What are Affirmations, and How Do They Work?

Affirmations are concise, positive phrases about your life that you repeat regularly. The idea is that with repetition, your brain starts to believe and accept the affirmations as true–causing you to feel that they’re true. Designed to uplift you over time, affirmations are one of many techniques to rewire your brain. 

Consistency is key with affirmations. Repetition helps you reframe how you perceive a concept, idea, or situation. Let’s say that you don’t believe that you can be forgiven or that you’re worthy of blessings after living a life that catered to your substance use disorder (SUD). Instead of consistently telling yourself “I’m a failure” or “I’m unlovable because of all I’ve done,” you switch the message. You might begin to say aloud once a day that “I learn from my experience and become better for it” and that “I’m lovable despite all I’ve done.” Over time, you will stop acting and speaking as if you were an unlovable failure and more like you’re a human being who is worthy of a little grace. 

The rewiring that takes place through affirmations is gradual and cognitive, like many effective strategies for improving mental health and wellness. The core idea behind affirmations, that you can change your perception of yourself and your reality by restructuring the way you think, aligns with our holistic cognitive approach to therapy and mental health at St. Joseph Institute. We believe that by changing your thoughts, you can change your world. This is why we’re such big proponents of yoga and meditation as well–both work to change your brain and empower you. 

The Scientific Validity of Affirmations

In the scientific community, research into self-affirmation, a concept closely related to affirmations, is encouraging. Defined as acts or thoughts that affirm your sense of self-worth, self-affirmation involves reflecting on core values and creating a broader, more objective view of oneself. It consists of both defending yourself against criticism by analyzing life decisions and daily behaviors when prompted and entertaining valid critiques. Research shows that engaging in self-affirmation can increase your mood and allow you to feel more open to change or behavioral modifications. 

Why is it Beneficial to Make Affirmations in The Shower?

Several companies have popped up over the years selling laminated cards with printed affirmations that you can wet and stick to your shower walls after you read them. Sometimes people like to see the written sentence as they wash the day or night off. Others simply like to memorize and repeat–no props necessary. 

So while we don’t know of any real psychological benefit of repeating affirmations in the shower, we can say that it’s comfortable and convenient! 

That said, many people in recovery find affirmations difficult and emotionally draining, especially at first. It takes courage to believe that you’re worthwhile. Because of this, it’s not unusual for the affirmation process to provoke tears. That’s another benefit of affirming yourself while showering–it’s a private space that washes the tears away. 

The Power of Affirmation Tears in The Shower

Allowing yourself to cry in the shower may have huge benefits. Whether or not you’re aware that large groups of people prefer to cry in the shower alone rather than elsewhere with company, it’s easy to see why the isolation, heat, and the relaxing, cleansing nature of a shower provide a great environment for tears to flow. 

There’s even a faith-based view of this theory, courtesy of St. Ignatius of Loyola. He believed that tears are a gift of grace, signaling God’s forgiveness and acceptance of us despite our imperfections. In our opinion, having a safe space to let the tears flow while working to rewire your brain seems like an incredible opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. You enjoy an emotional release, tap into your heart and soul, and uplift yourself little by little–all while getting clean. 

Improve Your Mental Health Today in Port Matilda, PA

St. Joseph Institute is here to support you with a wide array of resources and treatment options, from SUD support to anxiety disorder management and more. Feel free to contact us to explore affirmations and how they can kickstart your journey toward sobriety and freedom today.