Self-care has become more of a trend than a necessity for stable mental health.
BY
Staff reporter
Self-care has become more of a trend than a necessity for stable mental health.
Many social media influencers view it as a lucrative business and encourage self-care with products for which they receive a commission. This superficial issue of wellness and “healthy mental health” is exhausting. It’s time to talk about what self-care really is.
Junior Kate Christofano, a “positive influencer,” as she calls herself, explained the wishy-washy nature of influencers. It’s easy for people to get lost when there are articles about perfection and advertisements for products that will improve the quality of life. “This can cause a lot of body dysmorphia or feelings of not being good enough when comparing your life to a seemingly perfect world that an influencer lives in,” Christofano said.
Christofano strives to break the mold and says she will never promote diet products because they can be triggering. To say that a product changed your life would be dishonest. “There are these kinds of cases all over social media, and it’s almost impossible to tell what’s real and what’s fake,” she said.
She strives to have a positive impact on her followers and remind them that imperfections are normal. She reminds her followers to follow influencers who make them feel good about themselves and to question photos instead of taking them at face value.
Self-care can take different forms. For people dealing with issues of trauma and mental illness, it’s not enough to light candles and put on a mask. Influencer Kylie Jenner is photographed with a bag of Fit Tea in one of his Instagram posts with the caption “#announcement using @fittea before my shoots is my favorite ☺️.” This article promotes Kylie Jenner’s lifestyle and how she exudes a positive and successful appearance. It is easy for someone to think that purchasing and using this Fit Tea will improve their life and make them feel satisfied and happy with their life, even though there might be more mental health issues. deep.
Self-care isn’t about trying to emulate the life of an influencer. It can be as simple as taking a walk, journaling, or even just letting yourself cry. It’s not as glamorous as some may make it out to be and it’s actually very difficult.
Beginning to recognize stressors is a first step to coping with them and using self-care methods.
In “Trauma Stewardship: A Daily Guide to Taking Care of Yourself While Caring for Others» by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky and Connie Burk, the authors state that “by easing the burden of exposure to trauma, you can open up the physical, mental, and emotional space to explore deeper questions.” Opening up about trauma is difficult but can lead to deeper exploration of difficult topics and issues that help and encourage growth.
Self-care involves looking for a way to regain self-control. Having an inner locus of control is linked to greater happiness. This means that you feel that you are in control of your life and that the actions you take impact the outcome. An external locus of control is a place in which a person’s actions have no impact. It’s the feeling that no matter how hard you try, whatever happens, it’s bound to happen.
It’s important to make healthy choices, but it’s also important not to get caught up in telling people you’re making healthy lifestyle choices. It’s a recipe for toxicity when self-care becomes a competition. Self-care is about commitment and moving at your own pace. You can’t force it and you can’t find a universal way to practice it.
Social support is crucial as a means of self-care. It’s easy to take on the task of caring for yourself independently, but truly caring for yourself requires help from others. Even if the focus is on yourself, it always helps to involve other people. These people can help you stay on track and in line with your goals. They can help you when your habits are not good and motivate you to give your best, while challenging yourself.
Influencers often present self-care in a simple, carefree light. It seems like everyone can take care of themselves with the right music and products. However, truly caring for yourself can be difficult because it requires patience. You won’t heal from trauma or stressor overnight. You have to take initiatives. There is no quick and easy solution, and taking care of yourself is a journey. Some influencers fail to recognize these facts and promote the wrong agenda.
