People blame social media for generation Z’s mental health woes and that may be part of it but it’s an easy scapegoat that requires us to do none of the inner work as to why things have gotten the way they have.

Having a serious mental illness myself I would like to say the things that help the most people want to do the least. This is because they are sacrificial and contrarian. Modern psychology has trained us to be resentful when we are helping someone else and not getting anything in return. Things like platonic touch, hospitality, taking in venting, transportation, child/elder/pet care, etc.. are things people used to do more. There was more of a romanticization of servanthood to it and helping someone wasn’t looked down upon. These things helped keep mental illness at bay or at least lessened the symptoms.

So modern psychology makes things worse by forcing super needy folks with mental illness to this unrealistic standard of atomization. And then it tells those who are more healthy not to lift a finger on anyone else’s behalf and trains them to be resentful when they do.