In cooperation with the Positive Psychology and Haydi Tut Elimi Clubs, operating under the Directorate of Health, Culture, and Sports (SKS) of Üsküdar University, an interview was held with world-renowned Psychiatrist Prof. David Baron, Senior Vice President and Provost of Western University of Health Sciences, prior to the 8th International Positive Psychology Congress. Baron emphasized that Üsküdar possesses world-class facilities, underscoring this as a significant opportunity for students. Stating that social isolation is as toxic as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, Baron also said that toxic home environments directly affect children's neural development and biology. As part of the interview, Baron also visited NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi and Üsküdar University's advanced application laboratories.
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Wind of positive psychology in Üsküdar: Prof. David Baron met with students
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At the event held in the Kuleli Hall of Üsküdar University Central Campus, world-renowned Psychiatrist Prof. David Baron conducted an interview with students.
Asst. Prof. Fatma Turan from the Psychology Department of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences moderated the event, while Asst. Prof. Ebru Morgül from the Psychology Department served as the interpreter.
Üsküdar has world-class facilities!
Prof. David Baron, mentioning his visit to NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi, Üsküdar University's application partner, emphasized that the university is world-class in terms of neuroimaging and technological infrastructure. Baron said; “You are very lucky because here, what happens in the brain biologically is looked at in an advanced way. We can understand what a person feels, their emotions, and how their behaviors are seen in the brain. There are biomarkers in this way. We understand better in the light of science this way. For years, we did not look at the brain in this field, now with advanced imaging techniques, we are looking at the brain for the first time in history. You also have such world-class research here. That is, as a result of treatment, it's not just the person saying, ‘I feel good.’, but we see what changes in the brain. You are lucky because you understand what is happening in the brain in the light of science. It took time to understand the relationship between biology, the brain, and positive psychology, but the future is here. You are very lucky to be under this scientific light. To explain to the public, other experts, and managers that what we do is important, and why positive psychology is important. That is, to educate them as well. Not everyone may understand this; you will need to be didactic to explain it. I have been in research for forty years, but for me, the most important thing is to teach. To be a doctor does not mean to diagnose, but to teach.”
“Despair is not an untreatable issue”
Baron stated that artificial intelligence will play a significant role in personalized treatments in the future; “Despair is a difficult subject to diagnose. Because without hope, people can have suicidal tendencies. When despair is present in depression, it becomes much more difficult. They lose their sense of pleasure from the world, and they can be resistant to treatment. But there are new treatments, and despair is not an untreatable issue. It is a condition with biological, psychological, and spiritual aspects. There are the latest technologies, and neuroimaging techniques are used, just like in the hospital here. It is treatable, but a type of combination therapy is necessary. For example, we will be able to better understand which treatment is more suitable for which patient with artificial intelligence. This is somewhat like an antibiotic; not every treatment method may suit every patient, but just as some antibiotics are effective for certain infections, here too we are moving towards finding the right combinations for more personalized treatments. Therefore, despair can also be treated. When a patient is in despair, they do not even want treatment because they do not believe they can be treated. Combination therapies and presenting concrete biomarkers to the patient increase belief in treatment.”
“It is necessary to understand what pain the attitude hides”
Baron stated that chronic pessimism is usually a defense mechanism or a result of early childhood traumas; “You can’t just tell someone, ‘You should feel better.’ It is necessary to understand what pain this attitude hides. Especially in cases like eating disorders, getting to the root of avoidance behaviors and building a relationship of trust is fundamental to positive psychology. The most important thing in therapy is for the patient to trust you. Positive psychology also focuses on this, on the positive. I like that it focuses on the positive. Sometimes the family can be part of the problem, and it becomes very difficult to work with this situation. If the family supports the person, then it is very easy.”
“Toxic home environments directly affect children's neural development and biology”
Baron underscored that being a parent is a responsibility requiring education; “We must meet not only children’s material needs but also their feeling of ‘I am loved and safe.’ Toxic home environments directly affect children's neural development and biology. Perhaps people should receive education to become parents. Training is given to drive in traffic, but there is no training to be a parent. Of course, it is not very easy to spread this in practice. Training can be taken to be good parents. If parents love their children, they should want to improve themselves in this regard. We should actually teach parents worldwide how to be better parents. Those who abuse their children have often been abused themselves in the past. There is no magic formula for this. Generally, one should think about how to be positive in a healthy way.”
“Social isolation is as toxic as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day”
Referring to the effect of social ties on physical health, Baron said that social isolation is as harmful to the human body as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Baron said; “I saw surgeons in a hospital setting. They perform heart surgeries, patients get better, but after the surgery, they don't feel better, they don't have better relationships. Their heart may be healing, but they don't feel good. Only the body heals. If we consider ourselves social beings, our body has healed, but if our relationships, our relationships with our family, do not heal, we cannot see the result. Social isolation, being socially separated, is very toxic; like smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. When we are isolated, we feel bad not only physically but also mentally and spiritually. We feel a disconnection in our ties. We experienced this especially during Covid when we were isolated. When a patient says, 'I now enjoy life, I enjoy eating, I enjoy being with my family,' this is important to me.”
Examined the scientific infrastructure and application areas
After the interview concluded, Prof. David Baron visited the advanced application laboratories located at Üsküdar University Central Campus.
Baron, who examined the technical equipment in the laboratories and the ongoing R&D studies on-site and received information from academics, stated that the scientific infrastructure offered by the university is world-class.
