In a time when the world seems to be falling apart and stress and anxiety levels are reaching an all-time high, self-care is more important now than ever. The self-care movement has taken the internet by storm. A quick google search will lead to billions of results leading to all the ways you can practice it. These range from bullet journals to meditations to treating yourself to an at-home spa day. For a movement that centers around tending to your physical, emotional and mental wellbeing, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular in this day and age.
Ever since the start of the global pandemic, more and more people are turning to self-care to cope with quarantine and the general state of the world. However, there is a toxic side to the movement and not all its effects are positive.
Alissa Garbanzos
It’s Expensive To no one’s surprise, there’s a lot of profit to be made off of people who just want to be healthy. The self-care industry went from 14 billion in 2014 to 450 billion just last year. Hundreds of businesses have been able to grow by selling goods and services that all claim to make us feel better. The media endorses this by throwing out advertisements that tell us, “you NEED x product! Without it, your self-care routine won’t be complete!”. The emphasis the media places on self-care is a material indulgence. “Buy our bath bomb! It will make you feel like a better person inside and out!” “Want to learn how to reach nirvana in your office? This book is for you!” “Give us 15 bucks a month and some guy will whisper in your ear about water and breathing so you can sleep at night!” Self-care shouldn’t be a privilege. It’s not only available to those with the money to afford all of these products. You may think you need that meditation app or expensive self-help book but trust me, there’s a free alternative online that’s just as good as the one you need to pay for. At the bottom of this page are links to free websites and resources that I’ve used personally or found while stuck online learning and have helped me. It’s Overwhelming On Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, there are millions and millions of posts talking about self-care. It can be overwhelming to see all the different ways and products you can use to take care of yourself. Finding out which methods work best for you can be exhausting and can lead to burnout. The very problems you are attempting to solve (lack of sleep, stress, etc.) could be exacerbated by perfecting your self-care regime. My advice: take it simple. You know what you need and you know what’s best for you. Self-care does not have to be complicated or frustrating. It’s whatever you make of it. Do activities you enjoy and help you destress. Self-care has been often marketed by companies as a luxury (e.g. lounging in a bathtub with some scented candles) but it could literally be just eating a bagel and listening to a true-crime podcast. You do you. It’s Not a Cure for Mental Health Issues If you are struggling with clinical depression, serious anxiety or any other disorders then self-care is not going to fix that, in fact, it might even make it worse. It can be another source of guilt or stress. It can come from feeling like you should be doing something for the absence of feeling relaxed while doing something that’s supposed to make you feel relaxed. It can be hard to distinguish between whether or not something is stress or something serious. If you are struggling with these kinds of things, please seek professional help. Self-care can definitely help but it is not a viable cure. Know that no amount of skincare or podcasts will treat the underlying problem. I am aware it isn’t possible for us to truly seek medical help since many of us come from Asian households that still face a very stigmatized issue but looking for a cure in self-care, is not a sustainable long term option.
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