#Culturalcontext

A March 2025 study using advanced computer vision analyzed real-world interactions between cyclists and pedestrians on shared urban routes. The research found that painted centerlines and markings rarely prevent conflicts in crowded spaces. Narrow paths, dense pedestrian and cyclist groups, and obstacles like vendor booths and litter significantly raise the risk of people straying from their designated zones. The authors suggest widening shared paths, clarifying direction rules, and actively managing street-level obstacles to reduce clashes.

Social media’s obsession with “cortisol belly” and “cortisol face” has racked up millions of views among Thai users, amplifying fears that the stress hormone cortisol is sabotaging health and appearance. However, scientists and medical experts are pushing back, clarifying that everyday cortisol fluctuations from modern stressors are far from the catastrophic threat depicted in TikTok and Instagram trends—findings that come as a relief for many in Thailand and across the globe. This latest conversation is rooted in a detailed analysis published by a medical researcher through The Conversation, and corroborated by endocrinologists and global health organizations, signaling an urgent need for critical media literacy around health information online.

A new focus in cancer care is highlighting an often neglected area: sexual health. While treatments advance and survival improves, many patients’ sexual health needs are still overlooked in research and clinical practice. This gap affects quality of life and recovery, underscoring the need for changes in patient care protocols worldwide, including Thailand, where social taboos and limited support persist.

Growing evidence shows sexual health is closely tied to overall physical and emotional well-being. In discussions with clinicians, it’s clear there are substantial gaps in support for sexual health during and after cancer treatment. Surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation can cause sexual dysfunction and changes in body image, adding to the distress of diagnosis.

A new focus in cancer care is emerging, shining a light on an often neglected aspect of patient well-being: sexual health. Recent discussions among medical professionals highlight that, while cancer treatments have advanced and survival rates are improving, the sexual health needs of patients are still frequently overlooked in both research and clinical practice. This oversight has a profound impact on quality of life and recovery, underscoring an urgent need for change in patient care protocols around the world—including Thailand, where taboos around sexual health and limited support services persist.

Flight anxiety is rising as aviation incidents capture global attention. Recent high-profile crashes and near-misses have intensified worries among travelers, flight crews, and aviation workers. For Thai travelers—whether visiting ASEAN neighbours, conducting business, or joining religious journeys—the renewed fear of flying presents personal and cultural challenges that deserve thoughtful, practical coverage.

Global data suggest that millions experience significant flight-related anxiety. A 2025 survey indicates only about two-thirds of U.S. adults view flying as safe, a drop from the previous year, implying a broader rise in unease. Experts warn that perception can outpace actual risk, especially when media coverage amplifies rare events. Psychologists note that even seasoned flyers report heightened sensitivity to takeoffs, turbulence, and confinement inside an aircraft cabin.

As recent high-profile air disasters reverberate around the globe—including January’s deadly U.S. plane crash, the worst in over two decades—more people than ever are wrestling with intense anxieties about flying. Psychologists, flight attendants, and industry experts are witnessing a sharp uptick in flight-related worries, with even seasoned travelers and aviation workers expressing unprecedented discomfort in the wake of recent events (AP News, National Geographic, MSU Denver RED, NY Post). For Thai travelers—many of whom journey by air within ASEAN and beyond for work, leisure, or pilgrimage—the resurgence of “fear of flying” (aviophobia) presents unique personal and cultural challenges.

Flying abroad brings excitement for many Thais, whether for work, study, or leisure. But turbulence can trigger anxiety, leaving passengers gripping armrests and silently wishing for a smoother ride. A recent feature distills expert-backed strategies from flight attendants to help travelers stay calm and informed.

Turbulence is a common in-flight experience, and many passengers catastrophize brief bumps in the sky. For Thai travelers, especially first-timers during a travel rebound after the pandemic, understanding turbulence can lessen fear. Insights from seasoned flight attendants demystify this aviation reality and offer actionable guidance.

For many Thais, the thought of flying abroad—whether for business, study, or leisure—evokes excitement, but also anxiety. This is especially true when a smooth journey is suddenly interrupted by turbulence, leaving passengers gripping their armrests and silently chanting “สาธุ” (sa-thu) for safe passage. A new feature published on HuffPost, “How To Calm Anxiety During Turbulence, According To Flight Attendants” (source), brings comfort by distilling practical, expert-backed strategies straight from the world’s most seasoned flyers.

A wave of responses from the autism community has emerged after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. labeled autism as a societal burden and claimed it “destroys families.” Parents and advocates emphasize that autistic individuals bring unique strengths and deserve acceptance, inclusion, and adequate support. The debate, while centered on the U.S. public figure, resonates with families in Thailand and worldwide as diagnoses rise and services evolve.

