Mental health challenges often feel like a prison, an invisible cage that holds us within our own minds. I never imagined I’d find myself locked within my thoughts and feelings, feeling like I was losing my grip on reality. But on two separate occasions, I found myself facing what felt like a collapse of my own mind. Each experience was unique, yet each taught me profound truths about my inner world—and about the power of finding true comfort within myself.
As I look back, I see that these encounters were not just struggles but messages. They weren’t punishments or proof of weakness; rather, they were calls to explore parts of myself that I had been ignoring, hiding, or suppressing. They nudged me to release old beliefs that had silently shaped my life and led me to feel “less than” and unworthy.
Uncovering the Beliefs That Keep Us Trapped
So often, mental health challenges have roots that run deep into our unconscious beliefs. Some of the biggest culprits? A belief in unworthiness, a sense of not being “enough,” and a compulsive need to please others.
Unworthiness: For many of us, this feeling of being undeserving or inadequate quietly rules our lives. We may try to cover it up with achievements, relationships, or external approval, yet no matter what we do, that voice remains. When I faced my own breakdowns, I could see how my underlying sense of unworthiness had chipped away at my well-being over time, leaving me vulnerable and exhausted.
The “Not Enough” Trap: Alongside unworthiness is the belief that we are somehow lacking. This feeling—whether it’s about not being smart enough, accomplished enough, or even happy enough—drives us to compare, to doubt, and to judge ourselves harshly. When left unchecked, this belief leaves us spinning in a cycle of self-criticism and doubt, until we’re barely hanging on.
The Need to Please Others: People-pleasing may seem harmless or even noble, but it can lead to a complete disconnect from our own needs and desires. When we prioritise everyone else’s happiness over our own, we lose touch with what we truly want and need, and our mental health suffers. My own experience taught me that people-pleasing isn’t just exhausting; it’s also a mask we wear to hide from our own insecurities.
Redefining “Losing It” as “Finding Yourself”
When we feel like we’re “losing it,” perhaps that’s exactly what needs to happen. Maybe we’re not losing our minds but shedding the parts of ourselves that no longer serve us. During my breakdowns, I realized I was being called to let go of the beliefs that were suffocating me. The journey was painful, no doubt, but it also revealed the immense resilience and clarity within me.
Imagine if we could see mental health struggles not as moments of weakness but as invitations to break free. What if our minds, by temporarily “losing control,” were actually showing us the way to reclaim ourselves? Our suffering might just be a message from our inner self saying, “It’s time to let go of what isn’t you.”
Supporting Mental Health Through Self-Acceptance
The more we dig into our unconscious beliefs, the clearer it becomes that mental health struggles are often signals of imbalance between who we are and who we think we need to be. Healing, therefore, is about bridging that gap. By learning to see our own worth, embracing our true selves, and putting our needs at the centre of our lives, we can create a foundation for mental resilience.
Embracing Your Journey, Whatever It Looks Like
Healing isn’t about “fixing” yourself or forcing yourself to feel happy. It’s about nurturing a relationship with yourself where you can recognize your worth without needing validation from others. It’s about finding peace within the chaos, courage within the fear, and strength within vulnerability.
If you’re struggling with feelings of unworthiness, people-pleasing, or simply feeling “not enough,” know that you’re not alone. These beliefs are deeply ingrained in many of us, yet they are not truths; they are habits of thought. And like any habit, they can be changed.
So remember: mental health struggles aren’t a cage but a pathway. They ask us to step out of the dark corners of our minds and into a light where we can see ourselves clearly, wholly, and beautifully. The journey may not be easy, but it’s one that leads us to a place where we feel comfortable—finally—in our own skin.
Curious About Working With Me? Book a Superconscious reading and experience the beginning of a brand new way of being. The key to your cage lies within you, together I can help you discover it.
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