The Cost of Looking Good: Appearance vs Mental Wellbeing
The Cost of Looking Good: Why Are We Prioritising Our Appearance Over Our Peace of Mind?
Just think about the cost of appearance on a monthly/yearly basis. The lash extensions, nail gels, lip blush tattoos, waxing etc, are all part of monthly outgoings alongside, rent and mortgage payments. There is nothing wrong in having these treatments, after all, looking after our appearance is self-care, right?
The issue is the financial investment required to maintain the upkeep of the treatments. Investing in one’s emotional wellbeing can be neglected.
In 2020 the covid pandemic rocked the worlds foundations, triggering a huge decline in mental health. Now, years on, counsellors and therapists are seeing the fall out from this life altering period in time. Young people were affected at a developmental stage when they should have been exploring friendships, relationships and learning how to transition into the adult world.
Adults were impacted by the isolation periodfinding themselves working alone instead of as part of a team, and the elderly just
became lonelier. People were locked away, not allowed to go out, see friends and family and taking instruction from the government on how they could live.
It is at this time the digital platforms expanded, Tik Tok influencers and creators of Instagram were the new occupiers of time, uploading videos and posts on how to look, dress and act. For many, the reels became an addiction and the changing focus on perfection created immense peer pressure that costs hundreds of pounds to maintain.
We readily use credit and bank cards to pay for this upkeep and ignore the infrastructure that keeps us alive. Mental health begins in the womb and determines our entire ability to function. Ignoring ones’ mental health can be crippling. It affects every part of our life, manifesting in low self-esteem, chronic fatigue, anxiety, sleep patterns, depression, and unhealthy coping strategies. You cannot beautify your way
out of a panic attack or fix your low mood.
Real investment in mental and emotional health needs to be prioritised to ensure an individual’s full potential is maximised. When you take care of your mind you are taking care of your psychological scaffolding that is needed to navigate life’s unpredicted curveballs.
You are enabling yourself to have more fulfilling relationships, a better more positive mood, and a stronger level of resilience. It’s
fabulous to look good, but it’s vital to feel whole.
If you feel you are ready to invest in your mental health and would like to talk about how counselling sessions can support this, please reach out to Linda today and schedule an initial consultation.
Tel: 07515 834931
