Thread by @EricsElectrons

Some are under the impression that bringing up the achievements of Newton or Shakespeare are “shaming those with mental health” or “insensitive of various inequalities.”

This is why I think the lens of victimhood is catastrophic for those with poor mental health.(THREAD)

I agree that we shouldn’t guilt ourselves & others for not being productive or achieving great things during these times.

My problem with articles like this is it tries to convince us that highlighting the productivity *equates* to shaming. (2/n)

huffpost.com/entry/coronavi…

Suggesting that people can/should find inspiration in Newton, Shakespeare, and other great people who made paradigm-shifting contributions during pandemics/natural disasters is not at all shaming.

It’s a bar set to look up to instead of dwelling looking down at your feet. (3/n)

I call it “helicopter mental health advocacy.”

What upsets me most about helicopter-mental health influencers is they are using the lens of victimhood to find a problem in everything creating the anxiety people are trying to escape. (4/n)

If you feel guilty about how you’re not being productive to the point it depresses you because people are bringing up how productive people were in the past while social distancing, you should seek professional help. (5/n)

To those who feel pressured to be productive by social media during this time, productivity doesn’t have to mean forming new theories or making a masterpiece.

You could make your health your masterpiece & being productive by building productive small habits. (6/6)

Helicopter mental health advocates, similar to helicopter parents, have great intentions but end up doing more harm to the people they love and are trying to help most by coddling their fragility.