Need

Attended a seminar on the development of adversity quotient in children.

I must say I am no fans of  multiple Q's and my presence was for purely political reasons. The talk was delivered by a social worker, and a not very experienced one too. Nonetheless, it did remind of me some important principles of psychology.

For example, the Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Or, to put it simply, when the basic need of subsistence and safety are satisfied, we ask for love, belonging, and respect from others.

The very problem of children is, unfortunately, they could not voice out their need because the hierarchy per se is quite beyond their comprehension; the sensation of lacking a basic need goes to the amygdala rather than the neocortex and is therefore not perceived by their conscious mind. Their response is, as a result, frequently indirect and seemingly irrelevant: They may crave for candies, wet their bed, being tardy to do their homework, or just yelling for no reason. The message is all the same - there are important basic needs not yet fulfilled. Any measures that targets the sweet teeth, enuresis, or attention deficit would only bring transient relieve until another syndrome develops from the same underlying cause.

Alas, am I talking about children? Or are many adults - doctors included - still children?