What you say to yourself or about yourself each day is one type of affirmation. There are both negative and positive affirmations. When you use words like: I am so stupid, I am fat, or I can't do this, you are using negative affirmations. When you use words like: I am happy, I have nice eyes or I can do this, you are using positive affirmations. Many people who have a mental illness/psychiatric diagnosis hear and use more negative affirmations than positive affirmations.

When that happens, your self-esteem is affected in a negative way. Salesman, Zig Ziglar, called negative affirmations and negative thoughts “stinking thinking.” There are a number of methods people have used to combat negative affirmations.

One way is to write down positive thoughts you want to have about yourself, and read them each morning and evening. People report that reading them one time a day helps, but if you are able to read them 2X a day (read them morning and night), it is even better. See a list of positive affirmations other people with a psychiatric diagnosis have found helpful here.

Another way is when negative thoughts happen or when negative words fly out of your mouth (about you, about your life, work, school, whatever). Write them down; then look at how you can turn the words around into positive thoughts or affirmations, like this:

I weigh much less than I did 2 years ago, or Every day I work on becoming healthier

When you do this, each person ends up with a list of positive thoughts (affirmations) that are targeted towards the negative thoughts that each person struggles with. After writing the positive affirmations on the right side of the paper, fold the left side of the paper under so that the left half is behind and can't be seen. Another way is to just rip off the lefthand side of the paper and throw it away. It's a symbolic way of getting the negative thoughts out of your life.

A third method people use is to place sticky notes or index cards all over their apartment or home that have positive thoughts or sayings on them. They are placed where they can easily be seen when they stand before the mirror, by the refrigerator, or another place where you repeatedly go.

A fourth method is used when people don't like to use a list, keep losing the list, or don't want to hang sticky notes all over their apartment. Buy a small photograph album (either new or used or you can make your own). You can place an index card in each photo section that has a positive saying or a good memory. This way the papers aren't all over the place. You don't have to explain them.  The papers are protected from dirt and water. The affirmations are arranged in a way that isn't overwhelming. It does take some work. If you choose this way you can incorporate positive things that have happened (a picture with a friend, a time you did more than you thought you would be able to do or a picture of a time that brings a positive memory) that can stop the run of negative thoughts that happen.

Another way is to read aloud the affirmations 5 to 7 times in a row. People believe this helps more firmly plant the positive thoughts and words in your brain.

One last way to change negative thoughts is to choose a particular part of your life you want to change and do repetitive sets of affirmations, and use beads (sometimes called prayer beads, sometimes called affirmation beads) to track them. Some people make their own bead chains and some buy them.

However you start, when you enjoy or begin to enjoy an affirmation, it feels more natural, and is said to be more effective for you, as it is a good match for where you are in your recovery journey.

If you are one of the people to whom no affirmations sound good, plausible or a good fit, check here for an alternative method.