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A cult is a group that centers around a shared devotion to a person, belief, or ideology. These groups often require intense devotion and loyalty and use manipulation and control to enforce and maintain power. Recognizing the signs that make something a cult can help people better recognize when a group crosses the line.

Understanding What Makes Something a Cult

While cults are widely recognized, there isn’t a clear consensus on an exact definition of what constitutes a cult. Many definitions suggest that a cult is an organized group whose purpose is to dominate cult members through psychological manipulation and pressure strategies. Cults are usually headed by a powerful leader who isolates members from the rest of society.

Experts suggest that this coercive control distinguishes these groups, not their connection to specific faiths, religions, or belief systems. 

Such groups demand excessive devotion from members. They utilize unethical and manipulative techniques to persuade and control members. Their primary goal is to advance the group leader’s agenda, even though such goals may harm individuals, families, and communities.

Some individuals who join cults remain lifelong members. Others break free and share how it felt to be brainwashed by a charismatic leader. However, some individuals leave a cult and report that their experience was positive.

Cult Warning Signs to Watch For

Sometimes individuals disagree about whether a group, such as a certain religious group, is actually a cult. Even researchers sometimes can’t agree on what constitutes a cult.

According to the Cult Education Institute, there are specific warning signs to look out for when considering whether a group might be a cult. Cults are characterized by:

1. Absolute authoritarianism without accountability
2. Zero tolerance for criticism or questions
3. Lack of meaningful financial disclosure regarding the budget
4. Unreasonable fears about the outside world that often involve evil conspiracies and persecutions
5. A belief that former followers are always wrong for leaving and there is never a legitimate reason for anyone else to leave
6. Abuse of members
7. Records, books, articles, or programs documenting the abuses of the leader or group
8. Followers feeling that they are never able to be “good enough”
9. A belief that the leader is right at all times
10. A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or giving validation

Cults are dangerous because they typically rely on deceptive and authoritarian practices to make members dependent on and obedient to the group. Cults often cut members off from other forms of social and financial support and pose both physical and psychological risks to members of the group.

Why People End Up Joining Cults

To those on the outside, it can be difficult to understand why anyone would join a cult. However, researchers have found several reasons why individuals may join.

• They don’t know they’re joining a cult: Most individuals don’t recognize that the group they’re joining is considered a cult. Individuals who are attracted to groups that are considered cults may have certain vulnerabilities that make them more likely to join, such as anxiety or substance abuse problems.
• They have unresolved insecurities: Another study found that many cult members experience attachment insecurity prior to joining a cult. Their insecurities may drive them toward a group that promises acceptance.
• They become isolated: Once people join a group, they’re usually distanced from outside influences. After being separated from the outside world, leaving the group becomes difficult. They often grow dependent on being in the group and develop suspicions of anyone outside the group.
• They believe they are persecuted: This is why some people suspect that cult members are “brainwashed.” And there is some science behind this idea, as members are often told they’re being persecuted by people outside the group.
• They are manipulated into joining: The other major theory about why individuals remain in cults is mostly sociological. Cult leaders often promise to reward members in some way. They may tell them they’ll move up the ranks within the cult or convince them that something really good is going to happen to their special group.
• They are subjected to psychological abuse: Some people believe those involved are more like “victims” rather than “members,” since they are often subjected to psychological manipulation tactics that lure them into making unhealthy decisions—including suicide in some cases.
• Leaving isn’t easy: Getting out of a cult can be quite difficult. Some members don’t have contact with the outside world, so it can be nearly impossible to get help. Others don’t have the financial resources to find a new place to go.

Why It’s Hard to Study Cults

Studying cults is difficult for a few different reasons. It’s nearly impossible to study active cult members due to their unwillingness to let others into their closed societies. Quite often, they are suspicious of outsiders.

Consequently, cults are usually examined from the perspective of former members. But sometimes, individuals are reluctant to talk about their experiences as cult members. For these reasons and others, it can even be tricky to agree on a solid definition of a cult, especially given many of the stereotypes presented in film, TV, and other media. Not all cults have to be high-profile groups that make headlines.

Examples of Well-Known Cults

Why people become cult leaders is also not well understood. Some experts suggest that most cult leaders tend to be psychopaths. They are often charismatic and use psychological tactics to gain power, social control, and allegiance from their followers. 

There have been many cults that have made the news, quite often for their tragic endings.

