From Psychology Today
An article in Psychology Today, “I’m Normal” and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves, points out that while we feel normal to ourselves, we often project what it is like to be us onto other people. It is a thoughtful read, and it speaks to questions many people are asking today.
Key Takeaways From the Article
- Averages can mislead. Even when researchers turn to data to define what is normal, the statistics may not represent any one person's experience.
- There is no single normal in mental health conditions either. For example, the article notes that there are more than 1,000 different symptom patterns among people with depression alone.
Healthy Looks Different for Each Person
Rather than asking whether they are normal, many people find it more useful to ask what healthy looks like for them. At PPG, care starts with the individual: what you are experiencing, what matters to you, and what you would like to change.
Related Care and Reading
- Adult Therapy: Individual therapy for adults.
- Are Negative Emotions Bad?: Another Psychology Today perspective on difficult feelings.
- The Rise of "Therapy-Speak": How mental health language has entered everyday conversation.
- Is Venting Bad for You?: What the research suggests.
