The term “mental health crisis” has become a dominant narrative in public discourse, but it often misrepresents the true nature of the challenges many individuals face. Rather than being solely a result of internal dysfunction, mental health struggles are frequently linked to difficulties in embedding oneself meaningfully within the external world. It is true that each of us possesses unique biological and psychological traits—some of which can be thoughtfully analyzed to gain insights into our inner workings. However, when we reduce human experience to these internal dimensions, we lose sight of the broader context in which mental well-being flourishes: our social connections, cultural environments, and roles within our communities.
Psychiatry, as it currently operates, reflects this inward, reductionist approach. It focuses primarily on hormones, drives, feelings, and thoughts, all of which are essential to understanding human behavior. However, this focus often neglects the broader social and environmental factors that contribute to well-being. For instance, the decline of close-knit communities and family networks has left many people without the support systems they need to navigate life’s challenges. Isolation, loneliness, and a lack of belonging are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to mental distress. While psychiatry often seeks to address these issues by altering brain chemistry or reframing thought patterns, such interventions rarely address the root cause: the weakening of social bonds and the erosion of communal ties.
Consider the example of urban living, where individuals are often surrounded by thousands of people yet feel profoundly isolated. In cities, the breakdown of traditional support systems can exacerbate feelings of alienation. Many people in these settings struggle not because of internal flaws but because they lack meaningful connections with others. Similarly, the rise of remote work has contributed to a sense of disconnection, with employees missing the informal camaraderie and shared purpose that often comes from in-person interactions. In such cases, addressing loneliness and fostering community engagement may do more for mental health than any pharmaceutical intervention could achieve.
Another issue in psychiatry is its tendency to overclassify. Diagnostic labels can be useful when they identify clusters of symptoms with shared underlying causes, allowing professionals to understand and address emergent behaviors. For example, recognizing the shared traits of conditions like schizophrenia can guide tailored interventions that help individuals thrive. However, much of psychiatric terminology groups symptoms without meaningful connections, leading to redundant or overly broad classifications. This can create confusion and result in over-diagnosis, where natural variations in human behavior are pathologized unnecessarily.
Diagnostic labels can influence individuals to adopt them as part of their identity, a phenomenon that can be counterproductive to mental well-being. When someone embraces a psychiatric diagnosis as a defining feature of who they are, they may begin to believe they exhibit all the associated symptoms, even if they did not initially experience them. This behavior aligns with the principle of imitation, where exposure to certain narratives or identities can lead individuals to incorporate them into their self-perception. For example, the “Scully Effect,” named after the fictional character Dana Scully from The X-Files, describes how cultural representations can shape real-world behavior. Similarly, adopting a psychiatric diagnosis as an identity marker can perpetuate maladaptive patterns, much like the placebo effect amplifies the perceived impact of treatments.
In medieval times, thinkers observed how certain forms of madness seemed to spread socially, fueled by shared narratives and collective behaviors. A striking example of this is “dancing mania”, where large groups of people would begin dancing uncontrollably, often in unison, and continue until they collapsed from exhaustion or even died. Far from being an isolated event, these episodes were often triggered by a shared belief in supernatural causes, such as curses or divine punishment, which created a fertile ground for mass hysteria. The communal nature of the behavior reinforced its spread, as individuals joined in, influenced by the actions and emotions of those around them. Medieval communities interpreted this as a contagious form of madness, prompting collective rituals and exorcisms in an attempt to break the cycle of imitation and restore harmony. This underscores the powerful role of social contagion in shaping and perpetuating such episodes.
Another example is the idea of “lycanthropy,” where individuals believed they were transforming into wolves. Such conditions were often viewed as social contagions, spreading through stories, local superstitions, and shared fears. Madness, in this context, was seen as both a personal affliction and a collective phenomenon, capable of influencing entire communities. The notion of “mimetic madness” was integral to medieval thought, as individuals were believed to unconsciously imitate the behaviors and delusions of others, further perpetuating mental disturbances.
These ideas reflect a deep understanding of the social nature of human behavior, albeit interpreted through the religious and mystical frameworks of the time. Today, modern psychology and psychiatry acknowledge similar concepts under the label of “Mass psychogenic illness” where behaviors, emotions, or even mental states spread within groups. For example, the rise in anxiety and depression among teenagers has been partially linked to the amplification of distressing narratives on social media platforms.
To truly address the mental health challenges of our time, we need a more holistic approach that emphasizes external participation over internal analysis. Encouraging individuals to engage meaningfully with the world around them can help foster a sense of purpose and belonging. For instance, community gardening programs have been shown to reduce depression and anxiety by giving participants a tangible way to contribute to their surroundings and connect with others. Similarly, initiatives that encourage volunteering or participation in local cultural events can help individuals rediscover a sense of connection and shared purpose.
The so-called “mental health crisis” is, at its core, a sociocultural phenomenon. It reflects the disconnection, fragmentation, and alienation that characterize modern life.. By reconnecting with the external world and embracing the social nature of our species, we can help individuals move beyond their internal struggles and toward a more integrated and fulfilling existence.
