Kathmandu, July 21 -- There was a time when embarrassment faded with the moment. You tripped, people laughed, and life moved on.

Today, embarrassment can feel permanent. A single video, comment, or expression can be replayed, shared, and judged long after the moment has passed. Somewhere along the way, 'cringe' stopped being internet slang and became something else: a reason not to try.

Aastha Lakhey, psychologist, mental health practitioner, trainer, and lecturer, explains how the fear of being labelled 'cringe' reflects our need for acceptance, how social media has amplified self-consciousness, and why constantly performing for others can distance us from ourselves.

The word 'cringe' has become one of the strongest social judgments ....