The Golden Pulse Health Summit, where numerous topics were discussed at the intersection of health, communication, and technology, was held in Istanbul. Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan delivered a speech titled “Psychological Resilience in the Digital Age” at the summit.
Emphasizing that “psychological resilience is critically important in an era of rapid digitalization and increasing uncertainty,” Prof. Tarhan said, “Harvard introduced this course in 2015, but as Üsküdar University, we started it in 2013. We recognized this global trend early. Today, this course is not only elective at our university but mandatory. It is implemented at the associate, undergraduate, and graduate levels. To date, approximately 50,000 of our graduates have taken this course.”
Prof. Tarhan continued: “Type A individuals are complainers. They cry, drain energy, and end up alone. Type C individuals are like Teflon. They do not burn themselves but burn those around them. Type B individuals, who have psychological resilience, are like rubber. They bend, learn, and become strong again. If we want to remain calm in the face of stress, we must be the rubber type. We need to be flexible, learn something from the other side, and manage the situation.”
Held for the first time this year under the strategic partnership of the Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (AIFD) and hosted by Zero Medya, the Golden Pulse Health Summit took place in Istanbul on January 15, 2026.
At the summit, where many topics were addressed across health, communication, and technology, President of Üsküdar University, Chairman of the Board of NPİSTANBUL Hospital, and Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan delivered a speech titled “Psychological Resilience in the Digital Age.”
The brain functions like a biological computer
Beginning his speech by thanking the organizers, Prof. Tarhan drew attention to the relationship between artificial intelligence, the brain, and human behavior. Referring to Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield, who received the Physics Prize in 2024, he said, “A psychologist and a geneticist received the physics prize. This is a highly unconventional situation. The reason is artificial neural networks. Studies on how the brain works show that the brain functions like a biological computer and is related to quantum dynamics. Artificial intelligence is built upon this understanding.”
The human brain also operates with algorithms
Stating that artificial intelligence scans past data to generate predictions about the future and shapes the present accordingly, Prof. Tarhan said, “The human brain operates with algorithms in the same way. The language models used by artificial intelligence attempt to imitate the language models used by the brain. The more people a child interacts with, the more the brain develops. Today, we are all becoming data sources for artificial intelligence without realizing it.”
Values are like traffic signs in our brain
Drawing attention to the role of values in decision making processes, Prof. Tarhan said, “Values are like traffic signs we encounter as we move through life. Options such as ‘lie or not lie,’ ‘be honest or not,’ and ‘be compassionate or not’ are evaluated in our brain through probability calculations. The brain functions like a prediction machine and makes decisions.” Emphasizing the decisive role of the prefrontal brain, especially the frontal lobe, in this process, Prof. Tarhan referred to the differences between brain images of healthy individuals and those with schizophrenia. “The prefrontal brain is the region that makes us human,” said Prof. Tarhan, adding, “Without the prefrontal brain, there would be neither civilization nor humanity. Damage in this region can completely change a person’s personality.”
The debate on consciousness, quantum physics, and artificial intelligence
Defining consciousness as “awareness,” Prof. Tarhan stated that humans are beings who are aware of their position in the universe and capable of purposeful behavior. Referring to quantum physics, Prof. Tarhan said, “Human beings are subjective observers within quantum dynamics. The observer effect is known through the double slit experiment. Because consciousness exists, we observe, and what we call matter emerges. It is as if we are inside a simulation.” Addressing debates on whether artificial intelligence can possess consciousness, Prof. Tarhan stated, “For artificial intelligence to have consciousness, it would need to know all possibilities in the universe simultaneously. It would need to know the Big Bang and what came before it. This is not possible at present. We do not even possess one percent of universal knowledge.”
