Arnold Schwarzenegger has never been mere hunks of muscle. The Terminator icon, is of course, the star of some of the best action movies and a professional bodybuilder, along with being a filmmaker, businessman and the former governor of California. Among his recent wise words were regarding his thoughts on the mental health crisis, which he called a “human crisis.”
Among Schwarzenegger’s current pursuits is his free Arnold’s Pump Club newsletter, which provides fans with nutrition, fitness and wellness tips. In a fresh entry from the star of the upcoming Netflix series FUBAR, he spoke to the importance of therapy, saying this:
…[Y]ou should treat your mind no differently than your body. You have to train both. If your knee was holding you back and making you limp everywhere, you’d go see a physical therapist. There is no shame at all in admitting you need help with your mind. None. In fact, if you’re thinking about giving money to some guru who promises to make your life perfect, spend it on a therapist instead. Let’s train those minds.
There’s unfortunately long been a stigma against seeking help for mental illness and wellness, even though, as Schwarzenegger alluded to, it should be thought of as no different than treating a physical ailment in one's body. The actor decided to speak to a mental health crisis that he is not only seeing be a prevalent issue in men, but in young women and girls. He shared his thoughts on the topic, whilst of course reminding others he’s no expert.
I am simple, so I ask myself what changed. Here is what I see: social media. People spend all day online, and there are a lot of bullshit artists and charlatans and outrage salespeople on the internet; the 'influencers' who tell you that you have to wear this or you’re worthless, the people who tell you the world is falling apart even though by most measures it is better than ever, or the shysters who sell you some bogus class about how to be a man. I’ll give you guys a hint: nobody needs a class on that. And nobody who is a real leader goes around calling themselves an ‘alpha.’ It’s absurd. If anybody did that in Gold’s Gym we would have laughed until they stopped.
Hey, he has a point. Many of our daily lives these days involve us having the ability to check what’s going on in our friends and families lives, along with billions of people around the world. It’s tough to live in the moment and appreciate what one has when so much can be accessed in the blink of an eye. Schwarzenegger also said this:
If I could tell these men and women anything, it would be to turn off the social media, think about your biggest insecurity, and go start working on it out in the real world. Go outside, exercise, talk to real people. Stop listening to these influencers and what they think you need. They are selling you. And before anyone says I’m “throwing shade” at someone specific, I just learned about all this how to be a man stuff recently when a reporter said to me that I was the antithesis of a few of these shysters I hadn’t heard of, and I couldn’t believe it is happening. But I am happy to be here to provide a positive voice on social media and the internet. And again, I’m not an expert. If you’re struggling, get help. That takes real strength.
Release Date: May 25, 2023
Created By: Phil Abraham
Starring: Arnold Schwarznegger, Monica Barbaro, Fabiano Udenio, Adam Pally, Fortune Feimster, Aparna Brielle, Gabriel Luna, Jay Baruchel
Where To Stream: Netflix subscription
Schwarzenegger also said that he believes social media has “caused a crisis of confidence” because people are losing their sense of purpose “scrolling feeds all day.” He said that through social media, people are told they are not good enough and should sign off from those apps, go out into the real world and get out of their comfort zones, starting with small steps at a time.
These are some insightful words from Arnold Schwarzenegger ahead of him starring in the TV show, FUBAR, which released its first trailer this week. Apparently the 75-year-old had some crazy long days on FUBAR, sometimes ranging from 12-to-14 hour days, and he’d come home to his friends and family treating him like an “old man.” The series is set to premiere on May 25. While we wait, you can check the 2023 Netflix TV Show premiere date schedule and heed his incredible advice on social media and mental health. Get off that phone, breathe some fresh air and get out in the world!
