What is Self-Identity and How Can it Affect Substance Use Disorder?
What is self-identity?
Beginning in infancy, we begin to develop a sense of self, or self-identity through our interactions with our caregivers, family members and anyone else who we spend a lot of time with. We start to learn what our preferences and interests are and how we fit into our world. As we age, we gain more information through peers, teachers, co-workers, bosses, partners, and friends which impacts the formation of our values and beliefs and how we see ourselves. Throughout our lives, we are constantly evolving as people and strengthening or changing our beliefs with every new experience and all of these experiences make up how we identify ourselves.
When a person has a strong self-identity, they are aware of their strengths and weaknesses and recognize what is important to them. Their sense of self-certainty usually leads to intrinsic motivation that drives them to achieve their goals and continue to stay motivated throughout their lives. They know what their boundaries are and what they need in life and they have a strong sense of what makes them who they are as individuals.
Self-identity has a strong influence on a person’s confidence. When someone is aware of their weaknesses, and can still be comfortable with themselves and aspire to do the things they want simply by improving or learning it helps strengthen and maintain their confidence. This then creates pathways for relationships that align with their values, beliefs, and interests.
A weak self-identity however, carries with it uncertainty about oneself and their sense of purpose in the world. Individuals with weak self-identity have trouble discerning where they see themselves fitting into society and often lack motivation because they aren’t sure what motivates them. Their lack of drive will often cause them to fear trying new things and prevent them from developing healthy self-esteem. Those with a weak self-identity can have trouble forming deep and meaningful relationships because their lack of knowing who they are and what their interests and can cause them to either spend time alone, or with people that they don’t actually feel deeply connected to.
What does self-identity have to do with substance use disorder?
The development of our identity relies so heavily on social interactions and relationships, therefore the lack of them can have major implications as to how we deal with and manage stress. When we feel self-assured about who we are and are equipped with a healthy level of self-esteem, we are better prepared to cope with the ongoing stress that life will inevitably throw at us. But when one lacks self identity and has low self-esteem as a result, they will more often than not also lack healthy and supportive relationships that help shield them from the harmful effects of stress, and instead find other means of coping that include substances like drugs and alcohol.
Strong self-identity leads individuals to join communities that give them a sense of belonging and purpose, while weak self-identity often causes individuals to isolate. Isolation is one of the most common reasons for relapse in recovery, which usually predates the use of substances in the first place. When an individual feels certainty about who they are and the life they want to live, they are much less likely to find comfort in substances, and instead they will look to supportive individuals in their life for help and comfort. Strong social networks and healthy relationships with family members helps strengthen an individual's self-identity because it creates more opportunities for one to be asked questions, self-reflect, and introspect about who they are and what they believe. All of these things influence a person to solve problems more independently and navigate life with more ease.
Positive relationships are powerful tools in combatting the temptation to use unhealthy coping tools like drugs and alcohol because they help provide what many people look for in substances- a feeling of comfort. It’s important to remember though, the relationship we have with ourselves is just as important, if not more important than the relationship we have with others. This is because how we treat ourselves and see ourselves will completely affect how we relate to and interact with others. Therefore, our self-identity will inform so much about how we live our lives and what we aspire to do.
Understanding ourselves helps us cultivate a positive quality of life and influences us to have healthy relationship with with others. For more information and support in learning how to strengthen your self-identity and reshape your relationships, click the link below.
