After the chaos of the last year brought on by COVID-19, many people are hoping to take better care of their mental health and find their confidence again. Insecurity, stress, and anxiety can all make you feel shame about things that are entirely common and normal life experiences.
If you’re worried there’s something different about you, or if you’re having a rough time, it can be easy to focus on your feelings of isolation and loneliness. However, it should be a priority to work on being gentle with yourself and break out of the shame spiral many of us feel when analyzing our thoughts, actions, and behaviors. If you have trouble with anxiety or insecurity, read on to learn more about three things you should never be ashamed of.
1. Mental Health
Whether you’re suffering from adult or teenage depression, there’s no wrong age to reach out for professional help. A psychiatrist might be the best option for people with severe mental health conditions, though talk therapy can be enough for some. It can be tough for someone going through a mental health crisis to recognize their symptoms of depression. If you notice that someone you care about is struggling, find a thoughtful way to offer assistance. If you’re in a depressive cycle, think about what you would say to a close friend or family member who was dealing with the same things you are.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, you should seek psychiatric care immediately. If you have a therapist or mental healthcare provider, reach out to them and go directly to the emergency room. It can be difficult to work up the courage to share what you’re feeling with someone who can help, especially about topics as difficult to discuss as suicidal thoughts and mental illness, but it may end up saving your life.
2. Failure
Almost everyone feels embarrassed or ashamed when they fail at something, especially when people we care about and respect are watching. However, it’s important to realize that failure is just a fact of everyone’s life, and we all have to fail over and over again before we can find our path to success. One way to help yourself stop associating shame with not achieving your goal the first time around is to start seeing each attempt as a step towards your eventual success.
3. Medical Treatments
There are many health conditions that can cause people to shame, often because they believe the condition reflects poorly on their personal choices or because the symptoms are unpleasant or perceived as embarrassing. Sexually transmitted diseases are one example of common medical issues that are stigmatized, and that often cause insecurity for the patient. This is a serious problem, as it can make people feel discouraged about obtaining treatment.
Many people also can feel shame about retainers and braces for adults. In many cases, this is based on unhappiness with the appearance of visible braces. However, dental technology has advanced to the point that you can skip conventional braces and opt for clear braces instead. Ask your orthodontist if this type of braces may be a treatment option for you. While it won’t be exactly the same as being able to flash your natural smile, you’ll be thankful you followed through when you see your straight teeth afterward.
Shame is a deeply upsetting and unpleasant feeling for most people, and it can cause you to experience additional self-doubt and insecurity. Failure is one of the most common causes of shame in adults, even though it’s something everyone has had happened at one time or another. People also often feel shame when they’re diagnosed with a condition that has symptoms they consider to be embarrassing or that they’re ashamed to have.
Medical accessories like braces can also cause unhappiness with the way you look. It’s worth asking your dentist about clear braces and clear aligners to help alleviate your concerns about your appearance. One of the most important things you can do is be patient and kind to yourself. The world is difficult enough without tearing yourself down mentally and emotionally for things that are perfectly normal parts of life.