Don't Use Labels as a Weapon

Pathologizing Others Harms Us Too

Labeling other people’s behavior with derogatory and inaccurate terms is harmful for others but also for ourselves.

When we judge others harshly or project our own discomfort onto them, we’re less likely to give ourselves permission to be human and do our own growth.

So much of the time we’re simply mirrors of each other and by “othering” we don’t do the work that’s required to heal and grow.

Using and misusing psychological terms and diagnosis as a weapon against someone is harmful.

When we "other" people we not only create distance from them, but we create distance from ourselves too.

Using others as scapegoats for our own discomfort further erodes our relationship with ourselves.

When we judge others harshly we're more likely to do the same with ourselves or ignore our own needed growth.

Examples:

• Accusing someone of gaslighting you when they've only disagreed with you.

• Labeling someone a "Narcissist" when they've only shown one self-absorbed behavior.

• Saying an argument was toxic or traumatizing when it was only intense.

• Saying someone has a "sex addiction" because they have different sex than you.

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