You Are Not Your Symptoms

People love to label themselves – it’s part of human nature. But when it comes to mental health, this can be a dangerous game.

Whatever it is you’re going through, your symptoms do not define you.

It’s easy to slip into this mindset when experiencing a low point in our lives. Our self-worth and value seem too easy to overlook! It’s time to be mindful of that and learn how to change it.

Let me explain this in more detail…

Imagine you’ve woken up with a headache.

Perhaps it’s been going on for a few days now, so you decide to see a doctor for help.

Now, if you were going to the doctor for a headache, you wouldn’t say ‘I’m a headache!’

Labelling yourself as the headache = defining yourself as the symptom you’re experiencing.

So, why do we do this when talking about mental health?

I hear it all the time.

“I’m anxious.”

“I’m broken.”

“I’m depressed.”

The list goes on.

Taking depression as an example here. If you’re going through an episode of depression, it’s important to take a step back and realise that you are not your depression.

It doesn’t define you.

So, the next time you find yourself saying, ‘I’m not good enough,’ or ‘I’m nervous,’ take a moment to stop and think.

Realise, ‘OK, I’m having these thoughts and feelings, but they do not define my worth or my value as a human being.’

To find out more about how to manage the feeling of not being good enough, along with self-worth and compassion, I’ve got another blog here.

Labels help describe, not define.

Look after yourself. Speak soon,

Owen