Self-care is a topic and concept that has continued to grow and rise in popularity over the past couple of years as we have become more open about discussing mental health. A simple scroll through your social media feeds will reveal a plethora of pretty pink bubble baths and candles paired with captions that say something along the lines of #selfcare or #treatyourself.
While there is nothing with self-indulgence, the problem is that the lines between the concept of self-care vs self-indulgence have become blurred. Feeling down and overworked? Slap on a face mask and do some online shopping, that should fix it, it’s self-care, right? Practicing the beautified pastel versions of self-care that has been curated by our Instagram feeds is harmful, although it may provide a temporary relief to stress, it won’t help you in the long-term, the anxieties and stressors that you have been avoiding confronting will still be there after that face mask has been washed off and that slice of chocolate cake has been eaten.
Related: Self-Care and Self-Consumerism: What You Have To Be Careful Of
The self-care movement did start off with genuine intentions, to open the dialogue surrounding mental health and to encourage people that it is ok to be selfish and take the time to care for your mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. However, the problem is that movements like this, unfortunately, tend to become capitalized upon quickly to take advantage of the innocent consumer’s pockets.
Somehow, the idea behind self-care came to be associated with buying a $30 face mask from Sephora. Why has the self-care movement become mobilized in the context of making ourselves look physically better as if that’s gonna help us fix the underlying issues that lie within ourselves? We must resist the notion that the act of self-care is equivalent to indulging in consumer goods and services to make us feel better about ourselves. It’s way better to invest the time and energy into your long-term psychological wellbeing, instead of trying to apply quick fixes to our external experiences as if that’s going to fix our emotional and spiritual wellbeing in the longterm.
True self-care is creating a life for yourself where you have healthy coping mechanisms that you can turn to in times of need. This can look different for everyone, and include multiple methods, whether it be reading, listening to music, journaling, developing/practicing a hobby, working out, and more.
Although developing healthy coping mechanisms is extremely important, it’s also essential to realize that sometimes that isn’t enough and that you may need more help. Self-care also includes the hard stuff that nobody wants to think about but is essential for your wellbeing. This can include making the move to start talking to a therapist, addressing your stressors, whether it be school or work, and evaluating if you are able to continue being in those environments and what appropriate steps you can take to handle the stressors caused in those environments.
Self-care doesn’t have to equate to physical goods, and it should not. Products can be useful, sure, but it is harmful to us to be relying on consumer goods to fill a void within us. If you’re trying to practice self-care, it’s important to be intentional with the steps that you are taking to address your issues. Taking care of yourself isn’t always going to be easy, and that’s okay because everyone has their own psychological and spiritual journey that is unique to them.