Charles Manson

In the 1960s, Charles Manson assembled a group of young people and referred to them as his family. Manson expressed his ideas about an imminent race war, and he told his followers he wanted them to go on a killing spree.

One night in 1969, several followers murdered five people, including actress Sharon Tate. Manson was later convicted of first-degree murder.

Jim Jones

Jim Jones founded The People’s Temple in Indianapolis in 1955. He moved his followers to Eureka, California out of fear that a nuclear attack might strike Indiana. He later moved his followers to Guyana, to an area which became known as Jonestown.

An official went to investigate the group in 1978 after the government grew concerned that some members were being abused.

The group shot and killed the official. Jones then instructed his followers to drink Flavor Aid laced with cyanide. Over 900 people died, including Jones, who was found with a bullet wound to the head.

Heaven’s Gate

Heaven’s Gate was a group that started in the 1970s. It was known as a “UFO religious” cult. The tightly knit group required members to give up almost all of their possessions.

In March of 1997, 39 members put on matching dark clothes, ingested barbiturates, and placed plastic bags over their heads and killed themselves. This was one of the largest mass suicides in United States’ history.

David Koresh

David Koresh thought he could have conversations with God and he convinced his followers the world was ending. He and more than 100 people moved to a compound outside of Waco, Texas.

The FBI tried to arrest Koresh in 1993 because of violations of the law, such as advocating for underage girls to marry adult men. This led to a 51-day standoff. Ultimately, 75 people from the group died. Like Jim Jones, Koresh was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head.

How to Get Help Leaving a Cult

If you grew up in a cult or you recently got out of one, you may want to talk to a mental health professional about the complex feelings you may have. Whether you were exposed to traumatic events or you are confused about your identity, there are many reasons why talking to someone might help you.

Research suggests that leaving a cult can be difficult, leading to complex feelings. In one study, former cult members described experiencing a sense of chaos and confusion upon leaving. While in the cult, they reported feeling disconnected from themselves. Afterward, they had to try to reconnect with their feelings and values. Forming new bonds with friends and family outside the cult was an important part of this process, although this, too, could be challenging. 

The good news is that former cult members report eventually seeing the world in a brighter and more hopeful way.

It can be scary if you think a friend or family member may be involved with a cult. Reach out for professional help to get some guidance on what you can do or how you can cope with your emotions. It’s going to take time, understanding, and a lot of patience to help extricate your loved one if they are in a dangerous situation.

Feeling like you don’t want to live, but also don’t want to die, can be a painful and confusing experience. Such thoughts are known as passive suicidal ideation and are a sign of emotional distress and need for support. Learning how to cope with not wanting to live or die is important and may involve therapy, safety planning, and support.

What to Do If You Feel Like You Don’t Want to Live or Die

• Reach out for support right now: Talk to someone you trust or call a crisis hotline like 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) in the U.S.
• Tell someone how you’re feeling: Sharing your thoughts with someone you trust can reduce feelings of isolation and help you to feel more understood.
• Focus on the immediate future: Break things down into small steps and focus on dealing with them.
• Stay safe: Remove or avoid anything that might pose a risk to your life or well-being.
• Avoid being alone if possible: Stay connected to friends or family, or consider reaching out to someone through text or online in a support group.
• Do something comforting: Spend time doing something soothing, whether it’s wrapping up in a warm blanket, listening to music, or going for a walk.
• Talk to a professional: Reach out to a counselor, therapist, or doctor who can help you work through these thoughts and find relief.

What It Means When You Don’t Want to Live or Die

If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t want to live like this, but I don’t want to die,” you’re not alone. Major life stressors, childhood trauma, or untreated depression are all reasons that someone might feel this way.

This can be considered suicidal ideation, which means thinking about taking your own life.

Passive vs. Active Suicidal Ideation

Passive suicidal ideation means that you’ve thought about not living anymore, but you don’t have any active plan to die by suicide. 

However, passive suicidal ideation can quickly turn active (i.e., having a plan, means, and intent).

This means the feelings can also be reduced quickly, including through promising new interventions such as ketamine infusion therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

Why You Might Feel This Way

Feeling like you don’t want to live but you don’t want to die means that something hurts. “It can convey emotional pain and a desire for change,” says Cubbage.

