The Suffering of Captive Minds
What caged animals and restricted people have in common
Just recently, I read Kristi Makusha's story, Parents, Do You Do This to Your Child? Beware!, where she responded to one of my prompts. She emphasized the trauma she's been through from her mother and grandmother and how she wanted to break the cycle for her kids.
With her story, I remember the story I also read about how the dog gets trapped with a leopard and miraculously survives.
In a temple in India, a dog was being chased by a hungry leopard. The dog ran into a bathroom through the window for safety. The bathroom was locked from the outside. The leopard then entered the bathroom after the dog, and they both got stuck in the bathroom for twelve hours.
Despite having an easy meal within reach, the leopard did not attack the dog. Both animals waited silently in opposite corners until they were rescued the next morning.
Wildlife experts explain that when wild creatures lose their freedom, they experience such distress that even basic urges like hunger fade. Their natural drive to survive becomes secondary to their loss of liberty.
This incident shows the strong link between freedom and happiness. Freedom means having the ability to think, act, and live on our own terms. When we lose autonomy over our lives, it impacts us profoundly and reduces life satisfaction.
People from different cultures tend to feel better when they have a sense of control over their lives.
The need for autonomy
Psychologists have identified autonomy — the ability to make choices and guide one’s own life — as one of three essential human needs, along with competence and relatedness.
People can live in a way that’s true to who they are when they have autonomy. This makes them feel motivated and energized to pursue things they want and be around people they care about.
Conversely, lacking freedom and control over one’s decisions has significant consequences.
From parenting like Kristi 's to prisons, whenever external constraints are imposed on people’s freedom, levels of anxiety, depression, (even) aggression, and apathy rise.
The absence of autonomy profoundly diminishes well-being.
What I realized
I realized how lucky we are to have certain rights and freedoms. When these are taken away, it can have a big impact on our mental and emotional well-being.
Just like a leopard and dog in a bathroom, having the freedom to make our own choices and pursue what brings us happiness is important for living a fulfilling life.
Bella loves to write about life, psychology, and relationships. Click here to receive an email that guarantees you’ll get Bella’s newest stories delivered straight to your inbox.