Why the Mental Health of Liberal Girls Sank First and Fastest
(jonathanhaidt.substack.com)
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Mental Health becoming a "phrase" alone was enough to destroy most of society. People cannot even put words into their issues, so they use "mental health" or the equally vague "depression," "anxiety" or "ADHD" which allows them to never have to confront it beyond a flippant excuse when called on something.
Of course this appeals to women more. Its not just "liberal girls," because very few girls who go to college don't become liberals along the way if they weren't already. Its assuming women have the same kind of deep seated convictions and principles men do, which shows a lack of understanding of "mental health" still. Especially as women overwhelmingly go into degree programs that are politicized and unwelcoming to non-liberal positions on a foundational level.
This is why they do what he called "reverse CBT." Because they don't want depression cured. The industry wants them forever feeling powerless and tethered to some treatment. The "sufferer" doesn't want to be free of their lifelong and infinite excuse for anything. They want to be that way, because it not only justifies all their flaws as a person (and any work they would have to do to work on them, as well as any moral failing that would undermine their self-righteousness), but makes them a permanent victim who can leverage that power in any ring.
Many of the chronic depressives don't want it cured either. They don't want to feel better, they want an unlimited and endless excuse.
I've got a degree in therapy and spent some time working in the industry. One of the biggest reasons I quit is because nobody wants to feel better. Everyone is just there because "talking and pills fix everything right?" and simply saying "I'm in therapy" is enough for some people to pretend they are working on it.
And, based on my experience and a lot of observation, 90% of people with "depression" don't have clinical depression, or any form of internally sourced depression at all that need any form of intervention. They have situational depression, which is literally just "something bad happened, I'm sad now" which they stretch into a long term thing by never dealing with it.
Like no shit you're fucking depressed, your life sucks. Stop treating the warning sign your body is giving you to get it together and instead just fucking get it together.
Would you say that such people require some philosophy?
I wasn't all that different in the past. What really helped me turn some things around (not that my life is great right now) was adding philosophy to all the psychology and talk therapy.
I tell kids now, when I see them struggling with depression, that it's basically just a signal that they are failing to move towards their life goals and deep personal values. They act a little surprised sometimes, because kids don't even know their life goals. So I try to explain that they wouldn't be able to have that depression if there wasn't something they really wanted and were failing to move towards. Like depression is some conscious sequence - no, it starts in the dark with all the things you weren't paying attention to.
Of course, there's some crap philosophies out there, so I try to push the core of logic and introspection.
I think I remember you speaking about how psychology and therapy were geared towards women. Perhaps it excludes philosophy because women aren't exactly deep thinkers.
Philosophy requires an ability for introspection and abstract thinking. For men, that's not a guarantee. Many would improve by being able to settle their chaotic thoughts and categorize it through philosophical ideologies, because their emotional state is caused by overthinking in the first place. But there are also those who do not have that ability either, for better or for worse.
That's why the industry of "man therapy" is actually taking off slowly but surely. Wherein, instead of deep thinking or simple talking, you are taken out to just do things. Boating, lifting, camping, wood/metal working. Just the act of doing these things (with some talking during to help the process) is shown consistently put men's minds in order. Not every man is meant to be an intellectual, but every man is still a man and his body reacts accordingly. Even a noodle arm beta commie will get his rush of testosterone and better feelings from seeing a shelf he built with his own two hands.
However, as you say, this doesn't apply to women in either form. Which is why talk therapy and pills are the dominant option. Because those are vaguely effective for women, on paper at least. It doesn't truly help them, because what they crave is nearly always their missing father giving them boundaries and removing the control they have over their own life. But therapists can't provide that very well.