It might be caused by:

• Feeling emotionally numb or empty
• Feeling like a burden to others
• Chronic stress or exhaustion
• Grief or a major loss
• Depression or other mental health issues
• Isolation or lack of social support
• Unresolved trauma or painful memories
• Hopelessness about the future

Grappling with these big life questions can be really hard and may feel incredibly isolating, making it easy for you to spiral and believe that nothing matters. However, existential questioning can also open up space for more meaning in your life as you think about what does matter to you.

How to Get Help

You may be feeling desperate right now, but there are a number of things you can do, such as therapy, reaching out to your social support network, and safety planning.

Therapy

If you are not already in some kind of mental health treatment, consider seeing a therapist who can help you work through these feelings and find out why it is that you feel like you can’t live like this.

They can also help you identify coping tools you can use to keep yourself safe and reduce these feelings.

Safety Planning

“Safety planning is an evidence-based way to help prevent hospitalization and attempts,” says Cubbage. 

Some key things to include on a safety plan include a list of coping strategies that have worked for you and sources of support. Sources of support can be friends and family, as well as mental health professionals—either your therapist or a local mental health agency that you can contact.

Mental health professionals sometimes use a tool called the “Reasons for Living Inventory” to assess for suicidality, but you might also want to look at it on your own to begin to jog your memory of reasons you want to live. Or you can make a list on your own, and nothing is too small to include. If you want to live because you love your morning coffee, that counts! 

Just as hopelessness can lead to feeling like you don’t want to live—but you don’t necessarily want to die—feelings of hope mean that there is a glimmer of light out there. In a study, those who identified more reasons for living were better able to access those reasons, even in periods of depression.

Seek Social Support

Depression or suicidal thoughts may lie to you and tell you you’re a burden—but they’re lying. Your loved ones care about you and want to help you—and social support is one of the leading protective factors against suicide.

Some benefits that social support provides:

• Tangible resources, such as providing the number for a hotline or counseling center
• Physically interrupting a suicide attempt
• Increased feelings of belongingness 
• Increase in protective factors such as self-esteem
• Feedback from others
• Resources for problem-solving
• Exposure to positive events 

Feeling like you belong because of social support increases self-esteem and reduces feelings of burdensomeness. A feeling of belonging may contribute to reduced suicidality.

Find Connection

Research shows that having some kind of religious practice reduces the risk of depression and suicide, due to feelings of meaning, purpose, and gratitude often felt in connection with religious involvement.

If you’re not religious but spiritual, the same concept still applies. Practicing your spirituality can help you find meaning in life.

How to Support Someone Who Feels This Way

If you’re a loved one worried about someone who has said they don’t want to live anymore but they don’t want to die either, we know this can be scary for you, too. 

Of course, if someone is in imminent danger, contact emergency services or bring them to the nearest emergency department. 

Effexor (venlafaxine) withdrawal symptoms typically appear within 24 to 48 hours and go away within three weeks, but can last several months. You might feel nauseated, dizzy, short-tempered, confused, restless, and/or distracted during this time.

Effexor withdrawal is a type of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome that can occur when people stop their medication too quickly. For this reason, healthcare providers usually taper the dose gradually, although withdrawal symptoms may still occur.

What Is the Timeline of Effexor Withdrawal?

Everyone’s experience is different, and the severity of symptoms can vary depending on a person’s dose and how long they’ve been taking their medication:

• Early symptoms (24 to 48 hours): The first symptoms of Effexor withdrawal may appear in the first 24 to 48 hours, including flu-like symptoms, anxiety, and agitation.
• Peak symptoms (days 3 to 7): Symptoms of withdrawal usually peak around the end of the first week, often including dizziness and nausea.
• Improvement phase (week 2): During the second week, symptoms often gradually lessen, but some may continue to linger
• Recovery period (week 3 and beyond): The physical symptoms will be mostly gone by the third week. However, psychological symptoms, such as mood swings and irritability, may persist for longer.

What Does Withdrawal Feel Like?

When decreasing or stopping an antidepressant, a neurochemical change takes place in the brain. As the brain readjusts to the new environment, symptoms of withdrawal from Effexor may include:

• Agitation or irritability
• Anxiety
• Changes in appetite
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Mood changes
• Nausea or vomiting
• Nightmares or other sleep issues
• Paresthesias (a prickling or tingling sensation)
• Sweating

‘Brain Zaps’

Some people report experiencing ‘brain shivers’ or ‘brain zaps‘ when they are late taking their prescribed dose of Effexor.

