There’s no city quite as apotheosized as New York: it’s the city that never sleeps, a land of endless opportunity. New York City pulsates with life, its frenetic energy the sustenance of its residents. The city’s panache and endless array of activities attract tourists from all over the world. Whether you’re here for a few years or a lifetime, you’ll never feel bored.
But living in New York comes at a price (literally and figuratively speaking). New York is a dog-eat-dog culture, rewarding the enterprising and punishing the indolent. It’s a mercurial city that feeds off productivity, galvanizing us to work hard and play even harder, and it practically eschews self-care. How are we supposed to recharge? Nobody’s here without a reason, a purpose, but living in New York takes herculean resilience.
Let’s look at why that is:
- No matter how far along you are in your career, there’s always someone two steps ahead of you. There’s always someone with a bigger paycheck, a larger apartment, a better wardrobe. It’s practically en vogue in New York to boast about your long work hours and nights spent at the office.
- New York venerates ambition, and while that can feel empowering and motivating, it’s also exhausting. Working long hours, chronic stress, and sleep deprivation are correlated with depression, anxiety, and burnout. Here in New York, it’s easy to find yourself in a state of chronic overwhelm.
- Wherever you’re traveling within the city, whatever your mode of transportation, the experience is odious. The iracible subway system is overcrowded, and rife with indeterminate delays. The claustrophobia experienced on subways that devalue personal space are panic-inducing nightmares. Traffic congestion is the norm. How many of us can recall a time within the last week when a taxi or Uber ride that should’ve taken 15 minutes lasted 45 instead? Traffic is indefatigable.
- In New York, the term cost-effective is an oxymoron. Rents are sky high and prices are on the rise. Costs add up remarkably quickly. The pandemic, supply chain issues, and inflation have increased the cost-of-living in astronomic proportions. Factor in job insecurity, and we’re looking at a situation that feels tireless, and utterly enervating. It’s hard to keep up in New York City. Rise or fall.
- The city’s problems seem inescapable: crime, sidewalks overflowing with garbage, a preponderance of rats, unyielding and obstreperous crowds, construction that never ends, fearless cyclists that disobey traffic laws, rude pedestrians, and weather extremes…these issues permeates the lives of everyday New Yorkers.
It’s a wonder we can thrive. But many of us don’t. At Gold Therapy NYC, we work with clients who struggle to find themselves in a city that seems to swallow them whole, individuals who feel depressed, anxious, burned out, exhausted, and lost.
If you find yourself struggling to stay afloat in a city that demands relentlessly from you, you’re not alone. We’re here to help make your life easier, and to help you find your oasis. Reach out today. Help is a call or email away.
