Mental Health Mania: The Merchant Of Mindfulness & The Self-Care Circus

Welcome To The Wellness Wonderland

Let’s start with a question: when did mental health suddenly become, er…remotely fashionable?

It seems like only yesterday, you’d whisper about feeling overwhelmed or down, but now, everyone’s openly discussing their “self-care routines” on Instagram like they’ve just invented the concept.

Whether you’re soaking in a Himalayan salt bath or making a daily habit of yoga poses that could have you mistaken for a pretzel, mental health has become a multi-billion-dollar industry.

A Lancet Commission report on mental health said that mental disorders are on the rise in every country in the world and will cost the global economy $16 trillion by 2030. 

At this point, you can’t scroll through social media without being bombarded by wellness gurus and influencers telling you how to align your chakras, balance your hormones, or, for the love of all things organic, drink an insipid green juice to nurture your soul.

(My thoughts on social media can be read here).

The Wellness Industry: Goldmine Or Gimmick?

Here’s the thing: the wellness industry is an absolute goldmine. In fact, it’s so rich that it could probably buy a small island and call it “Self-Care Paradise”.

With everything from meditation apps to CBD oils claiming to cure everything from anxiety to existential dread, the possibilities seem endless.

What could possibly go wrong when the solution to life’s complex problems is distilled into a cute, pastel-coloured bottle of essential oils or a two-week online course promising nirvana with a certificate of completion?

But perhaps the real question is whether the pursuit of mental health “wellness” is more about genuine self-improvement or just another means to extract a little more cash from those eager to improve their lives.

After all, who wouldn’t want to pay someone to tell them how to be happy, especially if the solution is as simple as buying the latest self-help book written by someone who’s never even been to therapy but has a fancy degree from the University of Life in “positive thinking”?

The Self-Care Seesaw: Balance Or Burnout?

Self-care, we’re told, is the ultimate solution to life’s pressures. You deserve it. You’ve earned it.

You can even make your own little rituals of relaxation by lighting a candle with the scent of lavender and pretending that five minutes of mindfulness will solve the overwhelming pressure of adult life.

If only it were that easy, right?

The problem arises when “self-care” becomes yet another obligation—an Instagram or TikTok challenge you can’t escape.

How many times have you seen posts on your feed telling you to take a mental health day, only to realise that the idea of taking time off makes you feel even more anxious about how much you have to catch up on?

Suddenly, that zen moment of self-care has turned into another cause for stress and you’re left wondering whether the act of “taking care of yourself” is actually making you worse off.

Is it possible that the more we focus on taking care of ourselves, the more we get caught in an endless loop of superficial solutions that only make us feel more inadequate?

The Perils Of Perfection: Is It All Just A Trend?

Let’s face it: the rise of the wellness and self-care trend is about as far removed from actual mental health as a reality TV star is from reality.

It’s easy to scroll through a curated feed of self-care tips and think, “If only I had the time to spend my days meditating or luxuriating in a spa bath”.

However, this overlooks the fact that real-life responsibilities, such as work, family and having a job that pays for those expensive wellness products, are far more urgent.

Moreover, the emphasis on perfection in the wellness world raises a tricky question: is this self-care culture making us feel better or just exacerbating the underlying problems?

When every post exclaims how wonderful life could be if only you practised “gratitude journalling” or followed a rigid morning routine, it can make you feel even worse about not living up to these impossible standards.

Does mental health improvement need to be tied to a specific set of rituals, or can we just accept that sometimes, the best way to care for ourselves is to throw out the rulebook?

The Road To Real Recovery: Time To Call Out The Self-Care Circus?

In a world where self-care is a brand and wellness is a profit-making machine, it might be time to ask: are we genuinely helping ourselves, or are we just buying into another glossy, feel-good scam?

Perhaps it’s time to look beyond the wellness clichés and focus on real, sustainable mental health practices; ones that don’t require a subscription fee or a ten-step guide to happiness.