In its essence, the controversy challenges a long-standing view of autism as a problem to be managed. Parents insist that their children are not burdens but individuals with potential, requiring understanding and resources. As one mother wrote online, the family’s purpose and joy lie in raising autistic children, not in portraying them as a burden. This sentiment mirrors reports across the journalism landscape that highlight diverse family experiences shaped by social support, access to early intervention, and community acceptance.

Hollywood actor Penn Badgley’s candid discussion about body dysmorphia has sparked a worldwide dialogue about mental health, celebrity influence, and society’s beauty standards. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Badgley reflected on feeling “I hated my body and wanted a different one,” noting how fame can intertwine appearance with perceived value and opportunity. This admission resonates beyond the West, inviting Thailand to examine how media shapes self-image among Thai youth and adults alike.

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) has returned to the spotlight, with researchers and advocates describing how even minor criticism can trigger sudden, overwhelming distress. The New York Times highlighted RSD as a condition where perceived rejection can plunge individuals into deep sadness, rage, or worthlessness, making the world feel unstable.

For Thai readers, this renewed attention matters as mental health awareness grows amid lingering stigma. RSD is closely linked with ADHD and other neurodivergent experiences, but recent studies show its impact reaches beyond diagnosed groups, affecting daily life and self-esteem in many people. Data from leading health researchers indicate higher rejection sensitivity among those with mood disorders and anxiety, underscoring the need for broader recognition and support.

In recent months, the term “Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria” (RSD) has gained renewed attention in both scientific literature and popular media, as mental health experts and affected individuals speak out about this intense emotional condition that can turn minor criticisms into catastrophic emotional reactions. The New York Times recently profiled RSD, describing the condition as a state where even slight rejection, teasing, or criticism triggers a rapid plunge into feelings of profound sadness, rage, or worthlessness, making sufferers feel as if “the world is collapsing” around them source.

Researchers from Caltech and Japan’s Toyohashi University of Technology have mapped neural patterns that help groups enter deep, focused “flow states” together. The discovery could transform how Thai workplaces, classrooms, and esports teams are formed to maximize performance. Team flow, a well-established concept in positive psychology, describes a state where people lose track of time and collaborate with intense focus. It is linked to higher productivity, greater job satisfaction, and better mental wellbeing. In a recent Nature Scientific Reports study, scientists used EEG brainwave monitoring to capture the distinctive focus signatures that emerge when pairs play a cooperative rhythm-based video game requiring precise, synchronized action—similar to popular rhythm games.

Researchers at Caltech and Japan’s Toyohashi University of Technology have uncovered the unique neural signatures that help teams enter deep, focused “flow states” together—a finding that could revolutionize how Thai workgroups, students, and even esports teams are assembled for peak performance. Team flow, long recognized in positive psychology as a state where individuals lose track of time and become wholly absorbed in collaborative activity, has been linked to better productivity, higher job satisfaction, and improved mental wellbeing. In their recent study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, scientists used EEG brainwave monitoring to capture the unique electrical “fingerprints” of focus when pairs played a cooperative rhythm-based video game that required precise, synchronized action, similar to popular titles like Guitar Hero (Caltech News).

Depression, or major depressive disorder, affects how people feel, think, and carry out daily activities. New guidance from health researchers underscores its wide impact and the range of treatments available. This overview blends clinical insight with practical steps relevant to Thai communities, emphasizing compassionate, culturally aware care.

Symptoms of depression span mood, thinking, and physical health. People may feel persistent sadness, fatigue, or irritability, struggle with concentration, experience changes in appetite or sleep, withdraw socially, or report unexplained aches. Health professionals note that symptoms can differ from person to person, making individualized assessment essential.

In a world where mental health awareness is gaining momentum, understanding depression—its symptoms and treatments—remains crucial. Depression, clinically known as major depressive disorder, profoundly affects how individuals feel, think, and manage day-to-day activities, according to recent insights from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The article by Hannah Yasharoff for USA Today highlights the pervasive impact of depression and the advances in treating this complex condition.

Depression is characterized by a myriad of symptoms, including fatigue, concentration difficulties, irritability, changes in appetite, sleep disturbances, social withdrawal, and physical complaints such as unexplained headaches or digestive issues. Psychiatrist Dr. Judith Joseph, in her conversation with USA Today, underscores the importance of recognizing these symptoms which can vary across individuals.

Betel nut, known locally as หมาก, remains a vivid thread in Thai markets, temple courtyards, and social rituals. The areca nut from the Areca catechu palm is both a symbol of hospitality and a traditional remedy, even as new research questions its safety. This piece revisits the cultural significance while presenting current health perspectives for Thai readers.

Across the region, betel chewing involves the nut, slaked lime, and betel leaf. In Thailand, the practice is woven into weddings, offerings, and daily interactions. The bright red stain on lips and teeth has long marked social status and community belonging, underscoring how deeply the habit is embedded in life’s ceremonies and everyday moments.