Wellness is an Effort

Many people in modern times believe that worry, and related anxiety and depression, are abnormal. They learn from social systems that they should be able to control their feelings and even their wellness through mindfulness alone. Yet, Robert Goldman, J.D., Psy.D., Chief Psychologist, Founder and CEO of The Institute of Psychological Resilience, claims that worry is not only normal but also hardwired into every person’s biological makeup and that other factors must be taken into consideration.

The Institute of Psychological Resilience is based in Commack, NY and offers psychological therapy services at their Commack Offices.

Why do modern humans worry so much?

Approximately 40,000 years ago, ancient humans relied on a state of “fight or flight” to survive. They spent most of their lives worrying. They maintained hypervigilance, or constant alertness to their surroundings, to detect and fight or flee attacking humans and wild predators and cope better and faster with sudden environmental changes.

Dr. Goldman uses a story about two Neanderthals named “Carefree” and “Worry” to explain how humans survived long ago. In the story, both men were hungry and saw food nearby. A curious Carefree investigated only to find himself suddenly too close to hungry lions. Worry decided to wait for Carefree’s return. Although Carefree tried to escape, he couldn’t run fast enough, even with adrenaline and cortisol hormones suddenly pumping through his body and improving his energy levels and triggering an attempt to survive. Worry waited, worried about Carefree, and remained hypervigilant. He survived other threats and passed on the “worry” trait to his descendants.

How does feeling worry harm people?

Dr. Goldman cites statements about chronic stress made by neuroendocrinologist and thought leader Robert Sapolsky. Per Dr. Sapolsky, a constant state of worry places excessive strain on the body and shuts down natural restorative systems for periods longer than normal. Chronic stress causes adverse physical changes. The Neanderthal Worry likely experienced excessive high blood pressure and inflammation caused by adrenaline and cortisol over time, even without facing direct threats. Modern humans continue to experience these adverse effects.

Dr. Goldman believes that people must look to their approach to worry and the negative effects of various modern technologies, especially social media, as sources of constant stress. Since feeling worried is natural, people need to focus on reducing or eliminating modern “predators” and associated fears from their lives to prevent anxiety and depression and protect their overall physical and mental health.

He argues that social media is a non-stop threat to self-concept (i.e., esteem, image and ideal). People can’t easily escape social media because of its addictive qualities. As modern humans removed external environmental threats, they created more technological and internalized ones. They especially started to place too much value on social status. Tech companies trained them to believe that social survival is a necessity. As a result, they see their social status in local, global and specific offline and online communities, based on their knowledge about breaking news and events, personal or professional branding, number of followers and likes, and other factors, as important to their overall “survival” in the modern world.

These people are in a state of excessive worry fueled by anxiety about their social status and fear of missing out (FOMO). Dr. Goldman refers to social media as a source of constant stress that makes people feel under attack, which, in turn, repeatedly ignites their physical fight-or-flight response. The body releases the same levels of adrenaline and cortisol in modern humans as in ancient ones who faced down predators and dealt with hypervigilance. Many people become addicted or obsessed with social media. Some feel grief or guilt. Others freeze up, unable to fight or flee, and cycle through stages of depression.

How can humans “survive” worry and achieve wellness?

Dr. Goldman notes that there’s no reason that a non-stop state of excessive worry must persist in modern times. He contends that cultural norms and trends are the main reasons worry continues to cause harm. Most people learn at a young age, through ostracization and stigmatization, that they’re abnormal for experiencing excessive worry and associated anxiety and depression. He asserts that children and adults in various environments (i.e., home, school or work) need to be taught that worry is a normal aspect of human evolution exacerbated by modern social and other expectations. They also need society to provide them with strategies that enhance their awareness, resilience and wellness.