Nonlinear dynamics: The creative missing link in wellness

ABSTRACT

This chapter provides an overview of nonlinear dynamical systems (NDS) approaches, focusing on creativity and on healthcare, as representative of such so-called wicked, resistant, or gnarly problems. One discovers that addressing these problems requires art-and not just deduction;we can also recognize nonlinearity from their behavior. Other examples are raising a child, living a good life, and governing. At the moment, managing the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States shows elements of such a seemingly intractable problem. Happily, NDS can help bring us new ideas of solutions, awareness, and potential to act. The chapter deals with all the themes, and it is a good place to start. Beyond that, it provides an overview and tips for recognizing the nonlinearity in problem areas like a pandemic and shows how one can level down or level up to find nonlinear relationships and systems in play. Understanding these NDS components suggests strategies for choosing nonlinear interventions at individual, familial, social, and cultural levels. The chapter describes a magnetic pendulum toy with interesting movement (dynamics), uses it as a demonstration (toy) model of mental health, and shows how to look for the underlying nonlinearity in how it works. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)