Who Am I? Self-Identity and Mental Health
When discussing mental health, "Identity & Self-Image" refers to how you perceive yourself, which is a crucial component of your overall wellbeing; a strong, positive self-image is linked to good mental health, while a negative or uncertain self-perception can contribute to anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges.
What is the Meaning of Self-Image?
As you might imagine, self-image is related to what you see when you look in a mirror, however, it goes much deeper than that. Self-image refers to how we see ourselves on a more global level, both internally and externally.
Random House Dictionary defines self-image as “the idea, conception, or mental image one has of oneself.”
The Mountain State Centers for Independent Living explains further:
“Self-image is how you perceive yourself. It is a number of self-impressions that have built up over time… These self-images can be very positive, giving a person confidence in their thoughts and actions, or negative, making a person doubtful of their capabilities and ideas.”
What you see when you look in the mirror and how you picture yourself in your head is your self-image.
As one of many “self” concepts, it’s closely related to a few others.
Self-Image vs. Self-Concept
Self-image and self-concept are strongly associated, but they’re not quite the same thing.
Self-concept is a more overarching construct than self-image; it involves how you see yourself, how you think about yourself, and how you feel about yourself. In a sense, self-image is one of the components that make up self-concept (McLeod, 2008).
Self-Image vs. Self-Esteem
Similarly, self-image has a lot to do with self-esteem. After all, how we see ourselves is a big contributing factor to how we feel about ourselves.
However, self-esteem goes deeper than self-image. Self-esteem is the overall sense of respect for ourselves and involves how favorably (or unfavorably) we feel about ourselves.
Having a negative self-image can certainly influence self-esteem, and having low self-esteem is likely to be accompanied by a negative self-image, but they are at least somewhat independent “self” aspects.
How Identity is Related
Identity is also a closely related concept but is also a larger and more comprehensive one than self-image. Identity is our overall idea of who we are. As self-concept and self-esteem expert Roy Baumeister puts it:
“The term ‘identity’ refers to the definitions that are created for and superimposed on the self” (1997, p. 681).
In other words, identity is the whole picture of who we believe we are, and who we tell ourselves and others that we are, while self-image is one piece of that picture.
Since then, interest has remained steady in “self” constructs, but most of the attention has been aimed at self-image’s cousins: self-esteem, self-concept, self-worth, self-efficacy, self-confidence, etc. As such, there isn’t really one unifying theory of self-image.
However, we do know that self-image is based on our perceptions of reality, that it is built over a lifetime and continues to change as we do, and that it’s something we have some influence over.
The Elements and Dimensions of Self-Image
Although there is no widely agreed upon framework for the aspects of self-image, there are some proposed types and dimensions. These come from Suzaan Oltmann, an independent distributor at one of South Africa’s FET Colleges.
The three elements of a person’s self-image are:
1. The way a person perceives or thinks of him/herself.
2. The way a person interprets others’ perceptions (or what he thinks others think) of him/herself.
3. The way a person would like to be (his ideal self).
The six dimensions of a person’s self-image are:
1. Physical dimension: how a person evaluates his or her appearance
2. Psychological dimension: how a person evaluates his or her personality
3. Intellectual dimension: how a person evaluates his or her intelligence
4. Skills dimension: how a person evaluates his or her social and technical skills
5. Moral dimension: how a person evaluates his or her values and principles
6. Sexual dimension: how a person feels he or she fits into society’s masculine/feminine norms (Oltmann, 2014)
These elements and dimensions offer a framework through which to view self-image, but remember that this is not a known and widely accepted framework; rather, it is one possible way of thinking about self-image.
10 Examples of Positive and Negative Self-Image
It’s pretty easy to distinguish between positive and negative self-image.
A positive self-image is having a good view of yourself; for example:
• Seeing yourself as an attractive and desirable person.
• Having an image of yourself as a smart and intelligent person.
• Seeing a happy, healthy person when you look in the mirror.
