Two new phenomena have hit the mental health arena in a big way — Eco-Anxiety disorder and orthorexia. People born at the beginning of this millennium are now at an age where they are contemplating starting families — maybe some already have. And if the media is anything to go by, they’ve been scared shitless since the beginning. If it’s not Australia on fire, it’s Kenya infested by locusts. If it’s not the latest detox drink, it is red meat is bad for you. And then there’s the coronavirus! Enough grim news to send anxiety levels to dangerous heights.
In the last decade or so, the world has been constantly and consistently bombarded with news of imminent disaster and this is having devastating effects on people’s mental wellbeing. Everyday someone comes up with an idea of what is best or bad for you; goodness forbids they are celebrities because people will jump on that bandwagon without as much as a second thought. It is confusing and, definitely, not good for overall mental wellbeing.
Have a look at the latest disorders:
Eco-anxiety disorder
Millennials are the most informed on matters concerning the weather and global warming than any other generation. There’s a general sense of impending doom on everyone but this is more prominent on the younger generation. Global warming is evident because we’ve seen devastating effects and changing weather patterns. When I was young it never rained in the last months of the year in Kenya for example, yet last year there were torrential downpours that destroyed infrastructure and tore families apart. Australia has literally been on fire since September 2019.
In 2018 when the media reported this from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — ‘the world has 12 years to halve emissions or face uncontrollable climate change’. That is the mother of doom reporting, and to imagine nearly all world leaders are ageing narcissists, of course, any person would be worried particularly if you are young and hoping for a future with children, career, health and wealth. Leaders like Trump and Johnson are clearly not right to lead developed countries, and even more worrying are leaders of developing countries, Kenyatta and the like are not leading anyone in the right direction. It’s up to the younger generation of voters, millennials and Gen Zs, (the most likely group to suffer from eco-anxiety), to vote more conscientiously and place environmental concerns as a priority.
Twelve years is not that long, and if I was been constantly told the that world is my oyster and that I have a whole life ahead of me, I’d be worried when there’s clear evidence that that very future is in jeopardy. What life? It’s not only anxiety-inducing and a catalyst for a host of other mental health issues but the feeling of helplessness is a sure way to manifest these problems.
According to the world health organisation, climate change is the greatest threat to global health in the 21st Century. The global health implied here means the economies of countries and food supplies, but all that this will do is impact on people’s mental health in catastrophic proportions. Uncertain future with evidence of absolute devastating climate change can only induce more anxiety, depression and less desire to live.
Orthorexia
This is characterised by excessive and obsessive behaviours in pursuit of a healthy diet. There is a high probability this disorder will appear in DSM-5 this year alongside anorexia and bulimia. This problem is not only faced by millennials, but it’s also almost global for all ages. Everywhere you look there are advertisements for healthy eating and healthy habits. It makes you wonder how the cigarettes-weed-smoking-when-pregnant generation of the 60s managed to produce geniuses who gave us the iPhone and the internet.
I saw a video of a 70-year-old woman who could easily pass for a 40-year-old. Her secret — she eats raw vegetables and fruits ONLY, and drinks water — no meat, no alcohol or drugs. As much as eating well and taking care of your body is good for overall health and wellbeing, doing it excessively is a sign of some dysfunction. The general rule of thumb is ‘anything to excess is bad for you’. If you drink too much water, your brain swells. The healthiest people on the planet eat in moderation on a varied diet.
When people drink too much alcohol they are labelled as alcoholics; when people eat too little they are labelled anorexics; so when people become overly obsessed with healthy eating? What should they be labelled as?
It’s all well and good but what is the ultimate reason. To live longer? To die younger-looking? To be disease-free? Personally, I don’t think anything is bad for you when done in moderation, of course, unless you get allergic reactions. Life is only lived once, so live it and experience everything the world has to offer, even if that means doing something bad for the experience of it. You only need to look at conflicting reports to know it’s not all it is hyped up to be. A few years ago, red wine was bad for you, today a glass apparently does more good than harm.
A way forward
What can be done to alleviate this impending doom? Psychologists would urge people to be more purposeful in their daily activities than feel helpless in situations e.g. do your bit for the environment and don’t stress too much about what Donald Trump is doing or not doing. Eat well and listen to your body and don’t worry too much about what certain celebrities are eating. Do your own thing (sensibly) without too much focus on the latest fad or craze. Take a break from consuming too much information from the media.
Mental health is optimal and if you need to break away from it all, do it. Turn off your phone for a day.
Finally, now more than ever and probably most important, everyone should be vote more conscientiously and deliberately.
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