How Positive Affirmations Improve Mental Health (7 Examples)

The words you tell yourself can shape your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors [1]. Positive affirmation exercises promise to improve your mental health by disrupting negative self-talk. Do positive affirmations work as intended? Read on to learn more.

Do mental health affirmations work?

It may seem strange to think that just saying a few sentences can change your mood or mental health. However, the case for positive affirmations is based on the same cognitive mechanism that has been linked with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues [2].

Automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) are irrational thinking patterns that can become entrenched in your psyche. ANTs come from maladaptive core beliefs that affect how we interpret the world and others around us.

Common negative core beliefs include “I am not safe” or “I am unwanted.” We then create a set of assumptions about the world based on these negative beliefs. If “I am not safe” is one of your core beliefs, you may assume that most people are not trustworthy.

ANTs echo these assumptions. They are triggered when you encounter a stressful situation. You may have thought, “Something bad always happens to me,” or, “Nobody wants me around.” The ANT can impact your emotions and your actions. You may feel anxious and start to avoid the triggering event. This reinforces your core beliefs and perpetuates the cycle.

Positive affirmations try to counter these ANTs by reframing negative thoughts into more positive ones. Repeating phrases such as “I am safe and secure” or “People like me” are meant to challenge those core beliefs and replace the ANTs with more encouraging language.

There is some evidence that affirmations can have a positive effect on mental health:

The case for affirmations is strong, but it is not exactly ironclad.

The caveats of affirmations

In many situations, affirmations do not work or can even worsen mental health.

A 2009 study found that generalized positive affirmations, like “I am lovable,” can increase distress in people with low self-esteem [7]. Researchers found that affirmations were less damaging for people who could say the statement was partially true.

On the other hand, people with high self-esteem benefitted from the affirmation. This suggests that positive affirmations that cause cognitive dissonance can have unintentional negative consequences.

The most effective ways to use affirmations

While affirmations are not cure-alls, they are an effective tool to combat negative thinking. The most effective affirmations have the following qualities:

They are nuanced:

Sometimes, affirmations can inadvertently promote toxic positivity [8]. This means that any aspect of life that is negative or uncomfortable is ignored or minimized. Toxic positivity can cause people to stifle their emotions and cause more psychological distress.

Affirmations should make room for less-than-optimal outcomes and reflect a more realistic but healthier worldview.

They are specific:

General, vague affirmations are not exactly inspiring. Instead, craft a sentence that is specific to your circumstances.

They are personal:

Affirmations should reflect where you are in your journey. Statements that are too far from your cognitive state are easier to dismiss. You can use mitigating phrases to make your affirmation more believable:

7 affirmations that improve mental health

1)   I am enough as I am

Core beliefs often develop due to feelings of inadequacy. This affirmation introduces the idea that who you are is enough for the world.

2)   I can find the positive in any situation

People with depression or anxiety tend to focus on the negative in a situation. However, most events have some positive outcomes. For example, you can learn from failure, and rejections can help you reevaluate and narrow down your focus.

3)   I have inherent value

People with low self-esteem often derive their value from external metrics, such as their salary or job title. Since these circumstances can change, this is not a stable source of self-esteem. Acknowledging that you hold inherent value can help you look inward for validation.

4)   I am improving every day

Recognizing the progress you make in your life can counter feelings of failure. As long as you are working on yourself, you are improving little by little.

5)   I am in control of myself

An external locus of control is associated with depression [9]. This affirmation reminds you that you have complete control over your behaviors, actions, and thoughts. This may inspire you to turn your focus to areas in your life that are under your control.

6)   I forgive myself

Rumination is an unhealthy cognitive process that constantly repeats the same thoughts or scenario. People often ruminate about past errors and beat themselves up over what they could have done differently [10]. Forgiving yourself for your past mistakes is essential for breaking the rumination cycle.

7)   I deserve (rest, love, compassion, patience…)

People with low self-esteem often hold core beliefs that they are unworthy of basic human needs. For example, people may have difficulty imposing boundaries in relationships or at work because they believe other people’s feelings are worth more than their own. This affirmation reminds you that you too are worthy.

Wrapping Up

Adding positive affirmations to your routine can profoundly impact your mental health. For the best results, craft affirmations that are meaningful and personal to you.