What are Mental Health Superpowers?

Most of us with a mental health diagnosis and lived experience are more than well aware of the grief, pain, and suffering associated with profound depression, crippling anxiety, the numbing surreal experiences of dissociation, or the disorienting and frightening time-travel experience when something triggers our trauma.

So how could I possibly think that there’s something like a Superpower associated with those experiences?

We answer this question by first exploring:

- How being defined by negatives found in the names of our diagnosis is stigmatizing by putting our challenges ahead of our strengths;

- How flipping the script to see our assets helps us see ourselves from a positive empowering, and destigmatizing perspective

Then consider:

- How easy and effective reframing is using Superpowers - and how it defeats stigma and empowers us!

- Some examples of seeing mental health diagnosis through a superhero filter:
-- Anxiety and Spider-Man
-- Depression and Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier)
-- Trauma and Wolverine (X-Men)

We wrap up with a reframing exercise you can do to help find Your Mental Health Superpowers

Here’s the link to the free workbook with this exercise and 4 more reframing activities to help you explore and Embrace Your Superpowers! ([ Ссылка ])

Doesn't Using Superpowers to Describe Our Diagnosis Undermine the Pain and Stigma We've Suffered?

No - it reflects the reality of the balancing act that Superheroes and those with lived experience share. Here’s why:

- Superpowers aren't all about the positive - it's about finding a balance and loving ourselves as we do it.

- Superheroes aren't just for kids - they tackle important and complex subjects. Thinking they’re just for kids devalues powerful and accessible storytelling mediums and their characters by saying that something that’s “just for kids” is worth less than something valued by adults.

- In addition to devaluing, this perspective is wrong in assuming Superheroes are only kid stuff. While superheroes and comics are part of many children’s lives, there is a rich legacy of characters and stories that address profound and complex social and political issues. Think of the X-Men and Civil Rights movement.

- Superheroes and their powers give us metaphors for Lived Experience: I use these terms to honour our experience and to help us find our light on our dark days, and build our skillsets, and stock our utility belts on good days! Here are a couple of examples from my life:
- Carol Danvers - Captain Marvel - Trauma and recovery
- Kurt Wagner - Nightcrawler - VAST/ADHD

Superhero and Superpower language isn’t just appropriate - but a title we are worthy of - we do as much of a balancing act as any superhero does!

This language builds our self-confidence, self-compassion and helps build community.

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Music in this video by Coma-Media from Pixabay
Song: Inspiring Epic Dubstep
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