The Indian Express • 8th May 2023

From painful sex, being confined to bed, taboo, to mood swings: Women on how endometriosis is ‘more than just painful periods’

She was only in Grade 10 when Sakshi Gupta experienced painful periods for the first time. Dismissing it as a “normal symptom” of the menstrual cycle, she started taking over-the-counter painkillers. But things only got worse, and she was forced to visit a gynaecologist. However, there was still no solution in sight for a long time. “My condition was repeatedly misdiagnosed, and often my symptoms were also discounted — until finally, in 2018 — I was told I have endometriosis.”

While the diagnos

The Indian Express • 1st May 2023

‘Every joint, muscle, nerve started aching’: People share their struggles living with fibromyalgia

In 2018, Hina Arora, a software engineer, experienced widespread pain in her neck and shoulders, which gradually spread throughout her body. The excruciating pain affected her daily activities, and was often accompanied by episodes of anxiety attacks, mood swings, and periods of feeling low, “which worsened during the menstrual cycle”. “All this, in the absence of any understanding and support from others, led me to feel extremely isolated,” she told indianexpress.com.

Eventually, she joined ph

The Indian Express • 1st May 2023

‘Melancholic and heartwarming’: Van Gogh 360° catches the fancy of art lovers in Delhi-NCR

Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh is, undoubtedly, one of the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. Both his art and personal life have drawn curiosity, whether it is his magnum opus painting The Starry Night (1889), which is believed to have been drawn by the artist from an asylum room in Southern France, or him cutting off his own ear, supposedly after an altercation with artist Paul Gauguin.

Now, his art has been brought to life through Van Gogh 360°, a multimedia a

The Indian Express • 18th April 2023

‘I would lie there wide awake; it felt like a constant daze’: People share their struggles living with insomnia

Sleep evaded Biren Vora since he was nine years old, but was only diagnosed with insomnia in 2017 — over 50 years later. Always restless and struggling to sleep, things worsened for the founder of a financial service company when he started working late night shifts. “I used to toss and turn in bed the whole night trying to sleep. Disruptive thoughts would cloud my mind, which further induced anxiety,” he said, adding that his addiction to tea only worsened the symptoms.

After trying everything

The Indian Express • 11th April 2023

Not the same as baby blues, postpartum depression can lead to feelings of discontentment, distress, and disconnect with the baby

It was six months after delivering her baby that Bhawna Sharma first experienced signs of postpartum depression (PPD), which presented as her becoming irritable, annoyed, and having sudden and frequent bursts of crying. Talking about the phase, she said that she felt overwhelmed while taking care of her newborn son, who was very weak, and also her sick mother-in-law. “The sole responsibility of managing household chores came upon me, which only added to the sleepless nights, and immense stress a

The Indian Express • 7th April 2023

Designer Shubhika Sharma on creating Liza Koshy’s NMACC gala outfit that featured names of karigars

The launch of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre — touted as India’s first-of-its-kind multi-disciplinary cultural and art space — was attended by many celebrities, from both Hollywood and Bollywood. Among them was Liza Koshy, American actor and Youtuber, who graced the event in a stunning mermaid-fitted lehenga set designed by Shubhika Sharma, founder of Papa Don’t Preach. But there was a unique element to Koshy’s outfit, one that stood out among the milling crowd.

While many celebrities w

The Indian Express • 4th April 2023

‘It felt like the only thing I could control’: People share their struggles with compulsive cleaning

In college, Divya Rehani, a 28-year-old entreprenuer, had a constant urge to clean her surroundings. Even a speck of dust or dirt made her feel uneasy. Talking about the time, she said that she was going through an “emotionally challenging period and cleaning felt like the only thing I could control”. She shared that, for her, cleaning became more of a coping mechanism through which “I could at least have some order in my life.”

Similarly, Mahak Agrawal, who was born with a heart defect and dia

The Indian Express • 31st March 2023

If you feel fatigue, frustration, or detachment as a parent, you may be struggling with parental burnout

A few hours after her daughter was born, Sukanya Roy experienced a panic attack. The reason: the hospital she gave birth at had limited facilities and did not allow any family members to be present either — a situation that led to Roy being without any support for hours after delivery. This feeling got triggered once again when she resumed work but was unable to balance parental and work duties. “The organisation had no mechanism for me to do my job and take care of my newborn child at the same

The Indian Express • 15th March 2023

‘Eating disorders are not lifestyle choices’: Why many people share a complicated relationship with food

Kritika Ghai was first diagnosed with binge-eating disorder when she was merely 12 years. Since birth, she had an enlarged adenoid that blocked her nose pipe, making her gain weight. Her suffering was further exacerbated by her inability to perform any kind of exercise, owing to her irregular breathing patterns. As such, as a child, she was put on various extreme diets to manage her weight. This forced her to eat large amounts of food — rapidly and secretively. “Not knowing what I was going thro

News • 15th March 2023

Claims against one Shattuck surgeon raise questions about state care for prisoners

In 2016, Matthew Tottenham, was transported in chains from his cell at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center to the state’s Lemuel Shattuck Hospital for foot surgery — performed by orthopedic surgeon Adriana Carrillo.

