What is in a label? Are they good or bad? Do they help or hinder?

These days there are a multitude of new labels one could subscribe to. As society has been evolving, so have the labelling systems we use.

There are several labels that have been applied to me. Some of them describe me and some do not quite fit. 

• I am a cis female, that one fits okay.
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• I am a diabetic type 2, no real problems with that label.
• I have an anxiety disorder, but I am an outgoing person. Most people view an anxious person as shy.
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• I experience depression, yet it is a subset of it, called Smiling Depression. I hide behind a cheery disposition.
• I have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, but the Quiet version that is not as well known. I do not outburst often, but when I do, look out!

I have experienced what it is like to be treated poorly based on the labels people see when they meet or read about me.

 While I understand that a label is meant to give a general sense of what to expect, too many people do not look past a label to see the whole picture. Some assumptions will be true to the label, while many will not be.

So the next time you meet someone, take a good look at your labeling system. Have you allowed flexibility in your views to allow for the variations each individual has?

For myself I have accepted that people are going to view me how they want. All I can do is try and educate them about who I really am underneath my labels.