Dhriti's Diary- Poila Baishak

 Today was Dhriti’s first Bengali New Year—but she had no idea.

All she noticed was that Mumma got ready unusually early and left. That was strange. Stranger still, Mumma didn’t come home at lunch.

So Dhriti carried on in her own way—crawling around, shouting at her nannies, running her tiny world like she always does.

By evening, boredom crept in. Mumma was late again. The day felt longer than usual.

But the moment Mumma walked in, nothing else mattered. Dhriti went straight to her, held on with all her little strength, ignored Baba completely, and drifted off to sleep—finally at peace.

Her first New Year, marked not by rituals or celebrations, but by waiting, missing, and the comfort of being back in Mumma’s arms.

Mental health and AI

I recently came across a startup offering mental health services. Their LinkedIn page states that they are “on a mission to provide accessible, affordable, and high-quality mental health support worldwide.”

Out of curiosity—and admittedly a bit out of boredom—I explored their website. It turned out to be a mix of AI-driven therapy sessions alongside a network of psychologists available via call or chat to help manage anxiety and related concerns.

What really caught my attention was the AI-based therapy option. The lowest-priced session was just ₹99.

That left me puzzled.

Therapy, by nature, is deeply personal and layered with nuance. We’re already living in an age overloaded with information, constantly navigating a maze of content and stimulation. Many of us are actively trying to disconnect—seeking time away from screens and digital noise.

And yet, here we are, turning to AI therapists—systems trained on datasets and patterns—to help ease our worries. They’re non-judgmental, accessible, and undeniably affordable. But are they truly effective?

I’m not entirely convinced. It’s something I need to reflect on further.