Adulthood doesn’t just arrive with freedom and independence. Hidden in its fine print are a set of automatic subscriptions—stress, anxiety, pressure, burnout, and sometimes depression. None of us asked for them, yet they quietly come bundled with the “adult package.” The other day, while joking about this with friends, someone said, “I’d like to speak with customer care.” We laughed, but the thought stayed with me. If life really had a customer service helpline, who would be on the other end? The closest answer I’ve found is: counselors. Think about it. We turn to them when life stops “working” the way it’s supposed to. We bring them our toughest questions: Why does this feel so heavy? Why am I stuck? Why does this keep happening? They help us read the fine print—the hidden clauses of our thoughts, patterns, and emotions that shape our experience. And when we’re frustrated, angry, or lost, we vent. They listen. Not to judge, but to patiently walk us through the chaos. Of course, counse...
I was recently in conversation with the Head of a school’s Special Needs division. She spoke with quiet urgency about a trend she’s been seeing—a dramatic increase in children needing special support. Not just academically. But emotionally, socially, and developmentally. And it’s not isolated. Across schools and clinics, more and more children are showing up with symptoms that look like autism, ADHD, or behavioral disorders. But the causes are not always neurological—they’re environmental. They’re cultural. They’re digital. Children are being raised by screens, not people. Access to technology at a very young age has changed the way kids grow. Tablets replace toys. Reels replace storytelling. Parents, overwhelmed and overworked, lean on screens because they have to. It’s not laziness—it’s survival. But the cost is massive. Many young children today: Struggle with eye contact Show delayed speech Can’t hold a pencil properly Don’t know how to play with others Get overstimulated or bored ...