Tottenham — now 35 years old — says he’d been told by his surgeon that he was going to have a simple procedure to remove bone spurs. But while he was under anesthesia, he says she did a second procedure on his foot that he did not learn about until months later. He says he woke

The Indian Express • 10th March 2023

‘It is a matter of dignity’: How adaptive clothing aims to empower people with disabilities

After being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in 2014, Kolkata-based Soumita Basu became wheelchair-bound. This not only made “dressing up a huge problem”, but she also “completely disliked” depending on others to wear her clothes. “The fact is, dressing up is a private affair, and whenever you rely on someone for it, you feel a loss of independence and bodily autonomy,” she asserted. Over the years, with not much clothing available to cater to her condition, Basu resorted to wearing oversized

The Indian Express • 3rd March 2023

Music therapy: Experts on harnessing the power of notes and lyrics to make lives better

Raksha Shah’s depression got worse during the COVID-19 lockdown, making her feel extremely isolated at home. The only thing that kept her going was engaging in activities she liked, and on the top of the list was music. As such, with time on her hand, she decided to join music therapy and attended daily sessions with a group of senior citizens who were facing similar problems. Only a few sessions made her feel better and even gave her the confidence to perform songs in front of others. “I can sa

The Indian Express • 24th February 2023

‘Having a mental health condition made me believe I was weak’: People recount experiences living with bipolar disorder

Avani Shukla was merely 16 when she got diagnosed with bipolar disorder; right before her Class 11 final examinations. Being a good student, Shukla had always performed well in class, but the disorder — which causes extreme mood swings — wreaked havoc as she was unable to concentrate, something which started reflecting in her scores. The cause, she recalled, was parental pressure to perform well in school and tuition. “My parents were afraid and ashamed of what was happening to me. As such, they

The Indian Express • 13th February 2023

‘There is no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting’: Experts share tips to manage rebellious behaviour in children

Over the years, Anuradha Premnath, a mother and principal, Orchids International School, saw things falling apart between her daughter and herself. “She would go on a hunger strike, lock herself up in a room, and not speak to me for days at a stretch. At times, she even behaved hysterically, with loud yelling,” she said, further sharing that her daughter’s behaviour made her feel like she had “failed as a mother”, which further “brought a ton of guilt and shame”. Despite feeling so, Premnath dec

HerZindagi English • 12th January 2023

Unload The Burden: The Bagless Policy Of NEP 2020 Is A Boon For Students

The New Education Policy of 2020 has helped to revamp the education system by making it more activity-based and practice-oriented. The 10-day bagless ...

We have all grown up carrying heavy bags which not only burden us physically, but also are a metaphor for the pressure put on the students to excel in academics at all costs. Carrying books on which we end up rote learning leaves no scope for practice-based learning that is more fruitful in the long run. To bring a change in the current system

HerZindagi English • 10th January 2023

New Year, Old Us: Crimes Against Women On An All-Time High

We welcomed 2023 with an assault on women’s dignity. From the Delhi accident to the Air India urination incident, the ordinary Indian woman’s safety i...

With another new year rolling in, we resolved that better treatment be meted out to all women. However, on January 1 itself, there was a tragic incident which led to the death of a woman, Anjali Singh. The sole breadwinner of her family, Singh was returning home on her scooty when she had a head-on collision with a Maruti Baleno. She was dragg

HerZindagi English • 4th January 2023

Bold Tones To Cyber Punk, Here Are The Expected Fashion Trends Of 2023

In an exclusive interview with HerZindagi, Anand Singh, Fashion Design Manager, DaMENSCH, forecasts the hottest fashion trends of 2023.

After spending the first two years of the 2020s in our pyjamas, 2022 brought normalcy in our lives and we sought comfort in fashion. With nostalgia taking a front seat, we saw a resurgence of ‘90s and Y2K trends. Celebrities and models alike dressed in bold colours and prints. Pink and purple became the shades of the year. However, with the possible recession c

HerZindagi English • 26th December 2022

Climes, The Company Working On Climate Change One Wedding At A Time

The wedding industry has bounced back post-pandemic and has once again brought back the major concern of climate change. There is utmost need to make ...

The Indian wedding industry is one of the largest in the world, following the US market. The total value of the Indian wedding industry is an estimated $50 billion.

Indian weddings for a long time have been known for their luxe and bling. They have unrestrained budgets where people often flex their social status and wealth. Weddings are also

HerZindagi English • 24th December 2022

Finding Happiness After Abusive Relationships: 3 Women Share Their Stories With Us

We talked to three women who share their stories of resilience and perseverance, which gave them a new lease of life after being in toxic relationship...

After the Shraddha Walkar murder case, there has been a highlight on abusive relationships. Women are often forced to sacrifice their happiness for the sake of their relationships and marriages, even when it comes with intense abuse and toxicity. However, some of them choose themselves before anything else and manage to thrive after getting ou

HerZindagi English • 19th December 2022

Pathaan Controversy: Why ‘Besharam Rang’ Is Not Besharam

The SRK-Deepika Padukone action thriller, Pathaan has become the talk of town for all the wrong reasons, but is this criticism valid? Let’s break it d...

Pathaan is the much-awaited action thriller that will see Shah Rukh Khan coming on the silver screen after a four year break from Bollywood, barring his cameo appearances here and there. Pathaan is already being lauded for its power-packed trailer. However, after the release of its first song ‘Besharam Rang’, there has been a frenzy among a ce