Is our self-obsessed age fuelling the crisis in mental health?
We’ve been told that the purpose of life is self-discovery and self-expression and that the key to good mental health is boosting self-esteem. We have been raised on a steady diet of praise and positive self-talk: You are special. You can be anything you want to be. You do you.
But is this contemporary focus on ourselves part of the problem rather than the solution? Are we inadvertently becoming a generation of narcissists? What impact is this having on our mental health? And, are we inadequately prepared for failure and suffering?
About our speaker
Our speaker, Glynn Harrison is a former Professor of Psychiatry and consultant psychiatrist. He will seek to answer this question for us, and explore what the Christian faith has to say on this subject. Glynn is a compelling speaker and accomplished author who has written a popular book on this subject, ‘The Big Ego Trip’ (IVP) which explores the contemporary self-esteem movement. Before retirement, Glynn was Head of the Department of Psychiatry at Bristol University and has also acted as an advisor to the WHO.
About SaltLive
SaltLive is a series of free events for curious Londoners engaging with matters of faith, philosophy, & life. You can find out more here. Each of our speaker events aims to engage with the questions that Londoners are asking. Some of the events are focused on the common objections to the Christian faith (e.g. suffering, sexuality and racial prejudice). Others are focused on the popular desires of Londoners (e.g. finding happiness and finding love). Salt is a project of Grace London, a young church based in central London.
