Mental health is morally neutral

There is this amazing social media creator, KC Davis (@domesticblisters) who introduced the idea that cleaning or not cleaning is a morally neutral behavior. This absolutely sent me reeling. I, like many of my clients, have always assigned a value to this. I am good if I have cleaned, but I am bad if I have not, no matter the reason.

Her consensus is if we take the emotionally reactive content of judging ourselves out of the equation, it could potentially be easier to engage in a task more regularly. It makes sense.

I couldn’t agree more with this concept. And to be honest, it is one of the major reasons I have learned so much about our bodies and how they respond to stress. In my mind, it cannot be true that so many people are suffering or behaving in ways they don’t want to simply because they are being lazy or don’t want to get better.

We have done a horrible job - either consciously or unconsciously at supporting people who are suffering with mental health. Mental health symptoms are caused by dysregulation in the body: gut, hormone, insulin, inflammation or nervous system. This has been proven over and over and we continue to shame, blame and otherwise torture people who are already struggling.

Mental health is morally neutral, and it is time that we treat it that way. People who are struggling, or just that, wounded people who are struggling and they deserve the kindness and compassion we would give anyone who is injured. And maybe then, it will be easier and more accessible to regularly engage in healing behaviors.