The term self-sare was originally coined in the 1950s, as a means of recentering the well-being of patients within the medical field. The term snowballed into a movement in the 1960s, as it was taken up by the civil rights activist group the Black Panther Party, who fought in the name of radical-self-care and self-preservation, aiming to create mental-health and wellness resources within black and minority communities. Today, there are 88.8 million posts under #selfcare on Instagram. These two hyphenated words are supposed to represent prioritizing our health, honouring our feelings, and living authentically as ourselves. So why are so many people left feeling more burnt out and inadequate in pursuit of self-care than ever before?
With the rise of social media in the 2010s, and the supernova of online video content that has erupted from the rise of TikTok in 2018, it is safe to say the way that we consume media has changed. There have always been print ads and tv commercials, which sought to influence consumers to buy products. But with the rise of lifestyle influencers, it is not uncommon to see people represent their daily lives as a brand: from what they eat, to what they wear, to how they workout and even their sleeping and bathing habits. The monetization of these videos allows them to use their working hours, and the resulting cash flow, to curate the appearance of a perfect life.
As described by Karis Fields for innervoiceartists.com: “We have gotten to a point in self-care and wellness culture where we associate our well-being with the amount of money we spend towards it. People have adopted a ‘treat yourself’ mentality, one where they are willing to spend everything in the bank on material goods that will only bring them joy in the moment.”
Self-care has expanded beyond doing things that make you happy and seeking professional support when necessary. It has grown competitive in the name of living up to an aesthetic. It now involves red-light therapy masks, Hailey-Bieber-Cookie-Butter-Hair, preventative Botox and filler, and the trendiest sponsored activewear set. Social media, and the culture we have developed around it, lends itself to a theory proposed by social psychologists Phillip Brickman and Donald T. Campbell, called the hedonic treadmill: short-term gratification will not lead to fulfillment, but rather increase our craving for the next big thing.
Overconsumption, elective cosmetic procedures, and monthly personal spending levels have all increased as a result. And yet, the mental health of young adults is still plummeting. According to a 10-year study by psychologist Renee Godwin et al. for the Journal of Psychiatric Research, “Anxiety appears most common among young adults and has increased more rapidly among 18 to 25-year-olds than among any other age group.” Coupled with the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, a survey conducted by wellness platform Mindbody in 2021 says that “50 percent [of Americans] plan to spend more money on self-care over the next six months, such as activities, services, and treatments.” These temporary fixes and impulse purchases in the name of self-betterment may perhaps be correlated with the opposite effect.
So, what can be done to actually help you feel better? Mental health professionals from Fraser Health recommend returning to the basics. Reconnecting with loved ones, taking your prescribed medications regularly, eating well, taking walks, and enjoying hobbies such as reading can all help you to foster mental wellness from day to day. But they also recognize that there are steps that should be taken when you are feeling overwhelmed, and self-care feels unattainable: “Acknowledge that you are struggling” by checking in on how you are feeling, both physically and mentally. Secondly, “be gentle on yourself” by understanding that everyone experiences bad days, and self-compassion is the key to getting through them. Last, but not least, “reach out for support,” whether it be to friends, family or health professionals. No one deserves to suffer in silence.
