15 Dec Neoliberalism and self-help – Part 2: The Problems Neoliberalism Created for Self-Help and Mental Health
While self-help promised empowerment, it also carried a hidden cost. Neoliberalism’s emphasis on personal responsibility shifted attention away from collective realities. When everything — success, happiness, even burnout — becomes your fault or your choice, the psychological burden is immense.
Under neoliberal logic, the individual becomes a perpetual project. We’re told to fix ourselves — to be more resilient, more productive, more mindful. Mental health discourse becomes privatised: therapy apps, “grindset” culture, and wellness influencers all reinforce the idea that improvement is endless. As researcher William Davies puts it, neoliberalism turns psychological wellbeing into a form of human capital — something to be managed to stay economically competitive.
This constant self-optimisation breeds anxiety and shame. Studies have shown that social media’s comparison culture — an extension of neoliberal self-presentation — correlates with increased depression and lower self-esteem (Twenge et al., 2019). Meanwhile, burnout has become so pervasive that the World Health Organisation officially recognised it as an occupational phenomenon in 2019. The irony? Many people turn to self-help to fix the very problems that the neoliberal system itself creates.
Neoliberalism also erodes the collective foundations of mental health. Humans are profoundly social creatures; our wellbeing depends on belonging, cooperation, and care. Yet neoliberal ideology glorifies independence over interdependence, framing community as optional. This can leave people feeling isolated, disconnected, and responsible for circumstances that are often systemic — poverty, racism, overwork, or housing insecurity.
Even therapy itself has been shaped by these dynamics. As sociologist Nikolas Rose argues, modern psychology often aligns with neoliberalism by teaching individuals to adapt to existing conditions rather than question them. The goal becomes coping rather than changing.
In essence, neoliberal self-help teaches people to internalise systemic problems. If you’re burned out, meditate more. If you’re underpaid, “manifest abundance.” If you’re lonely, work on your attachment style. The social becomes psychological — and in doing so, invisible (continued).