Acera Health

Affirmations and Why They Matter

Affirmations and Why They Matter

You may have in your life come across a new term being used today known as an “affirmation.” Some might not know exactly what that means, but they might have heard someone say that they may need to recite their daily affirmations or write some new ones down. It can be a little confusing to understand what that means if you have never seen it explained to you. However, this little trick has helped many people with their mental health disorders, and it may help you as well.

What Are Affirmations?

Affirmations are positive phrases you recite to yourself. They rely on the power of thought to help someone cope with their mental health disorder. A person’s mind is more powerful than they think it is and more often than not, they surprise themselves with how reliant it can be. Much of recovery is done by the person undergoing treatment as they realize they are strong and forge their path to healing.

Using affirmations daily utilize this inner strength to reinforce positive thoughts. You can make some affirmations of your own or have others help you decide which ones will be the most effective. Many mental health professionals will help you choose specific affirmations to help the specific feelings you may be struggling with. People you know may have affirmations they use themselves and can share with you. Several blogs and websites exist whose sole purpose is to create and share affirmations with others. Affirmations are everywhere if you know where to look.

How Do You Use Affirmations to Help Your Mental Health?

Affirmations are used to help rewrite negative thinking patterns. This is especially helpful for mental health disorders that lie to those that struggle with them. Reciting your affirmations and believing in them can help reduce the negative symptoms you feel and bring you a sense of inner peace. For those that are victims of trauma and abuse, affirmations are critical in helping rewrite the past in a way to help you heal.

It’s common for those that underwent abuse and trauma to blame themselves for the trauma they received. That is a lie, as nobody is ever responsible for the trauma they get. Trauma simply can happen with no reason for it. The result of this is people often develop a deep depression as they believe that they may have deserved what happened to them.

In this case, a therapist will suggest affirmations that specifically target those feelings. A commonly used affirmation in this instance would be, “What happened to me was not my fault.” The patient would be instructed to tell themselves this every day, reinforcing what they are learning in therapy. After a time, affirming this point enough will allow the patient to begin to believe it. Even though us looking on the outside know it is a true statement, for those struggling with their mental health, it is a hard thing to accept. Once the patient can fully accept that it wasn’t their fault, they can truly begin to heal past their trauma.

Essentially it’s faking it until you make it. Again, these are honest and true statements. However, many mental health disorders will make you feel as though these statements are lies. By reciting them enough times, eventually, everyone will begin to believe them. The power of thought is so strong that it is the critical key in every treatment program. People are much stronger than they believe themselves to be, they just need help to realize it.

Affirmations are great no matter what type of mental health disorder someone may be living with. For those who live with more stigmatized disorders, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, affirmations are important to remind them that they are still people who are worthy of love and care. More common disorders, such as depression and anxiety, also use affirmations to help manage symptoms. 

Reminding yourself of certain truths can help someone prevent a negative spiral when bad feelings are particularly strong. For those who are working hard to overcome a substance use disorder (SUD), affirmations can be used to remind them that they are worthy of help and are stronger than they think.

Examples of Helpful Daily Affirmations Anyone Can Use

Anyone can make use of daily affirmations, regardless if they have a mental health disorder or not. Telling yourself good things every day can help prevent a lot of negative thinking. Many mental health disorders happen when someone lives in negativity for long periods. Reminding yourself of good things can contribute to your mental health in a very positive way. Here are a few important affirmations that everyone should tell themselves:

  • “I am not a burden on this world.”  You are a human being who brings joy to someone’s life just by being yourself. People who love you will never think you are a burden. Simply being alive is a gift and no matter what anyone says, there will always be someone who cares about you.
  • “I am better than I was yesterday.” Every day is a new opportunity for growth and learning. Simply by being here, you have already learned more than the person you were the day before.
  • “I can survive this because I am strong.” Life throws curveballs constantly. By reminding yourself that you are resilient and strong, you can face whatever comes your way.
  • “I am never weak for asking for help.” Perhaps most importantly, it’s vital to understand that asking for help is a brave thing to do. You can’t be helped unless you want to be helped. Open yourself up to healing by allowing yourself to be helped.

Affirmations can be anything, as long as they are positive and help you live the best life you can.

Learning how strong you are on the inside is an important part of anyone’s recovery journey. It doesn’t matter what you struggle with; you are still a person who deserves help when you need it and compassionate care. Here at Acera Health in Costa Mesa, California, we employ the best who can help you reach a point in your life where you can heal and be happy. We offer tailored treatments for many kinds of mental health disorders as well as offer information to anyone to seeks it. If you or someone you love is struggling in life and needs some help, call  (949) 647-4090 to speak with one of our staff members today.

LMFT, Program Director at Acera Health | Edited & Medically Reviewed

Melody is a highly skilled proactive clinical administrator, with more than 17 years of experience serving the community in the behavioral health field.

Her clinical management career started in 2011 as a compliance manager and program director. In 2018, she became an executive as chief clinical officer (CCO). She is a seasoned licensed marriage & family therapist.

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