Applied Mathematics in Mental Health: A Game-Theoretic Perspective on Psychological Symptoms
in: Interdisciplinary Applications of Applied Mathematics, Prof.Dr.Mevlüde Yakıt Ongun, Editor, Özgür Yayınları, Gaziantep, pp.39-54, 2026
- Publication Type: Book Chapter / Chapter Research Book
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.58830/ozgur.pub1361
- Publisher: Özgür Yayınları
- City: Gaziantep
- Page Numbers: pp.39-54
- Editors: Prof.Dr.Mevlüde Yakıt Ongun, Editor
- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
For decades, psychological symptoms have primarily been interpreted as
indicators of dysfunction and pathology. However, recent developments in
evolutionary psychiatry, mathematical psychology, and computational modeling suggest that certain symptoms may also be understood as adaptive responses to environmental challenges. This chapter examines mental health through the lens of game theory and proposes that many psychological symptoms can be conceptualized as equilibrium strategies emerging from interactions between individuals and their environments. Anxiety, social anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and post-traumatic stress responses are analyzed as strategic adaptations shaped by costs, benefits, uncertainty, and risk management. Particular attention is given to Nash equilibrium as a framework for understanding the persistence of apparently maladaptive behaviors. The chapter further argues that psychotherapy and psychiatric interventions may be interpreted as processes that alter payoff structures rather than merely
suppress symptoms. By integrating applied mathematics with contemporary psychological theory, the chapter offers a novel perspective on the origins,maintenance, and treatment of psychological symptoms.