I’m a big proponent of self-care and other individual tools that we teach as mental health professionals.
Yet I’m also acutely aware of its limitations.
I think of people back in Manila now who are feeling rage and helplessness over the rising COVID cases.
I think of our Asian American community who’s feeling fear due to the lack of safety.
I think of the people of Myanmar who are witnessing, on a daily basis, death, and political violence.
The relationship between social-political issues and mental health problems is complex.
Context, culture, economic status, political climate, situatedness — these factors are important.
We get to be compassionate with ourselves and know that feeling stressed is not always our fault.
Yes, we get to continue practicing self-care, more than ever. Radical self-compassion is needed.
Yet we can not stop fighting for what is right at a systematic and societal level.
The solution to chronic stress is not individual Psychology.
Systematic change is.
Political change is.
Community support is.