There is a narcissistic part within humans
Referring to the views of psychoanalyst Otto Kernberg, one of the last representatives of psychoanalysis still living in his nineties, Prof. Tarhan stated that there is a “dark part” within humans and said, “This narcissistic part resembles a cancer cell. It is limitless, irresponsible, and insatiable. It thinks only of its own interests. Unfortunately, individuals with these traits can reach powerful positions on a global scale today and make extremely dangerous decisions.” Stating that this power is like nuclear energy, Prof. Tarhan said, “If used for good, it is constructive. If used for evil, it is destructive. Values and meaning determine the direction of this power.”
Human beings are not purely self centered
Referring to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Prof. Tarhan reminded that studies conducted in 2017 placed the concept of “self transcendence” above “self actualization.”
“Human beings are not self centered entities who live only for themselves,” said Prof. Tarhan. “Helping others and producing meaning are among the core topics of contemporary positive psychology.” Drawing attention to the neuroplastic structure of the brain, Prof. Tarhan stated that the brain can form new connections at any age and that when used intensively and effectively, it can create new pathways despite illnesses. Dividing happiness into hedonic and eudaimonic types as defined by Aristotle, Prof. Tarhan said, “Pleasure oriented happiness is short lived and associated with dopamine. Happiness based on meaning and responsibility is related to serotonin and oxytocin.”
The immune system almost ‘listens’ to our emotional dialogues
“The immune system almost listens to our emotional dialogues. There is a bidirectional communication between the brain and the immune system, and these two systems constantly interact with each other,” said Prof. Tarhan.
He added, “A similar interaction exists between the heart and the brain. Within the heart, there is a small neural network of approximately 40,000 neurons that functions almost like a ‘small brain.’ While the proportion of afferent nerve fibers going from the brain to the heart is about 20 percent, the proportion of fibers going from the heart to the brain is about 80 percent. It is also known that the electromagnetic field generated by neurons in the heart is stronger than that of brain neurons. These findings show that the heart is not merely a mechanical pump but a functional organ that continuously exchanges information with the brain. Similarly, the immune system and the gut brain axis interact with the brain. Dietary patterns and gut microbiota directly affect the capacity to cope with stress. Therefore, probiotic and prebiotic rich nutrition plays an important role in psychological and physiological resilience.”
Loneliness is a global threat
Drawing attention to the steadily increasing levels of loneliness in today’s world, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated: “According to the United Nations, the three major threats of the future are income inequality, climate change, and loneliness. A study conducted in the United Kingdom in 2018 shows that loneliness rates are particularly high among the 16 to 24 age group. For this reason, the UK established a Ministry of Loneliness. Social isolation among young people is now at least as serious a problem as loneliness among the elderly.”
The solution is shaped by positive psychology
Speaking at the Golden Pulse Health Summit, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan drew attention to scientific approaches developed worldwide to strengthen psychological resilience and emphasized that the solution is taking shape within the school of Positive Psychology. “When we look at what is being done globally to address these problems, we encounter Positive Psychology. The scientific field of psychological resilience is now accepted as Positive Psychology,” said Prof. Tarhan. Emphasizing that psychological resilience is critically important in an era of rapid digitalization and increasing uncertainty, Prof. Tarhan stated: “Harvard University included the Positive Psychology course in its curriculum in 2015. This course covers topics such as the body brain relationship, self compassion, compassion, gratitude, happiness, meaning, values, and meditation. This was not a trend but a scientific necessity.”
Noting that the Positive Psychology course attracted significant interest in a short time, Prof. Tarhan said: “Yale University launched this course in 2018 and described it as a groundbreaking course. Harvard uses the same description. In 2021, The New York Times reported that during the pandemic, the web page of this course was followed by 3 million people. In other words, 3 million people received training in happiness and psychological resilience.”
Comfort oriented lifestyles became widespread after the pandemic
Prof. Tarhan stated that a new lifestyle mindset emerged globally after the pandemic and said: “After the pandemic, the mindset of ‘I only live once, I will live as I please’ became widespread. The approach of ‘Why should I work so hard, why should I push myself?’ is particularly evident among younger generations. They say, ‘If I am going to earn the same amount, why should I make more effort?’ This has begun to seriously reduce entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation.”
