Being confident about your diagnosis has more to do with your self-esteem than it has to do with the actual diagnosis. Let us explain; self-esteem is the degree to which you feel valuable, confident, and worthy of respect. Self-esteem exists on a continuum from high to low. Where your self-esteem falls on this continuum can influence your overall well-being regardless of your mental health.
You may spend lots of time criticizing yourself and feeling terrible about your mental health diagnosis. However, you might not know that low self-esteem is a symptom of several mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. This can be worrying. Nevertheless, there are several ways you can become confident and create a more positive experience for yourself even with your diagnosis.
Replace Negative Self-Talk and Negative Thoughts
A technique that you can adopt from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is replacing your negative self-limiting thoughts with positive ones. This can be easier said than done, but it becomes second nature once you implement it into your daily life. When you have a negative thought or are talking negatively about yourself, for instance, thinking, “I can’t do anything!” stop that thought in its tracks. At times it is helpful to think the word “stop” or even say it out loud. Consciously replace that negative thought with a positive one.
Practice Active Mindfulness
Mindfulness helps you gain control over your emotions and anxiety. Through active mindfulness practice, you can introduce mindfulness into your routine. Much like CBT techniques, mindfulness can become a positive habit. By centering yourself in the present and letting go of worries, negative thoughts and feelings can drift away, and you can learn to feel more in control and more positive.
List Three Positive Things
Making a list of three positive things about yourself at the end of each day can help you see yourself more positively. These three positives might be anything you accomplished or felt good about during the day. You could make a mental list of these three things, or you could write them down. If you write these positives in a journal, you can refer to them when you’re feeling low and remind yourself of your positive qualities. By doing this every night, you go to bed having positive thoughts about yourself, and you will gradually transform your perspective to actively searching for the good in yourself.
Find Purpose
When you are struggling with your mental health, it can be challenging to find meaning. You should find something you genuinely care about and want to pour yourself into, whether it’s a pastime, a personal goal, or a professional endeavor. Finding your purpose may bring you inspiration, enthusiasm, and optimism, as well as boost your confidence. Each of us deserves to be able to see how incredible we are. We are all deserving of self-compassion and self-love. Most significantly, despite the diagnosis of a mental health disorder, it is possible to develop self-confidence.
Being diagnosed with a mental health disorder can be scary. You may feel ashamed, angry, or sad, amongst other emotions. Learning how to be confident with your diagnosis is the key to moving forward and finding healing. If you are struggling with your mental health and accepting your diagnosis, The Guest House is here to help. We provide unparalleled, premier-quality treatment to those who suffer from self-defeating behaviors brought on by trauma and its resulting issues. For more information on how we can support you in your healing, call us today at (855) 483-7800.