• People often describe these sensations as a very brief, repetitive, electric shock-like feeling that remains confined to the brain or head.
• Others report the sensation spreads out to other parts of the body.
• The sensation can be triggered by moving your eyes and is often accompanied by disorientation, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), vertigo, and/or lightheadedness.

These electric shock-like sensations can cause you to become alarmed or worried, and they may happen frequently enough to disrupt daily life or quality of life. However, no current evidence suggests brain shivers or brain zaps represent any danger.

How to Cope With Effexor Withdrawal Symptoms

Effexor withdrawal symptoms develop quickly, so if you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to your next scheduled dose, simply skip your missed dose and stick to your schedule.

If you are discontinuing Effexor, there are ways to make Effexor withdrawal more tolerable until the withdrawal symptoms go away. Here are a few steps to consider:

• Team up with your healthcare provider. They are your best ally when it comes to preventing and coping with symptoms of antidepressant withdrawal. Discuss the benefits and risks of stopping Effexor and work together to figure out how (and when) to slowly stop taking the drug.
• Ask about OTC medications. Consult your doctor about any over-the-counter medications that can help ease Effexor withdrawal, such as sleep aids, anti-nausea medications, and pain relievers.
• Consider psychotherapy. According to investigators at Harvard Medical School, engaging in psychotherapy while discontinuing an antidepressant can decrease your risk of having a depression relapse.
• Seek support. Consider asking a close friend or family member for support and let them know what to expect as you work with your physician to wean off the drug.
• Keep up with follow-ups. It’s important to keep in touch with your healthcare provider as you are weaning from the drug, as well as after you’ve stopped altogether. Depending on how you feel, you may need to book ongoing monthly check-ins until discontinuation symptoms have eased and there are no signs of relapse.
• Practice self-care. As you are going through withdrawal, it’s more important than ever to exercise, eat healthfully, get regular sleep, and practice stress management. These acts of self-care can help keep your mood stable as you taper off Effexor. 

Important Warnings About Effexor Withdrawal

Some people may experience disorientation, which can be dangerous when driving or operating heavy machinery. And, although rare, stopping Effexor on your own can result in severe and frightening reactions.

If you or someone you love experiences any of the following symptoms, call 911 or seek medical help right away:

If you experience worsening anxiety or depression during withdrawal, and these symptoms last more than a month, it may mean you’re having a relapse and need ongoing mental health treatment. Talk to your care provider if you have any concerns.

How to Manage Effexor Withdrawal in the Long Run

When you’ve decided to stop taking your antidepressant, it might be tempting to toss out your medication. Instead, take your time and work with your physician to gradually decrease your dose.

How you’ll do this will depend on several factors, including:

• How long you’ve been taking the drug
• Your current dose (if you’re on a low dose, you’ll be able to taper off more quickly)
• Past experience with withdrawal symptoms
• Overall health

Sometimes, even if you are slow and deliberate when weaning off an antidepressant, you still may experience symptoms. In these cases, your physician may prescribe Prozac (fluoxetine), which has been found to help ease discontinuation symptoms.

Additional Resources

In addition to teaming up with your healthcare provider and asking a trusted family member or friend to help you through this period, you may find it helpful to reach out to others who are also going through Effexor withdrawal.

The National Association for Mental Illness (NAMI) and the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) both offer online discussion groups where you can connect with others who may share similar experiences. You may also be able to find groups on Facebook, in which members can offer each other tips and support.

The fight-or-flight response is your body’s natural, automatic reaction to stress or danger. It triggers physiological changes, such as a faster heart rate and tenser muscles, that prepare your body to deal with the source of the stress. This can be helpful in the short term, but if it goes on too long without giving your body a chance to relax, it can have negative effects on your physical and mental health.

How the Fight-or-Flight Response Works

The fight-or-flight response, also known as the acute stress response, refers to the physiological reaction that occurs when in the presence of something mentally or physically frightening or stressful. This response is triggered by the release of hormones that prepare your body to either stay and deal with a threat or run away to safety.

The three stages of fight-or-flight are:

• The alarm stage: During this stage, the central nervous system is ramped up, preparing your body to fight or flee.
• The resistance stage: This is the stage in which the body attempts to normalize and recover from the initial elevated fight-or-flight response.
• The exhaustion stage: If the first two stages occur repeatedly over time, such as when under chronic stress, the body can feel exhausted and begin to break down.

Physiologic Changes

The sudden release of hormones activates the body’s sympathetic nervous system in response to acute stress. Fight-or-flight response hormones include adrenocorticotropic and corticotropin-releasing hormones.

