Mental illness and capitalism

Edition II-- Identifying the systemic roots of our suffering paves a path to collective liberation

Your suffering and mental anguish are real. But- you are not alone. All of us experience varying levels of pain as we try to “fit in” in this productivity-obsessed society. Our whole lives- we do whatever it takes to adapt and survive. Each marginalized identity feels like an added 5000 pound boulder on your back. Existing is painful and trust me, I get it. But what if, maybe just maybe- the root of your pain, my pain… OUR PAIN, is the same? What if identifying the root cause of our pain is the secret tool to unplugging from this capitalist matrix?

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Hi friend and comrade- welcome again to the 2nd edition of my newsletter that bridges science with social justice and global geopolitics. Each week we explore a new topic and dissect how we can better apply radical political values to our daily life and relationships and unplug from the capitalist matrix.

Note: This is the first of many newsletters on this topic. I lay foundations before building complexity on top. The goal is to LEARN in a way that transforms how we live.

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Section I. “You are not THE problem”

Today, we’ll break down how this capitalist society shapes our mental & physical health. We can use this critical lens to re-imagine collective solutions —

• Mental illness diagnoses have skyrocketed recently. More than 1 in 5 adults in the United States are diagnosed with a mental illness as of 2020. However, these statistics just focus on individuals without examining the brutality of the society we exist in. Our society is absolutely getting “sicker”.

But what if the root cause of your pain is not a disease, disorder, or defect?

Judy Singer, who coined the term “Neurodiversity”, explains:

“Biodiversity refers to the incalculable variety of life on Earth and its ecosystems and habitats. Human self-interest requires the conservation of all species irrespective of their perceived utility or attractiveness to humans. The greater the biodiversity within an ecosystem, the more stable, adaptable and sustainable that system is.”

“Neurodiversity is a subset of Biodiversity and refers to the virtually infinite neuro-cognitive variability within Earth’s human population. It points to the fact that every human has a unique nervous system with a unique combination of abilities and needs.”

• What if all the ways you are different is part of the natural biodiversity in all species and not a disease to be cured? What if the problem isn’t that you have divergent traits but how your are treated when you do not conform to this inaccessible capitalist society?

I’ll go a step further and say that our cognitive variabilities are defined and shaped by countless environmental factors, including the extent of privilege or oppression we face under all socioeconomic systems. Marginalized poor communities around the world have the worst health outcomes.

This tells us that our access to resources shapes our health and wellbeing.