WATCH OUT FOR MAGIC ELIXIRS
We must ensure the ‘experts’ selling fixes for physical and mental woes are accredited
The world is scrambling to stop the spread of COVID-19. In addition to recommendations from health experts, people are searching for any possible way to protect themselves and their families.
It’s a time of heightened stress, anxiety and uncertainty. Sadly, as in any crisis, there are unscrupulous individuals who seek to profit from fear.
Magic elixirs are popping up online that promise easy cures. (I hope it goes without saying that if there were an easy cure, there would not be a pandemic.)
As anxiety grows, along with the loneliness of isolation, people are also looking for something to boost their mental well-being — and for this, there are just as many swindlers ready to offer cures.
We all need to be consumer-wise about products that promise mental health benefits. There’s a wealth of supplement pills, “wellness water,” and other “cures” for whatever ails you on the market. But some of these products can potentially do more harm than good.
“The trouble with ‘wellness’ is it’s vague, but emotionally resonant. Anything that makes us feel good is wellness. Marketers have taken that and run with it,” says Dr. Stan Kutcher, former director of the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Centre in Mental Health Policy.
It’s not that all wellness products are bogus. Some clinical trials have shown that lavender oil, taken orally or used in aromatherapy, for instance, may have therapeutic effects against anxiety.
But a large swath of items claiming mental wellness benefits — crystals, blue-light-blocking glasses, alkaline water — do so without scientific evidence.
These products can be a nice splurge, a temporary balm. But when it comes to mental health, evidence is important.
Scientific understanding has helped raise public awareness that depression, for instance, is a neurological chemical imbalance that might require medication. It’s not just a bad mood, eased with off-the-shelf remedies. The implication behind all of these products is the promise of an easy fix.
But, does ignoring good science in wellness undermine the advances we’ve made in mental-health awareness?
People seeking wellness items for results need to arm themselves with scientific literacy. If a product is branded with technical-sounding terms, look them up. When an expert is cited, look them up, too. Are they an accredited medical or scientific expert?
Be wary, but don’t spend too much time and money searching for consumer solutions.
Research has shown that people who become preoccupied with searching for products to make themselves happy are often the ones who describe themselves as the least happy, says Kutcher.
“Self-care is hard work,” he adds. “Exercise, good sleep, solid nutrition, maintaining relationships and helping others.”
The big risk in relying entirely on products to manage our mental wellness is that it turns us inward instead of outward, Kutcher warns. As in: “If I’m feeling bad I’ll drink wellness water instead of seeking support from loved ones.”
That inward focus can increase feelings of loneliness and isolation that contribute to mental-health issues like depression.
This is a challenging time for both mental and physical health. Following good science and best practices for mental well-being is just as important as expert advice about our physical health crisis.
Craig Kielburger is co-founder of the WE Movement, which includes WE Charity, ME to WE Social Enterprise and WE Day.