
Ever wondered why we so often suffer from psychological pain? Depressive and anxious thoughts seem to come much more often than happy and content ones. Many might blame themselves for this phenomenon------taking on the assumption that they must be going mentally unstable. The reality is, however, that this is a completely normal phenomenon— we are going to explain it below!
Research shows that our current mindset is a result of evolution from our ancestors—-the cavemen from the stone age. Those who adopted such a mindset had a much greater possibility of survival and passing on offspring. Naturally, after many generations, this mindset was the one that exists in everyone.
Here are some of its characteristics, and how they relate to our modern life-way of thinking:
Safety instincts
Cavemen had to be constantly on the lookout for danger. The slightest lapse in concentration might lead to disastrous consequences (e.g. failing to spot a wolf about to attack him/her). Unfortunately, this has evolved into many of us feeling constantly anxious nowadays. The persistent feelings of fear and discomfort we feel were actually the survival instincts of our ancestors.
Comparison with others
The average stone age caveman had to compare himself/herself with others constantly. This is because fitting into a group was essential for survival. Cavemen had the best chance of survival when in groups as unity was required to face the constant threats of wildlife and opposing clans. Factors such as not contributing enough or not following the “norm” of the clan might get one kicked out. Therefore, we possess an instinct to follow social norms nowadays too, to ensure that one is not left out. When we are not able to do so despite trying, our brain sends out psychological pain signals as a danger reminder of the possible consequences that may take place if we do not improve in the future, as another survival instinct. This situation is worsened by the rising technology nowadays where we can easily view the styles, speeches and values of some rich or proficient people in internet blogs or social media apps. It is even harder to follow the lifestyle of a person with leadership post as they often do not have the resources to do so, o
Desire for resources
Resources are always limited. Back in the stone age, those who could not acquire enough had slimmer chances of survival. Those who could control and sustain more resources such as food, shelter or weapons could live longer and have more offspring. Cavemen also feel threatened by neighbouring clans who possess more as they would have the ability to attack the clan. This leads to the nurturing of a competitive nature for humans to fight for resources-----the more the better. In the modern world, this transforms into greed where we always crave for more, even when we no longer have to rely on the things we fight for for survival. Failing to do so would lead to dissatisfaction and stimulate psychological pain receptors in our brain such that we feel alarmed by this. What's worse in modern society is again------- the presence of technology, which allows you to see the lives of people thousands of miles away. This increases our exposure to people living good lives, which consequently causes even more psychological suffering for us.
We thus conclude that our brain is hard-wired to create psychological suffering more than happiness—-and this phenomenon is completely normal, even for a healthy human being. We believe in finding ways to integrate with such survival instincts rather than rejecting or outcasting them. It certainly is not a symptom of a person being weak or going crazy! Therefore, the next time you feel sad or anxious in the workplace, it might actually be a good idea to take a moment to relax and think through why you feel this way------which survival instinct was triggered? Often, objectively understanding the reasons behind negative emotions is enough to make one feel better. This brings us into the concept of mindfulness. We strongly recommend this practice as a method to make yourself feel more emotionally refreshed in the workplace! (Learn more here)
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