Take care of love and belonging needs to avoid depression
Benny and Björn—of the Swedish pop group ABBA—understood human motivation when they wrote People Need Love in 1972. (Listen to the end to catch the yodeling.)
A few years ago, I wrote about motivation in an article on psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Maslow’s theory concluded that all human motivation is dictated by five categories of human needs:
Physiological;
Safety;
Love and belonging;
Esteem; and
Self-actualization
Maslow argued that self-actualization is only possible when we address each level in the order listed above.
If we fail to meet lower order needs, they will turn into discomforts and monopolize our consciousness until we address them.
Many of us are good at meeting our physiological and safety needs, but our Level Three needs often beg attention.
As humans, we are wired for connection. We thrive when we find meaning, acceptance, and support from other people.
In the absence of such connection, we become susceptible to ill-being such as clinical depression.
Even before the pandemic, loneliness, teen suicide, addiction, and other mental illnesses were at all-time highs. Mobile phones and social media have made things worse.
So put your phone on “Do Not Disturb,” play some ABBA, and get involved in a club, support group, professional organization, or online community.
And connect!