The Health Paradox: How Our World Shapes Our Well-being Moral Health

Dear Moral Health Readers,
As a nurse, I've come to understand that comprehensive health—encompassing both physical and mental well-being—requires us to consider the broader picture. We must truly zoom out. If you've been following Moral Health’s work, you might be under the impression that it's solely about individual change—transform yourself to transform the world. Here, I'd like to add a layer of complexity to that narrative. The best things in life are often paradoxes. Our health isn't merely about us as individuals; it's equally about the complex network of external factors that shape our well-being. Everything is interconnected. And we, good scientists of life, know that. Today, we're going to delve into the symbiosis between healing and the world around us, drawing from the insights of adrienne maree brown. We'll also discuss what this means for us in terms of doing the right thing for our health.
In a compelling metaphor, adrienne maree brown gives us a great way to think about this - she compares healing to a river. She says, "Sturdy like something in motion that is also changing and that requires the balance of the world. The river can dry up if there’s not the balance of the world." This imagery not only highlights the delicate equilibrium between our individual healing processes and the collective harmony of the world we inhabit, but also underscores the need for active engagement in the pursuit of not only taking ourselves to the doctor but also the world.
"Sturdy like something in motion that is also changing and that requires the balance of the world. The river can dry up if there’s not the balance of the world."

Our health is influenced by a complex web of factors, from societal challenges and environmental stressors to interpersonal relationships and power imbalances in the world of business. Take, for example, the Bayer-Monsanto merger, which points to a troubling connection between environmental toxins and the very medicines designed to treat the illnesses they cause. In a world where businesses profit from both the problem and the solution, the cycle of harm continues. So, where does the opportunity to heal lie?
Deep-rooted issues, such as harmful power dynamics, systemic discrimination, and climate change, significantly impact our well-being. Harmful power dynamics in relationships, schools or workplaces can lead to various mental health conditions, including depression, isolation, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the American Psychological Association. Systemic discrimination, as per a study by Williams and Mohammed (2013), has been linked to a range of health outcomes, including heart disease and mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, due to the chronic stress of enduring regularity of discrimination. Lastly, climate change, according to the World Health Organization, is predicted to cause approximately 250,000 extra deaths annually between 2030 and 2050 due to factors like heat stress and malnutrition. And these are merely the most overt examples.
It's time we cast a critical eye on the system we're immersed in. We must pose some challenging questions - can our communities truly find healing while ensnared in a matrix of systems that perpetually foster injustice and imbalance? Is it pragmatic to believe that the path to genuine health lies solely in the hands of our primary care doctors and therapists? This is a pertinent question, especially when some of our relationships and business practices seem to prioritize profit and harm, knowingly or not. This misalignment incites more disharmony externally and internally rather than cultivating equity, healing, and balance.
However, let's not mistake this as a dismissal of the role of healthcare professionals. On the contrary, their expertise is indispensable. But the point I wish to highlight here is that health extends beyond the clinical realm. It is also fundamentally a social issue, embedde