. Because we’ve been trained to. Notifications aren’t just alerts. They’re psychological triggers. Every buzz or banner on your screen sets off a tiny burst of dopamine—a chemical reward that your brain starts craving. Over time, your mind becomes wired to seek those rewards, not unlike a gambler waiting for the next win. You aren’t using your phone anymore. It’s using you. The Illusion of Control Sure, you tell yourself, I can quit anytime. But can you? Try going a full day without checking your phone. No social media. No emails. No YouTube. No mindless scrolling. Just you and your thoughts. Feels uncomfortable, doesn’t it? That discomfort is not accidental. It's by design. App developers consult behavioral psychologists to make their platforms as addictive as possible. Infinite scroll, autoplay videos, algorithmic feeds—they all serve one purpose: to keep you engaged, even when you're exhausted, disinterested, or even unhappy. Your attention is their currency. The longer you stay, the more ads they show, the more money they make. Every second you spend is another piece of yourself you’re trading—often without even realizing it. What Are You Losing? The cost of constant connection isn’t just time—it’s presence. It's relationships. It's peace. How many dinners have been interrupted by a glowing screen? How many deep conversations have been reduced to distracted nods? How many nights have you stayed awake, endlessly scrolling, while sleep slipped through your fingers? It’s subtle. It creeps in slowly. But eventually, you begin to feel... off. Anxious for no reason. Unfocused. Restless. Your mind flits from one thing to the next, unable to rest in the stillness. Unable to be alone. Because being alone means facing yourself. And your phone doesn’t want that. Your phone wants to keep you busy. Distracted. Dependent. Reclaiming the Driver’s Seat But here’s the truth: the phone only has the power you give it. You can take it back. It starts with awareness. Not blame, not guilt—just honesty. Notice your habits. Track how often you pick up your phone, and ask yourself why. Is it boredom? Loneliness? Stress? What are you really looking for? Then, take small steps. Turn off non-essential notifications. Set app time limits. Designate phone-free hours during your day. Replace late-night scrolling with journaling or reading. Create space for your mind to breathe. Most importantly, reconnect with real life—with the moments that can’t be captured or posted. The laughter of someone sitting across from you. The silence of a walk at dusk. The satisfaction of being fully here. The Choice Is Yours Are you using your phone—or is it using you? It’s a haunting question. One that reveals more about your life than you might be ready to admit. But it’s not too late to shift the balance. Not too late to stop living on autopilot and start living with intention. Your phone is a tool. A powerful one. But it is not your master. It doesn't breathe. It doesn't feel. It doesn’t dream. You do. Don’t trade your reality for a screen. Don’t let the illusion of connection rob you of real presence. You are not a machine, and you don’t have to live like one. Unplug to remember who you are—before the phone started whispering otherwise.
By Sajid 9 months ago in Psyche
Taking A Nap On A Battlefield
These are not normal times. Seriously, not normal. While you may be rolling your eyes and muttering, “obviously,” I feel like that is a really important statement to make.
By Alys Revna9 months ago in Psyche
Alone in a Crowded World
In a world buzzing with digital notifications, endless content, and instant communication, many people are quietly battling a painful truth: they feel completely alone.
By The Manatwal Khan9 months ago in Psyche
Stress Is Not the Enemy — Comfort Might Be
In today’s fast-paced digital world, stress is often painted as the villain behind mental health struggles, burnout, and chronic fatigue. We are bombarded with messages telling us to eliminate stress, prioritize self-care, and chase comfort at all costs. While reducing toxic stress is important, what if the true enemy isn’t stress itself—but our obsession with constant comfort?
By shoaib khan9 months ago in Psyche
Me and My Anxiety
I don’t remember the first time anxiety showed up. It wasn’t like some dramatic movie scene where the world tilts, and suddenly, everything changes. It was more like a whisper. A knot in my stomach before school. A restless night before a simple conversation. A racing heart for reasons I couldn’t name.
By THE STORY ROOM9 months ago in Psyche
Why We Should All Embrace the 'Uncomfortable'
What's your first reaction when something feels uncomfortable? Is it to avoid it? To run the other way? I get it. We've all been there. But what if I told you that we've been getting discomfort all wrong? What if, instead of seeing it as something to escape, we embraced it as the very thing that could unlock new potential?
By FutureVoices9 months ago in Psyche
How Social Media Quietly Affects Your Mental Health—Even If You Think It Doesn’t
You ever stop mid-scroll and realize you’re not even sure how long you’ve been on your phone? One minute you’re just checking a notification, and suddenly it’s 2 a.m. and you’re knee-deep in a stranger’s vacation highlights or someone’s breakup story on TikTok. Happens to all of us.
By Noman Khan 9 months ago in Psyche
Anxiety Nation
It’s 3 a.m. Your heart’s racing, your mind won’t shut off, and you’ve refreshed your inbox five times in case something urgent came in—despite being off the clock. You tell yourself to relax. But relaxation feels like a distant memory.
By The Manatwal Khan9 months ago in Psyche
How I Rewired My Brain After Years of High-Functioning Anxiety
The Invisible Struggle Behind the Smile For years, I was the person everyone came to for help. Organized, responsive, productive, always one step ahead. On the outside, I looked like I had it all together. Inside, I was a ticking time bomb of high-functioning anxiety.
By Fahad Khan9 months ago in Psyche
My self & the Panic
An Honest Conversation Between Me and My Anxiety It starts quietly. A flutter in the chest. A small knot in the stomach. A sense that something—anything—could go wrong. At first, it’s easy to brush off. Just nerves, right? Everyone gets a little stressed. But before I can reason it away, it grows legs, gains weight, and plants itself firmly in my body.
By Habibullah khan 9 months ago in Psyche