10 Lessons About Mental Health From Bojack Horseman And Steven Universe

The final seasons of both these shows present the need to look after your own mental health instead of always worrying about others, with this being the crux of Steven's conflict, while Bojack both starts to look after his mental health on his own (in prison) while others in his life move away from his toxicity to care for their own mental health.

In Steven Universe, Steven was so giving and empathetic that he held off caring about his own problems until the last possible second, which led him to believe that caring about his own problems instead of others made him a monster - which transformed him into a literal monster. So obsessed was he with the idea that he was the hero that needed to save everyone, he didn't look after himself, and was a better, more secure person when he finally did.

Bojack looking after his own mental health instead of seeking validation from others, in fact, made him a more selfless person. He didn't blame others for becoming more distant, because in the end, he didn't hate being alone with himself as much anymore.

It isn't selfish to want feel and be better. Sometimes it's the opposite.