Organism-centric environment synchronization - a framework for mental health based on the evolutionary-mismatch paradigm

Abstract

This paper contends that current therapeutic approaches for mental disorders may be missing a critical component: a comprehensive focus on environmental factors informed by an evolutionary-biological understanding of the human organism. The evolutionary-mismatch hypothesis is proposed as a framework to address this gap, conceptualizing mental disorders as consequences of a discord between the contemporary environment and the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness (EEA) — the context in which human genetics were shaped. Building on this perspective, a framework for mental health the Organism-Centric Environment Synchronization (OCES) is introduced, positioning the human as a biological organism whose mental health is profoundly influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors. Within this framework, the synchronization of environmental and lifestyle factors to restore or enhance the organism’s integrity is emphasized as a central goal in mental health promotion.