Randolph Nesse considers why humans are so vulnerable to mental disorders of all kinds. Evolution hasn't shaped us to be happy, or healthy, and there are all sorts of reasons why our minds veer into the states we call disorder. He also notes the usefulness of this perspective for clinicians and patients.
This episode is based on a chapter titled 'Why Do Mental Disorders Persist? Evolutionary Foundations for Psychiatry', authored by Randolph Nesse. It is chapter 6 in the book 'Evolutionary Psychiatry: Current Perspectives on Evolution and Mental Health", published by Cambridge University Press.
The book is available for purchase here via CUP or on Amazon.
You can follow Adam Hunt on Twitter @RealAdamHunt and Randolph Nesse @RandyNesse
Evolving Psychiatry