esteem game

[mandyjk]

Hi my name is mandy and i have a challenge for anyone interested. My game starts with using the alphabet - A,B,C etc. put in place the sentence I AM ___________ and using the first letter A think of as many possible positive words to describe yourself. eg. I am Amazing. I am angelic. I am articulate. Then move on to the letter B. eg I am Beautiful. I am Brave etc. I can guarantee that you will have a smile on your face fairly quickly particularly if you use positive words and say them with enthusiasm.  You can joke around with funny words but the most impact will be felt from positive words.I challenge you to try the positive words first and if you dont think they work see how you feel after using negative ones. More than likely not very good. So please stay with positive words and you can play any time of the day or night, standing or sitting. Have fun, keep smiling and shining.

[The_Real_David_Charles]

Dear Mandy,

God knows we need some positivity but I fear most mentally ill would not take to your game.  Infact, by stating that negative word use would be "More than likely not very good" you are at risk of minimalising a serious illness like depression.   It is OK to describe ourselves in a negative fashion.   It seems you have assumed (that word again Geoff) that negative descriptions are somehow bad when infact they might be the reality.  It is probably hype that is bad.

Probably an able Kindy class would love this game.  Again, saying "most impact will be felt from positive words" is another assumption that denies the withdrawn and battling person any chance to  be themselves in whatever negative mood their illness has put them in.

Whilst on psychiatric admissions I have noticed this same "let's just have fun" attitude implode hundreds of times.   Occupational Therapists that seem not to get laughed at or mimicked always start with less instructions and more empathy.

"Have fun, keep smiling and shining" is equally problematic for the same reasons.    It is akin to some terrible advice like "Snap out of it" and "Cheer Up".  Most of the times the intention to pump up the mood volume leaves a ward more depressed.  Because a game like this tends to trivialise mental health.  Can you see what I mean, Mandy ?

Adios, David.

PS  Just out of interest do you have mental health problems of your own ?  I'm sorry that the reality of this game, in a psychiatric ward, is so far removed from your "challenge".  Ask yourself, does a mental illness need a further challenge in addition to  coping with their illness ?  Probably not.

[S_A_D_]

Amazing is a word used to describe something beyond belief. It's another way of saying "I don't trust myself enough to believe my eyes/ears". 

Articulate people are almost always anal, and sometimes have aspergers.

Beauty and bravery are in the eye of the beholder.

Every word can have both positive and negative connotations. The ability to do this is not an indicator of linguistic intellect, merely perspective fluidity. The epitome of perspective is to see or hear words that most would think have strong positive or negative connotations, and to see the word as neutral while outside of tone and context. You can start with words that most would think are neutral, lacking emotional attachment.

Paper

Spoon

Tree

Shirt

Chair

Word

Left

Glass

Now here's the challenge: If you can describe a positive emotional attachment you have toward a regular, everyday word, and reinforce that attachment, you will find yourself involuntarily smiling for no reason in the strangest of circumstances, like if someone says "go left."

[mandyjk]

Hi David thanks for your words. As a nurse i have seen and worked with many a depressed person (both patients and staff) and i would never trivialise a persons condition. I also understand that some need to take life a minute at a time, let alone hour or day by day. Not everyone can at the start just jump in and be happy. as for kindergarten, maybe this is a good place to start to help build their self esteems before they grow up. have a great day and i will continue to work with those who are keen to try. have a great day.

[bman42]

Ok mandy I will give this a go. I'm not well educated and not to positive so i'll do one letter every time I log on and see how it goes!

Ok

I am ummmmmmmmmm!!!!

I am ALIVE

[Vegetarian Marshmallow]

I like games!

I am be-bearded, currently.

(I'm told this is a good thing)

[bman42]

I am CARING and COURAGEOUS

wow 2, i'm getting good at this!!!

[Vegetarian Marshmallow]

Since you did so well, you should have also put in "creative"!  You really dropped the ball, there!  You obviously aren't very creative! 😛

I am a dramatically different dilettante.

(I tell people this is a good thing)

[Ambs]

The power of positive self talk can never be under estimated, as a person with anxiety and depression my psychologist gave me positive self talk as one of my tools for my tool belt against the escalation and resulting debilitation of my anxiety.  Whilst I was skeptical at first and always thought that talking to yourself was a sign of madness, I tried it, like I tried everything my psychologist gave me and I am a firm believer of don't knock it until you try it.  Positive self talk along with other tools has allowed me to control my anxiety, I went from being petrified to leave the house and unable to cope in social situations back to my job as a teacher.  I had a mantra that reassured me and allowed me to function again.  Whilst it may not work for everyone, I believe in the merits of positive self talk.