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Evolutionary explanations for mental disorders from "summary" of Evolutionary Psychology by David Buss
Evolutionary psychologists have proposed that mental disorders may have roots in our evolutionary history. According to this perspective, certain mental disorders may have been adaptive in the ancestral environment, but have become maladaptive in the modern world. For example, anxiety disorders such as panic attacks may have been beneficial for our ancestors in situations of danger, helping them to react quickly and avoid potential threats. However, in today's world where such threats are less common, these same anxiety responses can become excessive and debilitating. Similarly, depression may have had adaptive functions in the past, such as conserving energy during times of scarcity or signaling submission to more dominant individuals in social hierarchies. However, in contemporary society where food and resources are more abundant, and social structures are more complex, these same depressive symptoms can interfere with daily functioning and lead to significant distress. Evolutionary explanations for mental disorders also suggest that certain disorders may be byproducts of adaptations that were beneficial in some contexts but have negative consequences in others. For example, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may stem from an exaggerated form of the evolved tendency to avoid contaminants and maintain cleanliness, which would have been advantageous in preventing disease in our ancestors. However, in modern times, this same tendency can manifest as excessive and irrational fears of contamination, leading to compulsive rituals that interfere with normal life. Additionally, evolutionary psychology offers insights into the prevalence of mental disorders across different cultures and societies. The mismatch hypothesis posits that the higher rates of certain mental disorders in industrialized societies may be due to a mismatch between our evolved psychological mechanisms and the demands of modern life. For example, the rise in depression and anxiety disorders in Western societies may be attributed to factors such as increased urbanization, social isolation, and lack of social support systems that deviate from the social environments in which our ancestors lived.- Evolutionary psychology provides a framework for understanding mental disorders as products of our evolutionary history. By examining how our psychological mechanisms have been shaped by natural selection, we can gain insights into the origins and manifestations of various mental health conditions. This perspective highlights the importance of considering the adaptive functions of behaviors and traits that may underlie the development of mental disorders in the modern world.
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