Prevention
Guiding Prevention Through the Sensitivity Threshold Model
The Sensitivity Threshold Model (STM) offers a transformative lens for understanding and preventing mental illness by recognizing that many disorders, particularly schizophrenia and other stress-related conditions, emerge when a sensitive individual's cognitive and neural systems are overwhelmed by cumulative stress. Prevention begins not at the onset of symptoms, but at the root — in childhood. STM emphasizes that some children are born with heightened sensory and emotional responsiveness, making them more susceptible to cognitive overload in overstimulating or neglectful environments. Supporting these highly sensitive children requires proactive nurturing environments that buffer them from excessive stress, while cultivating neural resilience.
Dr. Gabor Maté, a prominent voice in developmental trauma and child psychology, underscores that children must feel loved, seen, and welcomed into the world. It is not enough to protect them from harm; they must be positively nurtured to build robust, adaptable neural networks. Informed by these insights, prevention becomes not merely the avoidance of trauma, but the intentional cultivation of neurobiological safety, emotional attunement, and cognitive coherence from the earliest stages of development.