So, next time you’re told to “put yourself first” and buy the latest aromatherapy diffuser, ask yourself: Is this truly helping, or is it just the latest mental health miracle being sold to you in a bottle?

Perhaps you could just “Dr. Google” your way to life’s important answers to wellness? Good luck with not click-baiting yourself down random blind alleyways.

(My blog on “Dr. Google” can be read here).

Or perhaps the self-care industry might be exhausting people, especially women? Maybe the answer is simpler than we think.

But then again, maybe buying another self-care kit during a Black Friday sale or off Temu is easier.

Anyway, as the reader, what do you think?

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

Have a thought or comment? Please share it in the box below…⬇️

The obsession with self-care products that promise to restore our "inner selves"

About the author

Dr Surrinder Singh is a medical doctor, blogger and freelance writer. He is passionate about healthcare, medicine and education and works professionally with B2B and B2C clients.

Have a thought or comment? Please share it in the box below...⬇️

4 thoughts on “Mental Health Mania: The Merchant Of Mindfulness & The Self-Care Circus”

  1. John Murphy

    Snake oil has been distilled and peddled in bottles tinted with the colours of the rainbow since the Garden of Eden.
    This balm, in all its guises of pills and potions, has sought to alleviate the physical and mental anxieties of both body and mind for eons.
    Perhaps the anxieties of the body have sometimes been eased by pills and potions.
    Perhaps the anxieties of the mind—except those arising from the impaired physicality of the brain—have been temporarily alleviated, but I suggest, not permanently.
    In the current era, the pressures of day-to-day existence have exacerbated the range of anxieties.
    The impermanence of life—of jobs, family, friends and acquaintances, one’s place in the world, health, social acceptance, bullying, domestic violence, public safety, and the inevitable changes in society—is but a brief glimpse of life’s daily challenges.
    Coping with these uncertainties requires constant reality checks to survive the vicissitudes of life.
    Acceptance and tolerance of one’s true self are key if anxiety is to be reduced and, hopefully, eradicated.
    We must accept that the past cannot be reclaimed, nor can the future be controlled.
    This leaves us to confront the ever-present reality of existence—with all its absurdities—with tolerance and acceptance, and to dismiss negative thoughts about an uncontrollable future in order to overcome or at least reduce anxiety and avoid over-reliance on medication.
    Medication is conditioning and can be destructive to one’s personality.
    Complete success through medication is ephemeral. In the movie A Clockwork Orange, the conditioning of the protagonist, Alex, does not change his behaviour; it merely suppresses it.
    In the novel, Alex wonders whether the treatment he underwent will be passed on to his offspring.
    Do not let excessive medication turn you into someone like Alex—someone whose true self has been suppressed.

    Reply
    1. Surrinder Singh

      Dear Mr. Murphy,
      Thank you ever so much for your thoughtful and insightful commentary. I truly appreciate the time you took to engage with the text and offer your perspective. Your observations have been both illuminating and encouraging.
      I am grateful for the clarity with which you addressed the subject, and I wholeheartedly agree with many of the points you raised. Your reflection on the pressures of modern existence and the role of medication in shaping our responses to anxiety is both timely and thought-provoking.
      Once again, thank you for your kind words and for sharing your reflections. It is always a pleasure to hear from someone with such a nuanced understanding.
      With warmest regards,
      Dr SPS ✍🏽😊

      Reply
  2. Krish Kumar

    You are too focussed on the monry making aspect of the industry. What is the alternative available to mental health patients??? Is western medicine capable/sufficient to alleviate the problem??

    Reply
    1. Surrinder Singh

      Dear Kris, though I see your point to an extent, I’m afraid the real issue is that mental health has become a bit like a product launch these days – all shiny packaging and buzzwords, with a price tag that suggests you’re buying a designer handbag rather than actual help.
      Western medicine certainly has its merits, but when your therapist’s hourly rate is creeping up to the price of a decent holiday, you have to wonder if we’re treating the illness or just cashing in on it.
      Surely there’s got to be more to recovery than just “treatment plans” and “wellness retreats”?
      BW, Dr SPS 😊

      Reply