These hormones cause the sympathetic nervous system to stimulate the pituitary and adrenal glands, triggering the release of catecholamines, including adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol.

This chain of reactions results in various reactions, including increased:

• Heart rate
• Blood pressure
• Breathing rate

Your body can stay in fight-or-flight for minutes to hours after the threat is gone, which is how long it takes for the parasympathetic nervous system to return to pre-arousal levels.

Why Do We Have It?

The term “fight-or-flight” represents the choices our ancient ancestors had when faced with danger in their environment: to either fight or flee. In either case, the physiological and psychological response to stress prepares the body to react to the danger.

In the 1920s, American physiologist Walter Cannon was the first to describe the fight-or-flight response. Cannon realized that a chain of rapidly occurring reactions inside the body helped to mobilize the body’s resources to deal with threatening circumstances.

Today, the fight-or-flight response is recognized as part of the first stage of Hans Selye’s general adaptation syndrome, a theory describing the stress response.

How to Tell If You’re Having a Fight-or-Flight Response

Physical signs that can indicate that your fight-or-flight response has kicked in include:

• Dilated pupils: In times of danger, the body prepares itself to become more aware of its surroundings. Dilation of the pupils allows more light into the eyes, resulting in better vision of your surrounding area.
• Pale or flushed skin: During fight-or-flight, blood flow to the surface areas of the body is reduced, while flow to the muscles, brain, legs, and arms is increased. Paleness or alternating between a pale and flushed face as blood rushes to the head and brain is common. The body’s blood clotting ability also increases to prevent excess blood loss in the event of injury.
• Rapid heart rate and breathing: Heartbeat and respiration rate increase to provide the body with the energy and oxygen needed to fuel a rapid response to danger.
• Trembling: The muscles tense and become primed for action, which can cause trembling or shaking.

Why It Can Be Helpful

The fight-or-flight response plays a critical role in dealing with stress and danger in our environment. When we are under threat, the response prepares the body to either fight or flee. By priming your body for action, you are better prepared to perform under pressure.

The stress created by the situation can actually be helpful, making it more likely that you will cope effectively with the threat.

• Better performance: This type of stress can help you perform better in situations where you are under pressure to do well, such as at work or school.
• Inspires prosocial actions: Some experts suggest that the fight-or-flight response may even benefit when the urge to fight others in an attempt to harm them is transformed into the urge to fight to protect them. This may be beneficial when the fight-or-flight response is triggered by negative emotions such as anger and fear.
• Improves chances of survival: In life-threatening situations, the fight-or-flight response plays a critical role in survival. By gearing you up to fight or flee, it makes you more likely to survive the danger.

When It Becomes Harmful

While the fight-or-flight response happens automatically, that doesn’t mean that it is always accurate. Sometimes we respond in this way even when there is no real threat.

This is because the fight-or-flight response can be triggered by both real and imaginary threats. Phobias are good examples of how the fight-or-flight response might be falsely triggered in the face of a perceived threat.

Constantly being in a state of fight-or-flight, such as when facing repeated stressors, can also be harmful to your health. Chronic stress can increase your risk of:

Common Examples

The fight-or-flight response can happen in the face of imminent physical danger, such as when encountering a growling dog during your morning jog. It can also be the result of a psychological threat, such as preparing to give a big presentation at school or work.

Another example of the fight-or-flight response is if a person who is terrified of heights has to go to the top floor of a skyscraper to attend a meeting. Their body might go on high alert, with their heartbeat and respiration rate increasing. If the response is severe, it can lead to a panic attack.

How to Calm Down After Fight or Flight Kicks In

Understanding the body’s natural fight-or-flight response is one way to help cope with such situations. When you notice that you are becoming tense, you can start looking for ways to calm down and relax your body.

Ways to calm the fight-or-flight response include:

The stress response is one of the major topics studied in the rapidly growing field of health psychology. Health psychologists are interested in helping people find ways to combat stress and live healthier, more productive lives.

By learning more about the fight-or-flight response, psychologists can help people explore new ways to deal with their natural reactions to stress.

Self-concept is the image we have of ourselves. It is influenced by many forces, including our interaction with the important people in our lives. It is how we perceive our behaviors, abilities, and unique characteristics. For example, beliefs such as “I am a good friend” or “I am a kind person” are part of an overall self-concept.

