How do you keep a positive self image?

I’m struggling with the idea that I have a mental disability.

Now that I know I have autism—and have a better understanding of what that means—I’m beginning to contend with all the internalized stigma of having a mental disorder.

It’s been awkward and painful.

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Don’t blame yourself for your mental illness, its no one’s fault.

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Maybe exercise to feel better, it did for me and my body shape and strength improved etc

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I guess my question is, if there was ever a point when you didn’t consider yourself mentally disabled and you live in a society that stigmatizes the mentally disabled, how does that make you feel about your current condition?

Stigma=shame

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I didn’t experience stigma even when I worked full time and studied in university. I didn’t tell anybody I have sz other than my family and close friends. My close friends don’t mind I have sz.

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“How do you keep a positive self image?”

I’m looking at my self in the mirror and reminds me of everything that I’m good at and then I remind my self that I’m valueable (sorry can’t spell it I don’t usually type in english)
Also I have started thinking of my situation as a spiritual crisis instead of seeing my self as mentally ill.

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I’m kind, I’m respectful and I never give up. I hold these things in higher esteem than the things I’m not. I could list all the things I’m not but why reinforce negativity. If I keep telling myself I have value it counteracts my shortcomings. No one is good at everything. We all have strengths and weaknesses. As I’ve gotten older I’ve begun to learn it’s ok to have weaknesses and the one judging me the most all along was me.

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There’s this really good book at my moms house called Coffee Self Talk.

It pretty much talks about positive confirmations in the morning with your cuppa Joe to improve your lifestyle and the way U think.

Sorry, no pics but hope this helps.

:raised_hands:

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Those are very wise words @Leaf . Thanks, I’m going to try to see things more that way as well

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You might not realize it but you’re a great guy and you have that going for yourself. There’s a lot of real pricks out there that can’t say the same thing.

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Thanks @Leaf . I do try my best to be a decent human being. Sometimes I focus on all my mistakes, but that gets me nowhere. I’m trying my best to turn over a new Leaf and focus on the good in me

Thanks. You’re pretty great yourself

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Why thank you kind sir.

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My pleasure Madamme

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That’s an Even better answer because you focus on what you are (in your self) instead of what you’re good at. You don’t have to be good at any thing to be accepted of both your self and the People around you.

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Yea I feel like the fear around mi is sort of annoying, but understandable imo.

I had to give a work reference as a psych mental health nurse so NOW they know.

It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable knowing that they may be slightly doubting my stay with them.

To counteract it, I try to remain open minded, these people at my work may have the potential to be confident in me. Despite my mi.

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Hmm. . .

A Positive Self Image.

It Seems People Tend To Care About How Others See Them.

In All Honesty, There Are Much More Important Thing’s To Stress Over.

At Least, In My Life, With What I Have Discovered.

A Quick Scan Of A Small Creature, Say, Like A Dragonfly.

As Your Abused Pup Friend Is Sleeping Within The Branches Of A Medium Cut Down Tree.

That Moment Becomes A Memory.

Where When Your Pup Friend Passes Away.

And The Dragonfly Disappears.

As The Tree Vanishes.

It Didn’t Really Matter If The Neighbors Thought I Looked Silly Sitting In The Yard Staring At THE BUG.

What Matters Are The Memories.

And That…, Is…, A…, More…, Important…, Reality… . … :pensive:

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In my early teens everyone hated me and I hated myself too. I believed I was evil. By my late teens, I realised I was the only sane person and everyone else was evil, not me. I went from a fearful-disorganised attachment style, to a very dismissive-avoidant one.

In my mid-20’s I still had negative self thoughts that I didn’t want or need, so I adapted my defences to protect myself. I suppressed and denied anything bad people said about me. All of my evil thoughts got dissociated away so I wasn’t very aware of them. My personality split into all sorts of contradictions. It was dysfunctional but it kept me alive, until I got psychotic.

More recently, I maintain a positive image by looking after myself, meeting my needs in healthier ways, socialising as much as I can tolerate, taking personal responsibility for my actions and their consequences, and prioritising my emotions.

That’s probably been the biggest change actually: To see myself not in terms of possessions and qualities, but as an amorphous blob of emotions fluctuating from one moment to the next. I feel like I know who I am now, or at least that I am getting to know more about myself every day.

Another important change was to realise that ‘good vs bad’ are opinions, not properties.

Psychologist Jordan Peterson has been a good role model for me.

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Hmm. . .

That Is A Good Description Of Jabba The Hutt.

If I Got The Character Right.

Quite The Set Of Films.

Kudos (!!!).

:pensive:

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I stay away from mirrors.

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