Mental Health

Mental illness has become an identity for many people. The internet and social media isn’t helping at all. You can get lots of attention and even social clout by leaning into your mental illness, weaknesses, etc. It’s actually harmful, because it keeps those affected powerless to change by often leaning into how hard they have it. It’s similar to celebration of victimhood. A celebration of self pity and playing the victim.

Acceptance movement of neurodivergent and disabled people often is practiced in a way detrimental to those affected. Well meaning activists and self styled supporters will emphasize loudly and publicly with the poor victims and advocate for special accommodations to be made for them. This then leads to those affected not actually improving their capabilities and health.

Being triggered is celebrated and encouraged. What would actually help is teaching people emotional processing, interroception, coping skills, meditation, social skills.

However activists wouldn’t be able to feel so good about themselves anymore if they enabled affected people to overcome their (perceived) limitations. In practice it’s neurotic enabling, that can make a situation worse.

Let me give you an example. I had a conversation at an event with nudity and a sauna, where a leftist activist was waxing about how an overweight friend of hers. How it‘s impossible for her to go to nice events because of how people always judge fatties and so on. It was all talk on victimhood, pity, oppression, and how woke she is herself. Actually supporting her friend to overcome anxieties, face her fears, deal with discomfort, never crossed her mind. Meanwhile there were several conventionally unattractive and overweight people at the same event having a good time.

The world may suck, not understand you, you might be disadvantaged in many ways. You can eternally feel sorry for yourself, blame others, blame circumstances, and wallow in your suffering. That won’t improve your situation though.

You can change things for better. You can change yourself for the better. You might need help to do it. You won’t need to depend on the leniency, help, and pity of others forever.

Anxiety, ADHD, over eating, addictions, and so on should never be your identity. These are issues, conditions, and challenges to work on.

Stop thinking of yourself as a victim. It’s unhealthy for you.

You are far more capable, powerful, beautiful, and lovely than think you are currently.

Love yourself. That doesn’t mean indulging in all your escapist desires and soothing pleasures. Loving yourself means learning to endure temporary discomfort and embracing the pain of growth and change towards a better life.