I often say “How we treat each other changes who we are,” but what does that mean? The way we treat one another shapes our health, both physically and mentally. If more people understood this, it could revolutionize not just how we approach mental health, but the very foundations of our societal structures, especially those rooted in medicine and psychiatry. The culture of hierarchy, dependency, and over-medicalization in these fields has created environments where people are often treated as problems to be fixed, rather than whole individuals whose needs—emotional, relational, and physical—require connection and understanding.
When we understand that the quality of our relationships fundamentally shapes our well-being, we start to see the importance of Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), which emphasizes the role of the nervous system in regulating health. Research consistently shows that positive social connections can reduce stress, promote healing, and even prevent chronic illnesses and recurrent pain. For instance, studies have demonstrated that people who feel supported and valued in their communities have better mental and physical health outcomes, including reduced rates of depression and anxiety, as well as a stronger immune response.
Isolating, hierarchical, or toxic environments—such as those often found in psychiatric institutions—can exacerbate health conditions and lead to chronic pain and suffering that too many experience. The disconnection between mind and body that’s perpetuated by psychiatric and pharmaceutical practices not only fails to address the root causes of trauma, but it can deepen the suffering.
The key to shifting away from this model lies in fostering genuine, empathetic human connections that prioritize understanding the nervous system and its needs. With IPNB we can create an alternative to a system that pathologizes natural human reactions and conditions. By fostering safe, connected communities, we can break the hold that psychiatry and the pharmaceutical industry have on mental health, creating a culture where healing comes from within relationships, not from a pill or a diagnosis.
This work is necessary to disrupt the dominance of medicalized solutions to trauma, replacing them with holistic approaches that honor the interconnectedness of our minds and bodies. As more people learn that “How we treat each other changes who we are,” the potential for peace, health, and healing grows exponentially. By embracing community, understanding the importance of relational dynamics, and integrating practices like interpersonal neurobiology into everyday life, we can see a world where chronic illness, mental health struggles, and pain no longer dominate our lives, but instead, healing and well-being flourish.
We are planting the seeds for a more compassionate, connected world, one where our interactions and relationships are the primary vehicle for transformation.
