Modernity has gifted us with all sorts of amazing inventions, from sliced bread to self-driving cars, and the wonders of the internet and indoor plumbing. Unfortunately, the particular combination of all these modern wonders has also resulted in some fairly frightening trends in psychological and emotional problems.
The most common psychological and emotional problems facing the world today are ones that you’re probably well aware of, but that also receive the smallest amount of attention in the media and among friends: egotism, narcissism, entitlement, depression, and dissatisfaction.
- According to Wikipedia (2018), “Egotism is the drive to maintain and enhance favorable views of oneself, and generally features an inflated opinion of one’s personal features and importance. It often includes intellectual, physical, social and other overestimations.” We are constantly driven to make people like us, to be the center of our own universe and to overestimate our own abilities, often for the purposes of inflating our own importance. A common expression among egotists is ‘they can’t fire me, I’m irreplaceable.’ And though it might be true for a few, the hard reality is that most people are easily replaceable in their particular jobs. Egotism leads to over-inflated views of what one can and should accomplish, and the failing egotist will suffer greatly from the emotional damage of not being able to do everything they set out to do, including having everyone, or someone in particular, love them. The truth is that not everyone will love you, not everyone will even like you, and you can’t do everything all the time.
- “Narcissism is the pursuit of gratification from vanity or egotistic admiration of one’s own attributes.” Taking the most common form of narcissism in vanity, one can become overly dedicated to personal appearance, grooming, and hygiene. Obsessing over random natural traits such as hair quality, receding hairlines, physical beauty, physical strength or aptitude, and skills-based successes, the narcissist suffers emotional damage from disfigurement, personal disillusionment, personal image issues, eating disorders, and a loss of personal agency when others do not find them attractive for whatever their narcissistic quality is, be it physical appearance or mental capacity.
- Entitlement, often tied to egotism and narcissism, is the notion that a person, for whatever reason, is more entitled to certain things, positions, or perks than another. On a racial scale, entitlement is responsible for the disparity between races in job selection, career advancement, and other features. Perhaps the most damaging aspect of entitlement comes when the entitled person realizes that they are not truly entitled to whatever superior position they desire. A common issue for the entitled is attempting to ‘cut’ in front of others, whether it be at a restaurant, in a movie line, or on the road, the entitled person sees it as their right to be first, all the time.
- Depression is probably the most prevalent emotional problem of the 21st century. With no particular discernible cause, depression affects more than 40 million Americans every year. It can lead to everything from missed work and failed relationships to illness, injury, and even death if left untreated. The depressed person may not even realize that they are depressed, or may be unable to do anything to counteract their own depression. Depression has so many causes and treatments as to represent the first true need for individualized medicine.
- While the majority of individuals experience dissatisfaction at some point in their lives, like the difference between acute and chronic illnesses, dissatisfaction can destroy lives if it becomes a more permanent part of the individuals experience. Virtually un-talked about in most areas of medicine, dissatisfaction, like depression, has multiple vectors and few remedies. The modern individual dealing with chronic dissatisfaction may attempt to fill the void with material goods, unhealthy sexual practices, uncontrolled eating, extreme drug use or other reckless behaviors. The chronically dissatisfied individual is at risk of burning out on whichever coping mechanism they use, and may even seek death as an alternative to an unsatisfying life.
Psychological and emotional problems have changed over the ages, and these are just some of the more prevalent issues that are springing up in the modern era. To find out more, or to seek help in dealing with these issues, contact us, or check out our blog. If you’re in real trouble, contact your nearest emergency room right away and get the help you need now.