Evolutionary psychology proposes ways of helping us to understand our cognitive processes by looking to the past.
Just like human beings have physically adapted to our environment in order to survive, evolutionary psychology suggests that we adapted cognitively the same way…
And that many mental and emotional reactions have served an important evolutionary purpose.
Now some psychologists are offering a new way to look at depression through an evolutionary lens.
In great news for British students and their families, the UK Department of Education will be investing over 2 million dollars in mental health support over the next few years.
This comes as a response to what has been called a ‘youth mental health epidemic’…
With around 10 per cent of UK students suffering from a diagnosable mental health condition.
Many students suffer from symptoms of anxiety and depression directly as a result of the extreme academic pressures they face in schooling.
So it’s a proactive and thoroughly appropriate response to tackle these issues within the school framework.
There is no denying — or avoiding — the fact that children, and even very young children, are suffering from more anxiety than any generation before them.
This increase has been heavily documented in university research papers, psychology studies, and even noted by education professionals…
Up to 55 per cent of teachers in the UK have reported a dramatic rise in anxiety levels in their students in the last few years, and in Australia, the figures are similar.
During the formative years of childhood and adolescence, it can be difficult for a parent to understand what their child is going through.
Particularly when it comes to mental and emotional challenges, the lines between what’s normal and what might need to be addressed can be very blurry.
Depression versus sadness; anxiety versus stress; learning difficulties versus disengagement…
They can all present overlapping signs and symptoms.
That’s why psychologists are constantly researching and analysing these conditions, so that they can be addressed and rectified as early as possible.
Social anxiety, shyness and introversion are three concepts which can be confused for this exact reason — they all lie on the same spectrum.
But while the latter two can be harmless and even positive personality traits, social anxiety can interrupt a sufferer’s ability to function on a day to day basis.
So what’s the difference?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is an approach used by many psychologists to help their patients deal with a variety of mental and emotional challenges.
It’s a problem-focused, action-orientated talking therapy that has proven to be extremely beneficial in the treatment of depression and anxiety.
And the principle that underlies the therapy is that if we can change the way we think, we can change the way we feel…
By training ourselves to identify negative, dysfunctional and destructive thoughts (a less intuitive task than you may think), we can then begin to work on replacing them with healthy ones.
And the benefits of CBT have been championed by psychologists for decades.
But now, new research suggests that CBT can not only change our thought patterns, it can literally rewire our brains!
A concept that comes up a lot on this blog and in our dealings with children and parents is the importance of listening.
Really listening to your children is an integral way to build or maintain a healthy and mutually respectful relationship.
And especially for adolescents, having someone to talk to openly and honestly about the challenges you are facing can make all the difference…
For parents, actively listening to your children helps you to understand where they’re coming from in all matter of issues, from bullying to problematic behaviour or depression and anxiety…
And this can help you to make better choices in your interactions with them going forward.
But how do we know if we’re being good listeners?
And how can we become better listeners?
We all experience ‘anxiety’ in some form throughout our lives.
We can describe this anxiety as a feeling of worry or nervousness about something.
And for many people, these uncomfortable feelings are both fleeting and surmountable.
In many situations, it may even be more appropriate to ascribe these feelings to ‘stress’, rather than anxiety.
But for those who suffer more seriously or frequently from anxiety, or even from generalised anxiety disorder, it can be hard for those who don’t to relate.
We’ve talked about motivation and success when it comes to study and examinations.
But an increasingly important issue surrounding these ideas is the pressure that is put on our students…
By the education system, by parents, and by the students themselves.
Studies show that in Australia, we are bordering on an adolescent mental health epidemic.
Instances of anxiety and depression in young people are becoming increasingly and alarmingly common.
And a huge source of these conditions is stress from schooling.
The pressure is even taking a toll on parents, with a mental health organisation setting up extra counselling services for parents of high school students.
So how do we help our kids, and ourselves, to deal with the pressure?
Losing a loved one is a heartbreaking experience at any age.
And watching our children go through the process can make the experience even more devastating.
It’s a parent’s natural urge to want to shield their children from pain and sadness.
But this isn’t realistic — not during childhood, and not during adulthood.
Loss and sadness are inevitable parts of life, but teaching your children positive and productive coping mechanisms will help them through the process in the short and long term.
So how do we deal with a grieving child?
Most of us will understand the concepts of evolutionary biology:
The theory that all species have developed from earlier species, and have continuously adapted to the environment through a process of natural selection.
Evolution has been instrumental to developments in our understanding of science and medicine, but it has also led to developments in ‘life sciences’, such as psychology.
And although evolutionary psychology has its skeptics, it can provide a foundation for understanding why we think, feel and behave the way we do.
These explanations can be particularly useful in creating self-awareness and acceptance in children.
Especially when it comes to anxiety.
Got any questions before you book? Click here to request a phone call and a psychologist will call you at a convenient time (prospective clients only). Please keep in mind we are often busy with clients but we do our best to respond to all enquiries within one business day. :-)
(*As of 24th July, 2019.)