[7 min read—client resource]
Introduction to the Series
Mental health has stepped into the spotlight in recent years—and in many ways, that’s a good thing. Topics like anxiety, depression, trauma, and ADHD are now openly discussed across social media, podcasts, and everyday conversations. This visibility has brought validation and language to struggles that were once hidden.
As a therapist and a Christian, I celebrate this shift! It signals a breakdown of stigma and a growing willingness to be honest about our inner lives. Many are finally able to name what they’ve been carrying—and feel less alone.
But with this openness also come new challenges. In a world of quick content and online diagnoses, it’s easy to become overwhelmed—or to begin identifying too closely with a label. In the search for understanding, a diagnosis can quietly begin to feel like an identity, shaping how we see ourselves and our worth.
Whether you’re deep in your mental health journey or just beginning to explore because a well-meaning TikTok struck a nerve, this blog series is for you. My hope is to offer comfort, clarity, and practical guidance toward a balanced view of mental health—one that honors both your experience and your identity.
Part 1: You Are Not Your Diagnosis
The Power of “I Am” Language in Mental Health and Faith
I wanted to begin this series with a conversation I have often in the therapy room—especially with clients navigating anxiety or depression.
As I listen and get to know someone’s story, I also pay attention to the language they use to describe what they’re feeling. Over time, I start to notice certain patterns. Some phrases are tossed out casually, almost unnoticed. Others are repeated so often that they reveal something deeper—something internalized.
It often sounds like this:
- “I am just an anxious person.”
- “I’m really depressed this week.”
- “Sorry I’m just crazy and all over the place right now.”
These statements may seem harmless at first glance, but they carry more weight than we realize. Did you catch the pattern?
If we think about this phrasing more intently, each statement is claiming an “I am”. I am anxious. I am depressed. I am crazy.
Our language shapes how we see ourselves. Saying “I am anxious” isn’t just naming an emotion; it subtly claims anxiety as a fixed part of who we are. This can deepen the sense of feeling stuck, reinforce negative self-concepts, and make healing harder.
In therapy, one of the most powerful shifts I help clients make is learning to catch and reframe how they describe their mental health. It may feel true in the moment, but that simple “I am” doesn’t just name an emotion—it begins to define a person.
And that’s where we begin to gently explore:
What are you really saying about yourself?
Are you describing a feeling or experience—or claiming an identity?
What Psychology Says About Identity-Based Language
Research in psychology supports the idea that how we label our experiences influences how we interpret and internalize them. Here are a few key findings:
- Labeling Theory (Becker, 1963) suggests that internalizing labels like “depressed” or “anxious” can increase self-stigma and reinforce negative self-concepts.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected. Identity-based language such as “I am broken” or “I am a mess” can reinforce cognitive distortions and contribute to a stuck or helpless mindset.
To say it plainly:
What you say can become what you believe.
And what you believe can shape how you live.
That’s why saying “I am depressed” instead of “I’m experiencing symptoms of depression” matters. It subtly but powerfully frames depression as an identity rather than an experience. This small shift in language opens up space for growth, movement, and hope.
What Scripture Says About “I Am”
As Christians, this conversation goes even deeper. In Exodus 3:14, when Moses asks God for His name, God responds:
“I AM who I AM.”
This sacred name reflects God’s unchanging, eternal nature. So when we begin our own identity statements with “I am…”, we are, in a sense, making theological declarations. What we put after those two words reveals what we believe to be ultimately true about ourselves.
Are we anchoring our identity in our symptoms?
Or are we speaking from the truth of who we are in Christ?
Please hear me clearly:
Shifting your language won’t magically take away your anxiety or depression. These are real, complex, and often long-standing experiences. They aren’t solved by semantics.
But if we don’t pay attention to how we talk about ourselves, we may unintentionally be building barriers to healing. This isn’t about ignoring or minimizing real mental health struggles. It’s about honoring them without letting them own us.
Practical Applications: Reframing the Language of Identity
Try these steps to begin detaching identity from diagnosis:
- Shift Your Self-Talk
- Instead of: “I am anxious.”
- Try: “I’m feeling anxious right now, but I am not anxiety.”
- Speak/Write Truth Over Yourself
- Repeat affirmations like:
- “I am a child of God.”
- “I am known and loved.”
- “My diagnosis informs me, but it does not define me.”
- Repeat affirmations like:
- Root Your Identity in Scripture
- Let God’s Word anchor your sense of self:
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 — “I am a new creation.”
