Mastodawn

Based on not just one but three ongoing discussions I want to write down a few things I, based on my professional and other experience, consider truths. Relevant background: I am a child psychiatrist working in children and youth community level mental health services. I hold a PhD in data analysis. I've dabbled in practical epidemiology. I am a parent. My values can be described as left liberal. I am NOT a psychotherapist. Welcome to my not-TED talk that will go on for some hours probably. 0/🧵

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Jaana 3d ago

1/🧵: Humans did not evolve in conditions where being easily content was a survival trait. It was better to get a little restless and start looking for things to improve and food to store than to sit around feeling nice.

Your mind does not exist to make you feel good. It has evolved to help you survive in extreme conditions.

Calm, content, peace of mind, etc are not the default normal state of a human being. Periodically rising restlessness, that pushes us to Do Something is what is "normal".

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fan boy 🪭1d ago

@JankaWessman
> Your mind does not exist to make you feel good.

That's a silly, general, and unscientific comment. It's obvious some folks have minds which do exactly that. And other folks who are barely able to function. There is an entire spectrum.

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Jaana

@notyourfanboy There is *always* a spectrum when humans are considered, and indeed the ability to be happy and the level that people experience content seems to be to a significant extent a permanent personality trait. After a fortune or a misfortune people tend to go back to whatever they level they were before it (as a rule, not always).