We are all born with essential physical and emotional needs and the innate resources to help us fulfil them – known as human ‘givens’ – which need to be met in order to facilitate good mental health.
Following are the ten main innate emotional needs:
1) Security — safe territory and an environment which allows us to develop fully
2) Attention (to give and receive it) — a form of nutrition
3) Sense of autonomy and control — having volition to make responsible choices
4) Being emotionally connected to others
5) Feeling part of a wider community
6) Friendship, intimacy — to know that at least one other person accepts us totally for who we are, “warts ‘n’ all”
7) Privacy — opportunity to reflect and consolidate experience
8) Sense of status within social groupings
9) Sense of competence and achievement
10) Having meaning and purpose — which comes from being stretched in what we do and think.
Life is never 100 per cent perfect, but as long as our main essential needs are being met, and our resources are being used well, we do not suffer mental health problems. However, if just one of these needs is unmet, or our resources are being misused, it can affect our mental health and well being.
To see how many of your emotional needs are being met, take the Emotional Needs Audit.
13 responses so far ↓
robinsvisionaryblog // January 4, 2007 at 9:48 pm |
Hello, Those make alot of sense.
There are alot of psychologists and others who are trying to define the ultimate “needs” for humans, but after all they are greatly the same.
Thank you for sharing those.
Have a nice day!
eleanor // January 5, 2007 at 10:35 am |
Thanks for the comment, you’re right – once everyone agrees on this group of human needs as a basis for understanding people and why they do what they do, you can start to make progress.
When these emotional needs are met, it is impossible to have mental health problems, however this list is always open to suggestion and criticism!
robinsvisionaryblog // January 6, 2007 at 6:50 am |
Hi, Thanks for your reply.
Everything that has to do with humans is so fascinating isn’t it?
I just wanted to say that I use the other site called “blogger.com” more often, and was wondering if you had a blog there too?
Well anyway my “url” there is: http://robins-psychology.blogspot.com/
Hope we can talk even more, and read each others blogs.
God bless your soul/ Robin
puddlejumper // January 8, 2007 at 3:52 pm |
Hello,
I was sent a link to here by feartheseeds and found your response to his question regarding sleep to be really interesting and useful.
The blog is great and has challenged my understanding of my own mental illness.
But I would like to ask something regarding one of the comments above and I don’t want it to sound like I’m being petty.
You say that when all these emotional needs are being met it’s impossible to have mental health problems.
I have Bipolar and even though I would wholeheartedly agree that my illness is much easier to manage when I have all the above needs met there are still problems. At the moment I would say all of the above needs are being met but my illness still affects my overall functioning day to day.
Just to clarify do you mean in someone who has no underlying mental health problems or that all mental health problems can be the result of these needs being unmet?
I tried to take your test but the link doesn’t seem to be working…is there anywhere else I can view it?
-thanks in advance and best wishes
eleanor // January 8, 2007 at 4:30 pm |
Thanks for your kind comments and the query (which isn’t petty at all, in fact it’s fundamental!)
The genetic support for Bipolar being ‘underlying’ is so strong now that we cannot say that having all emotional needs met can lead to having no problems, as you are experiencing yourself. However, emotional needs being met can only help to make it more bearable – as it appears you are also experiencing yourself!
By ‘mental health problems’ we mean [unipolar] depression, anxiety, addiction, anger etc – as opposed to mental ‘disorders’ like Bipolar or Asperger’s (which can also be alleviated somewhat by appropriate meeting of emotional needs). Terminology is always a minefield isn’t it?
Thanks for pointing out this, as we hadn’t made that distinction clear enough.
I’ve also changed that link which was for some reason wrong! Shoddy!! It should work now
:)
eleanor // January 8, 2007 at 4:31 pm |
Robin – Thanks! We don’t have a blogger site I’m afraid but I will certainly have a look at your blog!
Best wishes
puddlejumper // January 10, 2007 at 4:46 pm |
Thanks for the explantion. That helps to clear up any confusion. Terminology can be confusing.
And I totally agree I think the Human Givens approach, though perhaps not a cure for things like Bipolar can be hugely beneficial.
feartheseeds // January 28, 2007 at 2:03 pm |
Hey…. did you ever have someone named “sisiphus ” post on your site?
eleanor // January 29, 2007 at 9:34 am |
Yes I did but the last time I checked her blog she had vanished :s
SouthishPolar // November 15, 2007 at 2:46 pm |
Nice list, just a comment….
I also kind of feel that the need:
6) Friendship, intimacy — to know that at least one other person accepts us totally for who we are, “warts ‘n’ all”
should have “…and you are confident you can readily contact that person whenever you need for a good chat” appended to it ;)
e.g. I just did your survey, and I gave this one less than 7 because although I would say there are several people in my life in that category, I live a fair way away from all of them. Several of them are either hard to contact, or else I know they have enough life troubles of their own right now (eg very young kids, starting a small business ) that I don’t feel I can call them at the drop of a hat.
propaganda press // May 1, 2008 at 2:06 am |
brilliant
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