Psychiatry and Society

Remember that sepia-tinted class photo someone posted in your social media group? The flurry of comments, the almost-audible laughter, the warm fuzzy feeling, and the wistfulness that followed? You were indulging in a spot of nostalgia – that bittersweet feeling of pleasure mixed with sadness as you think of happy times in the past. Nostalgia, literally meaning ‘ache for home’ , was described in the 17th century and was considered an illness - a form of melancholy. While it’s true that we tend to indulge in nostalgia when we are unhappy, lonely or anxious; and during times of change and uncertainty; we also know that this yearning for the past is a universal human experience. Across cultures, we experience and indulge in nostalgia, and researchers now understand that it can serve many useful purposes. It helps us overcome negative emotions.  The positive emotions evoked by our nostalgic memories help us overcome feelings of sadness or anxiety we may be experiencing currently....

What is happiness?  Happiness is a state of subjective well-being which includes:  An affective component - A feeling of joy or pleasure A cognitive component - A sense of contentment and satisfaction of living a meaningful life The Ancient Greeks knew them by the terms hedonia and eudaimonia respectively, and though distinct, the two strongly correlate in people who report being happy. Happiness is, therefore, not about jumping from one joy to another, but also a deeper sense of fulfilment.  Each one of us is unique and is made happy by a different experience, yet some people tend to be happier than others even through hard times. Do happy people share some common traits? It does appear so. Those who report feeling happy are generally  Open to learning new things  Find joys in the small things in life.  Have healthy relationships.  Have fewer expectations and do not register small annoyances.  Tend to go with the flow.  Practice ...

Popularity is neither fame nor greatness - William Hazlitt Popularity is the quality of being well-liked , admired or supported by a number of people. But as we all know many popular people are not well-liked, and many well-liked people are not popular. Psychologists therefore define two types of popularity which are related but distinct. Sociometric popularity: is how well-liked an individual is. This is strongly determined by who a person is – their personality and pro-social behaviours – empathy, kindness and helpful attitude towards others. Perceived popularity: is closer to the commonly understood concept of popularity and is dependent on what a person is – their looks, wealth, possessions. It is related to status within the social group. Popularity also depends on the existing environment or social group one is currently a part of- a person can be popular among friends but not at work; at work among superiors but not among peers or subordinates. Why do we crav...