Referring to Silicon Valley as an example, Prof. Tarhan added: “The vast majority of those who keep Silicon Valley running are immigrants, especially those of Indian and Chinese origin.”
Positive psychology is also used against the suicide crisis
Emphasizing that Positive Psychology practices arise not only from academic interest but also from social necessity, Prof. Tarhan said: “Bristol University announced in 2019 that it added this course to its curriculum ‘against the suicide epidemic.’ Ministries of Loneliness were established in the United Kingdom and Japan. In the UK, this ministry was established by a decision of the Prime Ministry following the death of a Member of Parliament in 2016.”
Üsküdar University launched the Positive Psychology Course in 2013
Stating that Üsküdar University was one of the institutions that took early action in this field, Prof. Tarhan said: “Harvard introduced this course in 2015, but we launched it at Üsküdar University in 2013. I am not saying this to boast, but we recognized this global trend early. Currently, this course is not only elective but mandatory at our university. It is implemented at the associate, undergraduate, and graduate levels. To date, approximately 50,000 of our graduates have taken this course.”
Prof. Tarhan also noted that impact analyses of the course were conducted and said: “We applied pre-tests and post-tests. We received feedback such as ‘My relationship with my friend improved,’ ‘I quit substance use,’ and ‘I feel better.’ We turned these results into scientific publications.”
A global threat: The narcissism epidemic
Drawing attention to the concept of the “Narcissism Epidemic,” Prof. Tarhan stated that narcissistic personality traits are steadily increasing and said: “In the 1980s, Narcissistic Personality Inventory scores were low. There has been a significant increase since 2005, and today they are even higher. This is a type of personality epidemic. Narcissistic individuals are toxic. If they hold power, they oppress others and act according to the law of the jungle. The mindset of ‘If I am strong, everything is my right’ prevails.”
Income increases, happiness does not
Referring to the relationship between happiness and economic prosperity, Prof. Tarhan said: “Between 1950 and 2000, per capita income was 35,000 dollars. Today, it has exceeded 70,000 dollars in the United States. However, happiness scores have remained at the same level. This statistic confirms the saying ‘Money cannot buy happiness.’”
The fundamental pillars of psychological resilience
Prof. Tarhan stated that psychological resilience has seven fundamental pillars and listed them as follows: “The first is emotional regulation, the ability to recognize negative emotions and focus on the positive. The second is hope and optimism. The third is self efficacy, meaning the belief ‘I can cope.’ A healthy sense of self worth is derived internally, whereas a narcissistic sense of self depends on external approval.”
Drawing attention to the importance of cognitive flexibility, Prof. Tarhan said: Stubbornness is the opposite of cognitive flexibility. Individuals who lack cognitive flexibility do not step back even when they hit a wall.”
Emphasizing the role of meaning in psychological resilience, Prof. Tarhan referred to Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy approach and stated: “A person can manage suffering to the extent that they are able to assign meaning to it.”
Three personality types in the face of stress
Summarizing stress coping styles through three personality types, Prof. Tarhan said: Type A individuals are complainers. They cry, drain energy, and end up alone. Type C individuals are like Teflon. They do not burn themselves but burn those around them. Type B individuals, who possess psychological resilience, are like rubber. They bend, learn, and become strong again. If we want to remain calm under stress, we must be the rubber type. We will adapt, learn something from the other side, and manage the situation. We will ask, ‘What did this teach me?’ Every event is not only a threat; it also has an opportunity dimension. Those who focus on the opportunity aspect and look toward the future can manage negativity without damaging their positive mood. Therefore, illnesses are not our enemies but companions on the journey that we must manage. Illnesses or pain are not our enemies. They are realities we must manage and cannot avoid. Viewing events in this way builds psychological resilience.”
Emphasizing the importance of teamwork, Prof. Tarhan concluded his speech with the geese flock metaphor: “Geese fly across continents by taking turns in leadership. Team intelligence is superior to individual genius. True psychological resilience exists where people of different temperaments can move together around a common purpose.”
