You Are Not Your Mental Health

You are not your mental health. Thinking a diagnosis is a permanent part of you may be doing more harm than good.

For many people, receiving a diagnosis of a mental health issue is a revelation, a kind of validation that explains the confusing symptoms they’ve endured, sometimes for years. Suddenly, the world feels a bit more manageable because now, there’s a label for their experience. For the first time in a long time, they feel understood.

Take my friend, Thomas (not his real name). In his mid-thirties and already a few years into this demanding, high-stakes job , at a tech company, he needed some time off to, in his words, “get his head right.” Luckily, his employer was supportive; they even covered sessions with a specialist, and, before long, he received a list of diagnoses, including generalized anxiety disorder.

When we met for coffee after his first meeting with a psychiatrist, he looked more relaxed than he had in ages, almost surprisingly happy with the results.

He seemed relieved.

Thomas’s reaction is not uncommon. When someone gets a diagnosis, many of their past struggles — anxiety and behavioral issues — finally make sense. A diagnosis provides structure to what once felt like chaos and new potential strategies for coping. At last, they have the piece of the puzzle they…