Effects of over-identifying with your mental health issues

First Published May 9, 2024, 12:46 PM IST

Over-identifying with your mental health condition and constant focus on it can cause stagnation and hinder you from looking beyond it and developing your personality. It can cause insecurity, anxiety, and stress. 

Fear of abandonment

Experts believe that the fear of abandonment from our childhood experiences runs deep within us. As we grow, we learn to internalize it. However, it affects our behavior, thinking, and self-esteem. 

Identifying overtly

Accepting your mental health and working on it with a professional or with support from your loved ones is the best way to go. However, if an individual starts to identify with their mental issue overtly, it can restrict their growth and personality development. 

Stagnation

Additionally, it can cause stagnation and keep us from seeing beyond it and having new experiences. Over-identifying can also induce anxiety, as the constant focus on our mental health can make us overwhelmed. 

Powerless

Over-identifying can cause a feeling of powerlessness. It can make you more insecure and make you feel helpless about improving your life. 

Hinders broad understanding

Being hyper-focused on the diagnosis can negatively affect the overall understanding of a human being. People may start using it to explain personal and interpersonal issues, which hinders them from having a broad understanding of themselves. 

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