- Romans 8:37 — “I am more than a conqueror.”
- Ephesians 2:10 — “I am God’s workmanship.”
- Isaiah 43:1 — “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.”
- Let God’s Word anchor your sense of self:
The Broader Impact of Language in Mental Health Conversations
This awareness extends beyond our personal self-talk. Today, much of how we discuss mental health happens in community and online—in TikTok videos, Instagram posts, and everyday chats. Unfortunately, casual and oversimplified mental health language is everywhere:
But with greater visibility also comes the risk of distortion. As conversations around mental health become more public, some aspects get oversimplified, commercialized, or misused.
The Problem with Loose Language
One of the most common ways mental health gets distorted is through inaccurate or casual language, like:
- “I’m so OCD” (when someone is neat or likes things orderly)
- “She’s totally bipolar” (in reference to someone expressing different emotions)
- “I almost had a panic attack” (when someone just felt slightly nervous)
- “I’m triggered” (used to describe mild discomfort rather than a trauma response)
- “That gave me PTSD” (used jokingly about stressful but non-traumatic events)
These phrases are often used casually and without harmful intent — but good intentions don’t erase the impact. Words still shape how we understand ourselves and others. That’s why it’s important to be mindful not only of how we speak about our own experiences, but especially how we speak to or about someone else’s. What feels like a harmless joke or shorthand can unintentionally minimize very real struggles.
Why This Language Matters
Here’s why casually using diagnostic terms is problematic:
- It Minimizes Real Struggles
- People living with OCD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or anxiety disorders often face stigma and misunderstanding. Loose use of these disorders water down their meaning and disrespects those affected.
- It Spreads Misinformation
- Saying “I’m OCD” because you like a clean kitchen reinforces the false idea that OCD is just about cleanliness. In reality, OCD is a serious condition involving intrusive thoughts and compulsions that impact daily life in a variety of ways.
- It Normalizes Misuse
- Frequent casual use blurs lines between clinical reality and cultural shorthand, making it harder for people to recognize when they need help and sometimes increasing shame around seeking care.
- It Shapes Our Identity
- As discussed earlier, the words we attach to “I am…” carry deep psychological and spiritual weight. Casual statements can start to shape how we see ourselves and others—even inaccurately. You may unintentionally be giving a harmful identity to someone else by what you say.
What to Say Instead
If we want to foster emotionally healthy and spiritually grounded communities, we need to speak with accuracy and empathy. Here are some alternatives:
Casual Phrase Healthier Alternative
“I’m so OCD.” “I really like things organized/neat.”
“I’m bipolar today.” “My emotions have felt all over the place.”
“That gave me PTSD.” “That really stressed me out.”
“I had a panic attack.” “I was feeling very overwhelmed and anxious.”
“I’m depressed.” “I’ve been feeling really low lately.”
Remember: language doesn’t have to be clinical to be careful. It just needs to be respectful, true, and kind.
Closing Thought: You Are Not Your Diagnosis
These shifts in language—from “I am anxious” to “I am feeling anxious”—may seem small, but they are both spiritually and psychologically powerful. They create room for God’s truth to speak louder than the voice of your symptoms. And in that space, identity begins to be reclaimed.
Because here’s the deeper reality: you are not your diagnosis. You are not your worst moment. You are not the list of symptoms you’re currently facing. You are His—loved, chosen, known, and called by name.
Mental health struggles are real. Take the time to educate yourself on what diagnoses really mean for someone, and try to avoid using loose mental health language in everyday life. You never know who might hear that language and feel hurt by its unintended or uninformed expression.
So whether you’re working through a diagnosis you received years ago, or just had one confirmed yesterday, I hope this offers both encouragement and a practical reminder:
Your diagnosis may describe what you’re navigating — but it does not define who you are. You are not depression. You are not anxiety.
You were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). You’ve been redeemed through Christ (Ephesians 1:7). You are called, chosen, and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12). Those truths are your foundation—not your diagnosis.
Looking Ahead: When Mental Health Goes Online
Moving Forward
In Part 2, we’ll dive deeper into how social media shapes mental health conversations, the rise of quick self-diagnosis, and how to stay grounded in truth amid the noise.
Remember: you are more than your diagnosis. You are known, loved, and called by name—far beyond any symptom or label.
Until then, try this:
Speak one truth-filled “I am” statement over yourself today—and see how it changes the way you feel, think, and live.
References
Becker, Howard S. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. New York: Free Press.