crutches

It is common to hear terminology like “he uses that as a crutch”. What’s strange is that it’s almost always in the context of abandoning said crutch. Whereas a physical cripple, with a real-life crutch, is never hounded to just drop that damn crutch and support himself.

And we hold unjust standards to certain crutches. If you think TV is a crutch, consider that vapid entertainment in your book or magazine. If you think drug use is a crutch, consider the endorphin overload you get from your exercise. No one on earth can go without help, without support, without a mental crutch of some kind.

We can’t see someone’s brain like we can see their body. We can’t understand what will work for their own chemistry, what life experiences they’ve had before, and what incidental pain they’re in for no good reason. Insisting that each individual become completely emotionally self supporting would be like insisting that everyone in a wheelchair simply stand up.