When I heard the news Kit Harington had checked himself into a wellness retreat, I was surprised.
“That doesn’t seem like Kit” I thought, because I definitely know him personally. Also because, in my mind, wellness retreats are only for celebrities with serious mental health or addiction problems.
Both of these things are very far from the truth.
I wouldn’t know what does and doesn’t “seem like Kit” because I don’t know him at all.
And wellness retreats are definitely not just for completely broken celebs who’ve fallen from grace: they’re for any and all individuals who want to do some self-care. Which is exactly what Kit has done and is completely relatable.
“Kit has decided to utilise this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat to work on some personal issues,” read a statement released by his representative.
It follows an earlier report in the NY Post that claimed that Kit had been working on methods to deal with “stress and negative emotions”, including mindful meditation and cognitive behavioural therapy
I understand these decisions. I respect them. Actually, I advocate for them; our mental health is just as important as our physical health.
The voice in our head is with us every single second of every single day whether we like it or not. The voice in MY head isn’t always kind, which means some days are harder than others.
So, Kit checking himself into a wellness retreat isn’t shocking, it’s not even a little bit surprising – it’s totally normal.
It especially makes sense when we remember that Game of Thrones just ended- a show which wasn’t just Kit’s job but his entire life for ten years. Kit said goodbye to a familiar routine, a family of cast members and a part of him in Jon snow all at once, which is a lot to take.
Kit’s co-stars Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams have both been open about their struggles with mental health while filming Thrones. Being part of something so big comes with very high highs but also crushing lows.
“Having your adolescence being displayed in public, that’s something I really wish hadn’t happened,” Sophie said in an interview with The Sunday Times.
“Being in the age of social media when that’s happening, I think I would be a much saner person if I hadn’t been documented from 13 – your most awkward, uncomfortable, unsure-of-yourself years.”
Whether you’re a Sophie Turner, Kit Harington or *insert your name here* of the world, a little bit of self care goes a long way.