• Believing that you are at least somewhat close to your ideal version of yourself.
• Thinking that others perceive you as all of the above as well as yourself.
On the other hand, negative self-image is the flipside of the above; it looks like:
• Seeing yourself as unattractive and undesirable.
• Having an image of yourself as a stupid or unintelligent person.
• Seeing an unhappy, unhealthy person when you look in the mirror.
• Believing that you are nowhere near your ideal version of yourself.
• Thinking that others perceive you as all of the above as well as yourself.
Isn't this true of all of us? Aren't we all more than a label or diagnosis?
How about you? Who are you and is there a label that you could stand to lose, expand upon, or add to?
Identity & Self-Image: Knowing What’s True about You
Who are you? It’s a simple question with endless answers. You may look to your job, your family, your country, or even your hobbies to describe who you are. But what happens when you’ve built your identity on a role or a relationship, and then it changes or comes to an end? The damage to your self-image and identity can be devastating.
These Keys for Living explain the unshakable, rock-solid identity you have in Christ. Learn how to confront lies and misplaced identities with God’s truth. Discover how to see yourself as God sees you and how to live out your identity as a child of God.
Why is it so hard to change?
Why does it always feel like such a struggle to change our habits, to grow into the person God created us to be? The desire is there, we want to be healthier, strengthen our relationships, develop better spiritual disciplines, or overcome a bad habit. So we make plans, set goals, and determine to chart a new course. But too often, whatever the change we seek, our plans get interrupted. Our commitment fizzles out. Life happens. We get stuck and go back to our old ways.
Part of the reason we don’t experience lasting results is because our efforts to change never reach the level of identity. Realize, we don’t simply change by adjusting what we do, we change by understanding who we are. Our thoughts and core beliefs about ourselves, about others, and about God can either help or hinder our efforts to change. The Bible says, “let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2 NLT).
For example, if you see yourself as worthless or as a failure, you will feel defeated every time you stumble or fall when facing an obstacle. Change will then become harder because you feel it is not possible for you to change. But if you see yourself as an accepted, loved, and redeemed child of God. you won’t feel utterly defeated if you stumble. You’ll see obstacles as simply hurdles to overcome. You’ll see mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow.
That’s why it is so important to see ourselves as God sees us, to first understand and embrace our life-changing identity in Christ. Healing and transformation can happen when you begin to see yourself through God’s eyes, believing what He says about you. Therefore, if you want to grow and change, you must identify the lies and faulty thoughts you’ve been led to believe and replace them with God’s truth.
“Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.” (Psalm 86:11)
Seeing Yourself through God’s Eyes
Do you think … there’s no hope for you to change?
God says … there is always hope for you.
“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18).
Do you think … you are a mistake?
God says … you are wonderfully made.
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:14).
Do you think … you are unlovable?
God says … He has everlasting love for you.
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3).
Do you think … you are unacceptable?
God says … you are accepted by Him.
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God” (Romans 15:7).
Do you think … you can’t be forgiven?
God says … your sins are completely forgiven.
“God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins” (Colossians 2:13 NLT).
Do you think … you’re not strong enough?
God says … He will strengthen you Himself.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
Do you think … you can’t have victory over a sinful or bad habit?
God says … You can have victory through Jesus.
“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
There might be other lies or faulty thoughts you have that need to be brought into the light and corrected with truth. As an exercise, write them down and then look in God’s Word to discover a passage or a truth that can speak directly to that thought. God wants you to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Over time, as you replace the lies with God’s truth, you will be transformed and healed by His Word.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
References
https://www.hopefortheheart.org/seeing-yourself-through-gods-eyes/
https://www.hopefortheheart.org/product/identity-self-image/
Mabel Martinez-Almonte
OTR/L, MA, MHC, NCC
If you or someone you know is in a crisis, get help immediately. You can text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
DISCLAIMER: The content on this blog is generated for entertainment or/and informative purposes, but not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or behavioral health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition.