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The self-care industry contributed to the loneliness crisis - Vox

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Where were you the first time you heard the words “bath bomb?” What about “10-step skin care routine?” Perhaps you have, at some point, canceled plans in order to “unplug,” drink some tea, and take a bit of “me time.” Maybe you’ve ordered an assortment of candles meant to combat anxiety and stress or booked a rage room to exorcise your demons. A warped notion of self-care has been normalized to the point where everyday activities like washing yourself and watching TV are now synonymous with the term. Generally understood as the act of lovingly nursing one’s mind and body, a certain kind of self-care has come to dominate the past decade, as events like the 2016 election and the Covid pandemic spurred collective periods of anxiety layered on top of existing societal harms. It makes sense that interest in how to quell that unease has steadily increased. The last 10 years, explained The internet peaked with “the dress," and then it unraveled Serial transformed true crime — and the way we t

Life / Even Better How the self-care industry made us so lonely The commodification of an activist concept turned a revitalizing practice into an isolating one. by Allie Volpe Jun 3, 2024, 10:00 AM UTC Hudson Christie for Vox Allie Volpe is a correspondent at Vox covering mental health, relationships, wellness, money, home life, and work through the lens of meaningful self-improvement. Where were you the first time you heard the words “bath bomb?” What about “ 10-step skin care routine ?” Perhaps you have, at some point, canceled plans in order to “unplug,” drink some tea , and take a bit of “

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