Why Self-Concept Matters

Our self-concept impacts how we respond to life, so a well-developed self-concept helps us respond in ways that are more positive and beneficial for us and those around us. One way it does this is by enabling us to recognize our worth. A well-developed self-concept also helps keep us from internalizing negative feedback from others.

Self-concept also affects how we interact and communicate with others. For example, how you communicate with others is often tied to your self-concept and how you relate to your social group. If your social group communicates a certain way, you would likely choose to communicate that way as well. Studies on teens have connected high self-concept clarity with more open communication with parents.

What Are Some Examples?

Examples of self-concept include:

• How you view your personality traits, such as whether you are an extrovert or introvert
• How you see your roles in life, such as whether you feel that being a parent, sibling, friend, and partner are important parts of your identity
• The hobbies or passions that are important to your sense of identity, such as being a sports enthusiast or belonging to a particular political party or religious group
• How you feel about your interactions with the world, such as whether you think that you are contributing to society

Our self-perception is important because it affects our motivations, attitudes, and behaviors. It also affects how we feel about the person we think we are, including whether we are competent or have self-worth.

Self-concept tends to be more malleable when we’re younger and still going through self-discovery and identity formation. As we age and learn who we are and what’s important to us, these self-perceptions become much more detailed and organized.

How Carl Rogers Explained Self-Concept

Humanist psychologist Carl Rogers believed that self-concept is made up of three distinct parts: ideal self, self-image, and self-esteem. His theory explains what it means when these parts are congruent or incongruent with reality, which impacts your self-concept.

Three Parts of Self-Concept

Rogers described the self-concept as being composed of three parts:

• Ideal self: The ideal self is the person you want to be. This person has the attributes or qualities you are either working toward or want to possess. It’s who you envision yourself to be if you were exactly the person you wanted to be.
• Self-image: Self-image refers to how you see yourself at this moment in time. Physical characteristics, personality traits, and social roles affect your self-image.
• Self-esteem: How much you like, accept, and value yourself contributes to your self-concept. Self-esteem can be affected by a number of factors, including how others see you, how you think you compare to others, and your role in society.

Incongruence and Congruence

Self-concept is not always aligned with reality. When it is aligned, it is said to be congruent. If there is a mismatch between how you see yourself (your self-image) and who you wish you were (your ideal self), your self-concept is incongruent. This incongruence can negatively affect self-esteem.

Rogers believed that incongruence has its earliest roots in childhood. When parents place conditions on their affection for their children (e.g., only expressing love if children “earn it” through certain behaviors and living up to the parents’ expectations), children begin to distort their memories of experiences that leave them feeling unworthy of their parents’ love.

Unconditional love, on the other hand, helps to foster congruence. Children who experience such love—also referred to as family love—feel no need to continually distort their memories in order to believe that other people will love and accept them as they are.

How It Develops Over Time

Self-concept develops, in part, through our interaction and observation of others. In addition to family members and close friends, other people in our community and in the media can contribute to our self-identity.

• People who believe in you: For instance, one study found that the more a teacher believes in a high-performing student’s abilities, the higher that student’s self-concept. (Interestingly, no such association was found with lower-performing students.)
• The characters we identify with: Self-concept can also be developed through the stories we hear. For example, one study found that female readers who were “deeply transported” into a story about a leading character with a traditional gender role had a more feminist self-concept than those who weren’t as moved by the story. Thus, relating to and identifying with the character may affect your emotional response and confirm or alter your own ideas about yourself.
• The media: Both mass media and social media play a role in self-concept development. When these media promote certain ideals, we’re more likely to make them our own. The more often these ideals are presented, the more they affect our self-identity and self-perception.
• Our culture: Different cultures have different beliefs. They have different ideas of how dependent or independent one should be, as well as religious beliefs and views on socioeconomic development. All of these cultural norms influence self-concept by providing the structure of what is expected within that society and how one sees oneself in relation to others.

Can You Really Change Your Self-Concept?

Self-concept is not static, meaning that it can change. Our environment plays a role in this process:

• Places we are exposed to, especially those that hold a lot of meaning to us, actively contribute to our future self-concept through how we relate these environments to ourselves and how society relates to them.
• Self-concept can also change based on the people with whom we interact. This is particularly true for individuals in our lives who are in leadership roles. They can impact the collective self (the self in social groups) and the relational self (the self in relationships).
• In some cases, a medical diagnosis can change self-concept by helping people understand why they feel the way they do, such as someone receiving an autism diagnosis later in life, finally providing clarity as to why they feel different.

