For those of you who don't know, Abraham Harold Maslow was an American psychologist who was best known for creating Maslow's hierarchy of needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization. Basically, this means that everyone has needs, and ultimately when our needs are met, we reach self-actualization.
The first needs that we need met are our basic needs: air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep. Then, we move up to the psychological needs: intimate relationships, friends, and prestige or accomplishment. Finally, at the top, self-actualization occurs when we achieve our full potential.
Maslow's theory applies well to many different populations, but for me the one that comes to mind is anxiety. A lack of esteem needs can lead to to depression and anxiety, as well as other common mental illnesses.
Basically, my long-winded rambling aside, Maslow's hierarchy is sometimes a good reminder of what I need to take a step back and do when I'm feeling mentally unwell. Do I need water? Rest? Snuggles with a friend, partner or pet? A snack? Starting from the very bottom of the pyramid breaks down my panic and my emotions into small, manageable chunks, which can make me feel more capable of dealing with it.
Comments
Post a Comment