How Capitalism Affects Our Mental Health
Foto von Xavi Cabrera auf Unsplash
" I have to be productive", "I am only valuable if I perform" or "I always have to be available" - these are beliefs that I frequently encounter in my work. This is no surprise, since in our capitalist society, our worth is closely tied to achievement and productivity. We often glorify busyness and neglect our health for work. Even our free time is usually meticulously scheduled, leaving little room for rest or spontaneity.
As a result, many people live with these stressful beliefs (mostly unconsciously) and suffer the consequences. We fail to notice or ignore (warning) signals from our body, constantly feel stressed and find it difficult to rest. Internalised capitalism results in us feeling guilty during breaks and downtime, as well as the feeling that we never do or have enough.
Adressing the Issue
So how can we counteract this trend? On an individual level, we can decide to dive into our inner world, question social norms and gradually align our lives with our true interests and values. It can be immensely helpful to examine obstructive beliefs and associated learned behaviours in a safe setting. Exploring our family background systemically can also shed light on the beliefs we adopted during childhood. Reconnecting with our body and its inherent wisdom is another valuable step to create more balance in our lives.
Additionally, there are several small steps we can take to reconnect with our needs, desires, and values:
Consciously plan time just for yourself.
Spend time in nature.
Reduce screen time, especially before and after sleeping.
Give yourself the time you need to respond to messages.
Find out which activities or topics help you to lose track of time and integrate them into your daily life.
The Importance of Individual and Collective Action
This individual work is important - because it increases your well-being and can inspire others to do the same. At the same time, we also need to address the systemic issues. Because the obsession with productivity and performance of capitalism no longer works. Unlimited economic growth is not something worth striving for - even if the media still sells it to us that way. It is harmful for us and for our planet. Moreover, this pursuit brings along additional challenges such as inflation, anxiety about the future, and global crises that disproportionately affect marginalized communities due to structural injustices.
Only together can we promote a collective rethinking and create new systems that serve the well-being of all people and living beings. Fortunately, many people have already embarked on this journey. They question the status quo and explore alternative ways of co-living, conducting business, and exchanging ideas that benefit the community.
Closing Questions
To conclude, I'd like to leave you with a few questions:
When was the last time you just did "nothing"? What would your life look like if money didn't matter? How would you spend your time? Who would you spend most of your time with? What would you read, learn, create?
And: What could a society look like that is built on the principles of solidarity and care? A society in which work is not linked to money? In which we would have time for creativity, care, and community? What would we teach our children? How would we use public space?
These questions may seem distant from our current reality and may be challenging to engage with. If you need support in exploring these topics or have any other concerns, please feel free to reach out to me.