I think most of us have wondered why we suffer. If you look around, you will see that, at the very least, you are not alone. Suffering is part of the human experience. There is so much unhappiness in the world, yet there are few truly satisfying answers to the question “why”. If you decide to look, you’ll probably end up reading gloomy philosophers explaining how to be happy. There has to be a better way.
Thankfully, some scientists have asked the same question. In this article, we will use science to explore what may sit behind our pain, and how we might soothe it. More specifically, we will look at 3 possible explanations through the lens of evolutionary theory.
1. We have not been evolved to live in the modern world
Let’s begin with the most straightforward explanation. Our environment is changing more rapidly than our bodies can adapt. Changes in the way we live help explain many common illnesses. Modern diets and sedentary lifestyles help explain the rise in diagnoses of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Air pollution and smoking help explain various forms of cancer and respiratory illness. A similar pattern is observed in mental health conditions. In 2017, the World Health Organization noted that the most common psychological disorders include depression (Read more: What depression is?) and anxiety disorders. Prehistoric humans experienced these conditions as well, but not at the rates we see today. Chronic stress and the epidemic of loneliness that characterise our era are thought to help explain the rapid rise in mental health disorders.
If you feel you might benefit from psychological support, you can start online psychotherapy right away with one of our licensed therapists.
2. We are not the only ones evolving
This argument comes from biologists who study pathogens. If the human immune system has been evolving for so long, how did COVID-19 manage to confine all of us to our homes just a few years ago? The issue is that viruses also evolve, and they do so much faster than we do. This idea is central to understanding infectious diseases, but it can also be helpful when thinking about certain psychological difficulties. If anything has evolved faster than COVID-19, it is technology - and unfortunately it is often developed with profit in mind rather than mental wellbeing. A clear example is the problematic use of social media. Social platforms are designed by some of the brightest minds of our time to capture as many hours of our attention as possible. Sadly, they do not only consume our time; they can also erode our quality of life. Low self-esteem and depressive symptoms are commonly observed in association with problematic social media use. Women appear to be more vulnerable to some of the negative effects of social media, but that does not mean men are protected from the impact of technological change. Men more often show addictive patterns related to online gaming and pornography. Our brain, shaped over the course of human history, has not had time to develop adequate defences against technologies that are deliberately designed to be habit-forming.
If you feel you are experiencing some of these symptoms, reach out today to one of our licensed therapists.
3. Mother Nature is not especially concerned with whether we feel okay
It’s time to talk about one of the most provocative ideas that evolutionary theory has to offer. The purpose of our lives was never happiness. If there is any objective aim to existence, it is the reproduction of genes. And if, in the pursuit of reproduction, we suffer, nature is indifferent. Richard Dawkins, perhaps the most well-known evolutionary biologist - describes human beings as survival machines that blindly follow their programming in the service of their genes’ replication. This may sound bleak, but it starts to feel familiar when you look at the themes of popular love songs. If you open anyone’s YouTube or Spotify, you will quickly find lyrics along the lines of “I’m suffering because I love you,” “I can’t stand how you make me suffer,” or “it drives me crazy how you make me suffer.” And if you look around, it won’t take long to find someone behaving irrationally and against their own best interests because they are in love.
The main purpose of this article is to recognize that there are serious reasons we suffer, and it does not necessarily mean we are doing something wrong. Life is not always easy or smooth. In fact, difficulty is part of being human, and it can give us the chance to build resilience, endurance, and inner strength. When we face challenges, we often grow, and we discover our capacity for courage and compassion. You can think of life’s difficulties like ocean waves. Just like waves, challenges come and go. They can feel overwhelming, but they can also become moments where you find strength. Professional surfers see waves as opportunity. You can do something similar, by learning to treat difficulties as chances for growth and change. See it as a challenge, and practice “riding” them, exploring new ways to stay steady and balanced.
So happiness is not only the absence of problems, it is also our ability to face challenges with dignity and hope. And let’s not forget, hard times often help us appreciate moments of joy and gratitude even more. We may not be able to avoid technology, but we can use it more responsibly. We may not be able to escape love, but we can avoid some of the traps our instincts set for us. Many of us suffer, and once we understand why, we can meet ourselves, and others, with a little more compassion.
In difficult moments, you do not have to be alone. It is OK to ask for help. Talk now with one of our licensed therapists.
Bibliography
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