Positive Sense of Self

People with mental illness do not want to be treated like pariahs. We want to be treated just like everyone else. We want others to treat us with respect, but in order for others to respect us, we need to learn to respect ourselves. 

Mental illness is not about weakness of personality or lack of will power.  Mental illness is just that, an illness, a disease.  Just as a person with diabetes or cancer deserves to not only be treated with respect, but is not out of line to respect themselves, we too need - no deserve- to have that same positive sense of self. 

Positive sense of self is also sometimes referred to as self-esteem.  Those of us with mental illness often have no self-esteem at all.  Sometimes it is because someone has convinced us (intentionally or unintentionally) that we have less worth because of our illness.  Sometimes we have eroded our own self worth by setting goals that are too difficult to REACH, and then when we are unable to attain them, we tell ourselves that we are failures.

Such thoughts are counter-productive.  Everyone fails sometimes, but we often succeed and just don't give ourselves credit.  Focus on your strengths.  Elevate them to the level they deserve.  Be the master of your fate and the captain of your life.