Exploring the intricacies of the human mind's workings in a broad psychological investigation
In the winter semester of 2023-24, Professor Dr. Gregor Hasler, a renowned psychiatrist and resilience researcher, delivered a captivating lecture on "Resilience - The Key to Personal Resilience" at Pforzheim University's Studium Generale. The lecture, held in the Walter-Witzemann lecture hall, attracted an audience of approximately 500 people, who showed their fascination for the topic by asking questions well into the evening and engaging in further discussions during a cosy get-together.
During the lecture, Professor Hasler emphasized several strategies for increasing personal resilience, including maintaining social connections, developing emotional regulation, fostering adaptability, cultivating meaning and purpose, promoting physical health, and practicing mindfulness and cognitive techniques. He also highlighted the importance of friends and people in close physical proximity for resilience, citing endorphin-rich activities like choir singing, laughter, dancing, touch, or storytelling.
In terms of nutrition, Professor Hasler recommended an "anti-stress diet" focused on vegetables, nuts, olive oil, fermented foods, and fish. He also called for the stress crisis to be understood as a complex problem that cannot be traced back to a single trigger.
Professor Hasler identified administration and digitalization, as well as identification with work decreasing due to frequent job changes and restructurings, as stress factors in a professional context. He suggested conscious avoidance as a strategy to manage high stress levels, using the example of a Swiss politician who doesn't read newspapers.
The lecture was well-received, with attendees describing it as informative, humorous, and high in information density. As of Friday morning, approximately 1,200 people have viewed the recording of the lecture online.
Professor Hasler pointed out that the perceived stress of people has been continuously increasing over the last few decades. He found that explanations such as time pressure, social discrimination, and unclear job instructions, while often attributed to this increase in stress, are not scientifically verifiable. Instead, he suggested that the human being is not a "hierarchical being," and our fairness needs are vast compared to apes.
Prof. Dr. Frauke Sander humorously summarized the Q&A session, suggesting a gathering with friends for a meal and conversation. If you need a precise summary of Professor Dr. Gregor Hasler's strategies for increasing personal resilience from his lecture at Pforzheim University, I recommend consulting the university's official publications, lecture notes, or recordings if available, as the current search results do not include this specific content.
- Mental health and personal growth are closely linked with resilience, a key topic discussed by Professor Dr. Gregor Hasler in his lecture on "Resilience - The Key to Personal Resilience" at Pforzheim University.
- Education and self-development can lead to increased resilience, as Professor Hasler suggested strategies such as developing emotional regulation, practicing mindfulness, and promoting physical health.
- Science and health-and-wellness are intertwined in understanding resilience, as Professor Hasler pointed out the importance of factors such as social connections, adaptability, and an "anti-stress diet."
