Seraphina Seow

1 week ago | vogue.com | Seraphina Seow

I am fortunate to have several close friends, all of whom I can turn to for guidance or support when I need it. But at 31 years old, I no longer have the kind of best friendship where you know you’re each other’s go-to. I’m invited to many bachelorette parties, but never anybody’s maid of honor. Where others are hanging out with the same friends week to week, figuring life out together, I’m unsure who I can spontaneously catch up with on particularly quiet weekends.

2 weeks ago | huffpost.com | Seraphina Seow

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2 weeks ago | malaysia.news.yahoo.com | Seraphina Seow

Some signs of and behaviors associated with social anxiety have been normalized. ljubaphoto via Getty ImagesEveryone has felt anxious in social situations. You’ve probably stumbled over your words while speaking to someone new, or experienced the jitters of arriving first at an event without a familiar face in sight. For some people, this anxiety prevents them from being able to socialize without feeling distressed.

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Seraphina Seow

A friend of mine has been hoping to make new friends as a 26-year-old. She’s made every effort to put herself out there: joined clubs, volunteered, initiated catch-ups. But every time she establishes a new connection, it wanes after a few weeks. She suspects that it may be because she pokes fun at people too early in the friendship. "They get quiet and awkward,” she tells me. “Can’t handle my jokes.”Striking up meaningful friendships in adulthood is hard.

3 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Seraphina Seow

Every time I complete a professional project, the dominant emotion I feel is relief – relief that I didn’t fail, and that something I did was “good enough”. But do I appreciate my success or have pride in my achievement? Nope. I just move on to the next task. Relishing the accomplishment feels superfluous, because I’ve only done what’s expected of me. Does it matter if I don’t feel proud of my accomplishments? Dr Chu Hui Cha, a clinical psychologist based in California, believes it does.