Have lots of reasons why I hate how we talk abt self-love as if it’s a character flaw when people struggle with it. One is that self-love (in our society) is almost inextricable from capitalism & class.

I’m not saying anything new but for a lot of y’all, this hasn’t sunk it.

I try to be really open about the fact that I owe a lot of my current mental health (I’m in the best place I’ve been in my life) to the fact that I was able to save money for months by living at home, that I already was in a privileged class position, and that I invest

In a lot of things other people don’t have access to.

I really hate screaming at people to love themselves and seek therapy and heal because y’all don’t understand how hard that can be when you don’t have resources and how much easier it can be when you do

And I HATE that it’s like this but it is. It’s extremely hard to have healthy self-esteem when you can’t afford rent, or clothes that bring you joy, or travel, or decent therapy.

And I hate the “you can find free therapy” brigade bc you lot are not willing to admit that free and

Low-cost therapy is often not as effective as expensive therapy. Those therapists are often white (because white people have resources that allow them to work for non-profits and still maintain a good quality of life) and they have a huge amount of cases that make it harder

Expensive therapists often have better access to trainings and certifications and specializations... all that stuff. And we haven’t even touched on how hard it can be for immigrants seeking therapy, those cultural and language barriers can be enormous

For instance, one of the bilingual therapists at a non-profit I worked for was white and had only lived in Central America for like a year during college? The fuck?

I also strongly believe that the people who are loudest about how EVERYONE needs to put in the WORK to heal themselves and love themselves and have dewy skin are often the people struggling most but that’s another thread for another day.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that two of the worst periods of my mental health were a) after being cut off financially from my parents and b) working at a non-profit and feeling a bit too proud to ask my family for the support that white people feel they are owed

I read this article this morning and we are so quick to dismiss this stuff as non-integral to mental health but it is. The eye mask and the vitamins actually do help people sleep which has ENORMOUS health benefits. Having good skin and hair is a sign of https://www.bustle.com/p/55-brilliant-finds-on-amazon-that-make-you-look-feel-10x-better-19382902?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=pro&utm_campaign=fbproaff19382902

Of health and eating well (expensive for a lot of people) and makes people feel better about themselves. Those therapy lights have helped saved lives during the winter months, or so I’m told. Etc.