Psychiatria Danubina, Vol. 34 No. 1, 2022.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2022.111
FROM ANCIENT HATEI TO HUBRIS SYNDROME IN SARS-COV-2 HEALTH CRISIS MANAGEMENT
Christos Ch. Liapis
orcid.org/0000-0003-0969-7695
; Therapy Center for Dependent Individuals, President’s Office, Athens, Greece
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted, in a very inflictive way, the need for less hubristic political leadership, revealing the
menaces of arrogant decision making of those in power. Hubris Syndrome is associated with power and it is more likely to manifest
itself the longer the person exercises power and the greater the power he exercises, while our modern times ‘Hatei’ (the goddess that
blinded ancient leaders committing hubris) may be called positive illusion enhancement due to prolonged exposure to power. Hatei
might also blurs the decision makers’ vision through a hormonal pathway, since hormones seem to affect risk taking, as well as
through serotonin, which is also involved in the regulation of decision making and processing punishment-related information,
deficiencies of which could be relevant to Hubris Syndrome. Other findings may provide information regarding the neuro-anatomical
‘location’ of Hatei, since fronto-striatal and limbic-striatal dopaminergic pathways have been identified as important regulators of
impulsive behaviors. Therefore we might consider choosing political leaders and state officials whose less illusionary character is
more likely to become non-flammable against the fire of hubris, in periods of crisis like the current COVID-19 Pandemic. Especially
in SARS-CoV-2 era we should bring whatever scientific data there may be to tackle the intoxicating effects of power, keeping also in
mind that there are no anti-hubris medication and that it is unlikely to have this social construct improved via pharmacology. Before
establishing constitutional procedures for the early diagnosis of hubris as well as for the subsequent constrain of our leaders’ power,
we should focus on the criteria by which we elect them and maybe include the pre-existence of depressive diathesis among those
criteria, especially if we consider that those leaders might have to handle tough situations like the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak,
that require increased empathy in decision making.
Keywords
Hubris Syndrome; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; health crisis management
Hrčak ID:
277524
URI
Publication date:
3.5.2022.
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