Pocket Therapy: Temet Nosce

There are two types of thought algorithms in our minds that govern our behaviors. The first algorithm works slowly but allows us to make the right decisions within reason. The purpose of the second algorithm is to keep us away from that environment in dangerous situations or to switch our minds to a defensive state. The way the second algorithm works is to generate fictional danger scenarios. For example, when we see a dangerous animal from far away, we think that that animal will come towards us and harm us, and we go away. The goal of this fast-running algorithm is to protect us from large-scale danger, even if we may face some damage.

It is not common to encounter dangerous animals in city life. However, dangerous animals, such as lions and wolves, and other dangers in the forest that our ancestors faced have replaced their places with the fears of failure in social fields, losing a job, shame, and feeling inadequate in this era.

The excess of stimuli in city life results in mental exhaustion and causes the second algorithm to work harder. In particular, the intense work tempo increases this inner voice, which catastrophizes and criticizes every situation, and disrupts the personal harmony with himself and his environment. In addition, in people who grew up with critical parents, this inner voice, which has become a habit, transforms into a constant seek for faults in themselves, their jobs, and relationships in adulthood.

I have developed this application to help my clients. The purpose of this application is to bring your positive features to your mind in a more realistic way against this inner voice, which is constantly talking critically with ourselves in business life.

Prof.Dr.Levent SUTCIGIL