Episode
#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
1:29:19
Published: Sat Oct 22 2022
Description
Randy Nesse is a physician, author and founder of the field of evolutionary medicine and evolutionary psychiatry. Evolution created an odd creature in humans. We're able to fly to the moon and cure diseases. But we also get anxious in the supermarket or depressed if we have a bad week. Why would mother nature make us so fragile? If natural selection is powerful why are mental disorders so common? Expect to learn why the capacity for low mood exists at all, how low mood and depression could be evolutionarily advantageous, what happens if someone has too little fear or anxiety, why bad feelings are useless but normal, how eating disorders could be an adaptive response to the local environment and much more... Sponsors: Get 10% discount on your first month from BetterHelp at https://betterhelp.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied) Get a Free Sample Pack of all LMNT Flavours at https://www.drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied) Our Sponsor LetsGetChecked - get 25% discount on your at-home testosterone test at https://trylgc.com/wisdom (use code: WISDOM25) Extra Stuff: Check out Randy's Websites - nesse.us and goodreasons.info and evolutionarymedicine.org Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/
Chapters
Randy Nessie, founder of the field of evolutionary medicine and evolutionary psychiatry, explores why mental disorders are so common in humans despite natural selection.
00:00 - 01:11 (01:11)
Summary
Randy Nessie, founder of the field of evolutionary medicine and evolutionary psychiatry, explores why mental disorders are so common in humans despite natural selection. The episode covers topics such as evolution's role in low mood and depression, the advantages of anxiety, and why bad feelings are both normal and useless.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
Let's Get Checked is a worldwide leader in at home testing kits offering male hormone tests that accurately test SHGB and testosterone hormone levels.
01:11 - 06:38 (05:27)
Summary
Let's Get Checked is a worldwide leader in at home testing kits offering male hormone tests that accurately test SHGB and testosterone hormone levels. Receive 25% off using the code wisdom25 at trylgc.com/modern.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
Tiger discusses how to stabilize mood and avoid positive feedback loops to maintain a balanced life while excelling at elite levels.
06:38 - 13:01 (06:23)
Summary
Tiger discusses how to stabilize mood and avoid positive feedback loops to maintain a balanced life while excelling at elite levels.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
Chris sits down with neuroscientist, Lisa Feldman Barrett, and explores the less talked about aspects of emotions such as low mood and hypophobia, and the fundamental beliefs surrounding emotional disorders.
13:01 - 19:16 (06:15)
Summary
Chris sits down with neuroscientist, Lisa Feldman Barrett, and explores the less talked about aspects of emotions such as low mood and hypophobia, and the fundamental beliefs surrounding emotional disorders.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
The guest speaker explains a therapy technique by asking patients to consider a situation in which anger might have been useful in evolutionary history, which helps them think about the function of their emotions and symptoms in a more thoughtful manner.
19:16 - 24:51 (05:35)
Summary
The guest speaker explains a therapy technique by asking patients to consider a situation in which anger might have been useful in evolutionary history, which helps them think about the function of their emotions and symptoms in a more thoughtful manner.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding emotions and how they're regulated as a helpful tool to identify what options are best for helping an individual person, based on their particular experiences and way of relating to the world.
24:51 - 29:53 (05:02)
Summary
The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding emotions and how they're regulated as a helpful tool to identify what options are best for helping an individual person, based on their particular experiences and way of relating to the world.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
The fear of panic attacks can lead to the onset of more panic attacks in a dangerous environment.
29:53 - 35:23 (05:29)
Summary
The fear of panic attacks can lead to the onset of more panic attacks in a dangerous environment. Confidence and competence can break the cycle of anxiety.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
The rise of social media has created a panopticon where every action is scrutinized and could potentially be spread online, causing people to be more cautious about their behavior in public.
35:23 - 44:19 (08:56)
Summary
The rise of social media has created a panopticon where every action is scrutinized and could potentially be spread online, causing people to be more cautious about their behavior in public. Therapists are helpful in helping people cope with this new reality, but it has also created anxiety in some public figures who fear the consequences of their actions being exposed online.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
Individuals who are preferred as social partners enjoy significant advantages that extend beyond sexual benefits.
44:19 - 51:00 (06:40)
Summary
Individuals who are preferred as social partners enjoy significant advantages that extend beyond sexual benefits. However, being a leader and standing up in front of the group can be nerve-wracking because people are sensitive and try to gain the appreciation of others.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
The speaker reflects on how natural selection has shaped human capacities for morality and commitment, and how often people overlook the role of social selection.
51:00 - 54:37 (03:37)
Summary
The speaker reflects on how natural selection has shaped human capacities for morality and commitment, and how often people overlook the role of social selection.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
Attention is a key resource for individuals in a tribe; individuals with a higher degree of attention have an advantage over those who don't.
54:37 - 1:03:12 (08:34)
Summary
Attention is a key resource for individuals in a tribe; individuals with a higher degree of attention have an advantage over those who don't. However, multiple types of attention levels can be useful for a tribe as it offers different strategies to approach problems.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
Organisms are naturally shaped to forage for the optimal amount of berries or calories per hour at a patch before moving on to the next one.
1:03:12 - 1:08:25 (05:13)
Summary
Organisms are naturally shaped to forage for the optimal amount of berries or calories per hour at a patch before moving on to the next one. They adjust their foraging behaviors based on various factors like the presence of women and the time of day.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
The ratio of mortality rates between men and women should be considered, rather than just the mortality rates themselves, when analyzing mortality rates.
1:08:25 - 1:16:10 (07:45)
Summary
The ratio of mortality rates between men and women should be considered, rather than just the mortality rates themselves, when analyzing mortality rates. The belief in free will can contribute to the development of eating disorders.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
Explaining the causes of eating disorders may not be a cure, but it can help prevent people from getting into a cycle of dieting, and providing positive feedback helps individuals understand their condition better.
1:16:10 - 1:27:33 (11:23)
Summary
Explaining the causes of eating disorders may not be a cure, but it can help prevent people from getting into a cycle of dieting, and providing positive feedback helps individuals understand their condition better. Natural selection has not evolved withstanding upright, and there is an intrinsic vulnerability to the information processing of the mind that makes it susceptible to going wrong, which is why it's crucial to understand the origin of eating disorders to help those affected cope better.
Episode#542 - Dr Randy Nesse - Evolutionary Psychiatry Can Explain Human Emotions
PodcastModern Wisdom
The challenge with new science is to be appropriately critical about it and not get carried away with grandiose claims.
1:27:33 - 1:29:30 (01:56)
Summary
The challenge with new science is to be appropriately critical about it and not get carried away with grandiose claims. Instead, one must consider every hypothesis thoughtfully and with a mindful distance so as to make practical use of the scientific findings.