Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, noting that the new year should be evaluated as an important opportunity to stop, reflect and start anew, stated that humans come into the world with a set of talents, unlike other beings, and thanks to these talents, individuals become open to development. Tarhan noted that the human brain has a high degree of neuroplasticity, meaning it is an organ very open to change and adaptation, and said, “Areas in the brain where investment is made grow and develop. Our brain develops and improves itself according to that plasticity. So, to develop yourself with that plasticity, we must certainly want and aim for it.”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, said that the new year is an important opportunity for individuals to make evaluations about themselves and their lives.
Strengths and weaknesses should be evaluated
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, noting that one should “stop, reflect, and restart” in the new year, said, “At the beginning of the new year, it is necessary to stop, reflect, and assess the past. It is important for individuals to be able to analyze how they spent the year, what they did, what they couldn't do, and what they gained. One should look at their strengths and weaknesses, like a psychological SWOT analysis, and evaluate what opportunities, threats, and potential difficulties exist in their life regarding the future. Individuals should re-plan.”
We must observe ourselves and set new goals
Tarhan noted that humans are not merely beings with physical and biological needs, saying, “Humans also possess characteristics such as thought, the search for meaning, symbolic thinking, and conceptual thinking. It is important to activate these characteristics during this period. The happiness taught to us by classical modernism has been reduced to chasing pleasure. However, in ideal happiness, when a person pursues meaning, happiness follows. Happiness is like a shadow. This is ideal happiness, as Socrates also states. One needs to invest in happiness. That is why, on special days like New Year's, when a person observes themselves, re-structures their goals, and refreshes their data, they are renewed. Just as a computer shuts down when reset, sometimes a person also needs to restart.”
Psychological check-up is a very high perspective
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that appreciating what one has also holds an important place in positive psychology, saying, “Knowing the value of what one possesses is something we teach in positive psychotherapy and psychological resilience training. If a person does not appreciate certain things, if they think ‘Let there be more, let it be better,’ meaning they live greedily and irresponsibly, they harm themselves. The situation we call psychological well-being or psychological check-up is to successfully scan ourselves and then be able to say, ‘I was doing it wrong, I shouldn't.’ I believe this is a very valuable and high perspective.”
Without the frontal lobe, there would be no civilization
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that the frontal lobe of the brain can be described as the captain of a ship, saying, “Possessing this is unique to humans. It is the frontal lobe that makes a human a human. It is the frontal part of the brain. Without it, there would be no civilization. Executive functions reside here. It is important for a person to be able to look at themselves from a bird's-eye view, to see themselves from above, to recognize their weaknesses and strengths, and for a person who questions this to have a level of transcendence, meaning to be able to surpass themselves. If a person says, ‘I'm good, I know, I can do anything. I'm a lion, I'm a tiger,’ it means they are making the biggest mistake of their life.”
One must succeed in having a mind that is not an object of others
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan pointed out that self-questioning has positive effects on one's development, saying, “Thus, we take steps towards self-development, towards maturation. Here, a person finds themselves with their own mind. The mind here is not a mind used by others, but a mind that can be itself. It is the subject of its life, not an object. One must succeed and aim to have a mind that is not an object of others.”
Our brain is very open to change and adaptation
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also noted the importance of a person being able to find pleasure in simple tasks and to interpret the difficulties they experience as a gift and an opportunity for self-development, saying, “A person needs to want these things. Also, the human brain has a characteristic: it possesses extreme neuroplasticity, meaning it is very open to change and adaptation. Our brain is an organ of experience. It continuously reforms itself until the end of our lives.”
The human brain is programmed for development
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan noted that humans come into the world with a set of talents, unlike other beings, and said that thanks to these talents, individuals become open to development. Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “Imagine a valley. If you look at one part of the valley and water it, it becomes lush green. The part you don't water and leave neglected eventually turns yellow. This means the area you invest in develops. The brain is just like this valley. Areas where investment is made grow and develop. Our brain develops and improves itself according to that plasticity. So, to develop yourself with that plasticity, we must certainly want and aim for it.”
The cluster of abilities must be used for a higher purpose
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also stated that the brain is an organ of change, saying, “Due to its neuroplasticity, the brain is very open to development. Therefore, constantly tiring the brain with routine tasks harms it. This is like using a high-capacity computer only for games. It's a waste. That is why humans are naturally endowed with a beautiful set of abilities. These should be used to achieve a higher purpose. They should be used to reach a high goal such as ‘What is the meaning of life, what is existence?’ Opportunities related to this are given to individuals. Some people are called lucky. In reality, there is no such thing as luck. Luck is the point where intelligence and opportunity intersect. It is something that appears before a person if they use their intelligence and await their opportunity.”
Preventive efforts protecting mental health are as valuable as gold
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also emphasized the importance of psychological hygiene for psychological well-being and resilience, saying, “In the protection of mental health, there is primary and secondary prevention. Primary prevention involves taking measures to prevent a person from becoming ill. The second is doing what is necessary for early diagnosis. The third is doing what is necessary and taking precautions to prevent the person from becoming ill again after recovering from an illness. Focusing solely on treatment in psychiatry is not enough. Therefore, efforts related to preventing the deterioration of mental health are as valuable as gold.”
Modernism only plays the role of happiness…
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that positive psychology aims to improve the quality of life, saying, “The classical understanding of psychology corrects the problem, bringing the negative to zero. Positive psychology, however, raises it above zero. It elevates individuals to positivity. It increases the quality of life, increasing the state of well-being we desire. In someone who succeeds in living happily, the illness does not recur, but someone living neutrally can catch the illness again. To live happily also requires mental effort, striving, and investment. This is not difficult at all, in fact. You will set aside some time, benefit from a few experiences, and get help from someone good. The philosophy related to happiness can easily be changed. Modernism only plays the role of happiness. Happiness is not a goal but a process. When you embark on a path, happiness is being on that path. Happiness comes by itself when you enter that path.”