Sun Sep 15 15:22:27 UTC 2024: ## Therapy Culture: The New Religion of Gen Z?

**Writer Explores the Rise of Self-Obsession and the Lack of Moral Guidance in Young People**

In a thought-provoking essay, writer Freya writes about the growing phenomenon of “therapy culture” and its impact on Gen Z. She argues that the emphasis on self-care, mental health, and personal fulfillment has become a new religion, replacing traditional faith with a focus on self-actualization and wellness.

“We don’t pray at night; we repeat positive affirmations,” she writes. “We don’t confess; we trauma dump. We don’t seek salvation; we go on healing journeys.” This obsession with personal well-being, fueled by apps, therapy companies, and wellness brands, has created a system where “we are the divine; we are the deity.”

Freya argues that while therapy and self-care are important, this new “religion” has a dangerous side. It emphasizes self-interest at the expense of moral guidance and obligation to others.

“It’s a life devoted not to feeling better but being better; not to better thoughts but better actions,” she says. “Instead, we fear nobody. We need ask no forgiveness.”

Freya links the rise of this self-focused culture to a sense of emptiness and instability in young people. “We keep our options open,” she writes. “We play it cool. Our long-term relationships fall apart…Everything in our lives is just a collection of things that can crumble at any moment.”

This constant pursuit of “freedom” and self-fulfillment, she argues, is actually leading to a decline in mental health. She sees this as a sign that young people are missing something crucial: a sense of belonging, purpose, and moral direction.

“What we need most in a chaotic world is moral direction,” Freya concludes. “What we need most in a rapidly changing world is rootedness. We are looking for something we can place our feet on that won’t fall away. We are looking for something more than this life where people have so few loyalties to each other.”

Freya’s essay raises important questions about the current state of mental health and the role of religion and morality in our lives. She challenges us to consider whether the focus on self-improvement and individual fulfillment is actually leading to a sense of true well-being or simply a form of self-obsession that leaves us feeling empty and lost.

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