Every human being has various needs that should be fulfilled so that we can live a healthy and pleasant life, feel safe and secure as well as socially integrated and individually fulfill ourselves. All these aspects contribute not only to our ability to survive at all, for example by satisfying our need for food, but also to our physical and mental well-being and satisfaction with our lives. This article will focus on the need for security, which we all carry within us. We ask ourselves, why is this need so essential, where does it come from and how can we take good care of ourselves?
THE PYRAMID OF NEEDS AND SECURITY NEEDS
The pyramid of needs is a social psychological model by Abraham Maslow (US psychologist), which hierarchizes human needs and motivational bases into 5 levels. According to this, the next higher need can only be satisfied when the one below it has been fulfilled and satisfied. At the bottom are the physiological needs, i.e. all basic needs that are necessary for survival. These include, for example, the intake of water, food, oxygen, and a residence or dwelling. As soon as these existential needs are satisfied, security needs are already on the next level. The categorization in second place already makes clear how important this need or the satisfaction of the feeling of security is for us.
According to Maslow, the need for security includes the desire for protection, stability and order as well as the need for emotional, physical, financial and social security. So, on the one hand, we long for our living conditions and structures to be stable, and on the other hand, we also long for a certain degree of stability in our private and social environment so that we feel comfortable and secure. The extent to which the need and feeling for security is pronounced can vary from individual to individual, but it is generally regarded as a universal need. But why is this so?
In a social context, security also implements the need for closeness to our community and the feeling of cohesion, which was already vital in the past. Also in childhood we need the feeling of security from our family and especially from our mother, because at that time we are still completely dependent. Maslow also assumes in his model that we prefer the known to the unknown, which underlines the need for security and thus the existence of what we know. If, on the other hand, we feel insecure, for example, tension, fears and worries arise, which can lead to unfavorable behavior and thought patterns.
Maslow goes on to describe social needs in the pyramid of needs. These also include the need for community, i.e. family and friendships, communication, social exchange, etc. This is followed by the individual needs such as esteem, recognition, etc., in order to finally be able to reach the last level of self-realization for one’s own abilities, personality, etc. If the needs are not secured, i.e. especially the first stages, this can have negative consequences for physical and mental health. Thus, the need and satisfaction of security represents a central role in our lives. So how can we take good care of our sense of safety?
RECOGNIZE SAFETY NEEDS AND TAKE GOOD CARE OF OURSELVES
First of all, it helps to question ourselves and to observe how strong our individual need for security is or in which areas it is particularly pronounced. For this it can be helpful to write a little diary for ourselves and to collect first ideas and thoughts about this, to check ourselves in our daily life and to add in which areas we need security, where we are more relaxed and where insecurity might even stress us. It can also be helpful to ask people close to us for an additional assessment.
When we are clear about this, we can check which areas already feel safe and good and where we feel the most insecurity. Depending on which area it is, it is important to talk about it with other people involved and honestly communicate our feelings and thoughts. Also ask yourself: what can help me feel more confident in this area? Who can I ask for advice about this?
In addition, we should incorporate things into our daily lives that make us feel safe and secure. Do you perhaps have a favorite place that gives you support? Maybe it is also a person in your environment and you can “pick up” a loving hug there in between times. At the same time, we can also try to convey a feeling of security to other people through our behavior, by speaking well to them, encouraging them and showing that we are there for each other. Above all, we can help each other to feel safe.