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Alternative Ways to Think About Self-Concept

As with many topics within psychology, several other theorists have proposed different ways of thinking about self-concept.

Social Identity

Social psychologist Henri Tajfel developed social identity theory, which states that self-concept is composed of two essential parts:

• Personal identity: The traits and other characteristics that make you unique
• Social identity: Who you are based on your membership in social groups, such as sports teams, religions, political parties, or social class

This theory states that our social identity influences our self-concept, thus affecting our emotions and behaviors. If we’re playing sports, for instance, and our team loses a game, we might feel sad for the team (emotion) or act out against the winning team (behavior).

Multiple Dimensions

Psychologist Bruce A. Bracken had a slightly different theory and believed that self-concept was multidimensional, consisting of six independent traits:

In 1992, Bracken developed the Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale, a comprehensive assessment that evaluates each of these six elements of self-concept in children and adolescents.

Identity versus role confusion is the fifth stage of ego in psychologist Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. This stage occurs during adolescence between the ages of approximately 12 and 18. During this stage, adolescents explore their independence and develop a sense of self.

Understanding Identity vs. Role Confusion

• Psychosocial conflict: Identity vs. role confusion
• Major question: “Who am I?”
• Basic virtue: Fidelity
• Important event(s): Social relationships

Identity vs. role confusion is a stage characterized by asking, “Who am I?” and learning more about one’s goals, values, and beliefs.

According to Erikson, people progress through several stages as they grow and change throughout life. During each stage, everyone faces a developmental conflict that must be resolved to successfully develop the primary virtue of that stage. Erikson was interested in how social interaction and relationships affect development and growth.

What Do Identity and Role Confusion Mean?

As they transition from childhood to adulthood, teens may begin to feel confused or insecure about themselves and how they fit into society. As they seek to establish a sense of self, teens may experiment with different roles, activities, and behaviors. According to Erikson, this is important to the process of forming a strong identity and developing a sense of direction in life.

One of the main elements of Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory is the development of ego identity. It is the conscious sense of self that we develop through social interaction, which is constantly changing due to new experiences and information we acquire in our daily interactions with others. 

Identity

Erikson defines identity as a “fundamental organizing principle which develops constantly throughout the lifespan.”

Identity involves the experiences, relationships, beliefs, values, and memories that make up a person’s subjective sense of self. This helps create a continuous self-image that remains fairly constant even as new aspects of the self are developed or strengthened over time. Identity provides:

• Self-sameness: A sense of continuity within the self and in interaction with others
• Uniqueness: A frame to differentiate between self and interaction with others
• Psychosocial development: Mental and physical health for adolescents

During the identity vs. role confusion stage, the conflict is centered on developing a personal identity. Completing this stage leads to a strong sense of self throughout life.

Role Confusion

Kids who are not allowed to explore and test out different identities might be left with what Erikson referred to as role confusion, which can result in the following:

• Being unsure of who you are and where you fit
• Drifting from one job or relationship to another
• Feeling disappointed and confused about your place in life

Other Influences on Identity

Some more recent theories have focused on the importance of social identity and how those identities, and the intersection of those identities, influence the development of individual identity and roles.

One such theory is known as the “Big 8.” It describes socially constructed identities that are defined by factors including social, physical, or mental characteristics. Some examples of social identities include:

Why Having a Strong Identity Matters

• Commitment: Resolving the crisis at this stage of development involves committing to a particular identity. This might involve committing to a career path, deciding what social groups to associate with, and even developing a sense of personal style.
• Self-confidence: Those who are able to develop a strong sense of identity are better able to have self-confidence, or a sense of trust in their abilities, qualities, and judgments.
• Sense of independence: Those who receive proper encouragement and reinforcement through personal exploration will emerge from this stage with a strong sense of self and a feeling of independence and control. Those who remain unsure of their beliefs and desires will remain insecure and confused about themselves and the future.
• Fidelity: Those who succeed in developing a strong identity also forge fidelity, a psychological virtue characterized by the ability to relate to others and form genuine relationships. This ability plays an important role in the upcoming stage known as intimacy versus isolation.
• Better mental health and relationships: Research has shown that teens who have a strong sense of identity have better mental health. They are also more likely to have good relationships with their peers and have better emotional and psychological well-being.

What Shapes Your Sense of Identity

There are various factors that contribute to whether a person forms a strong identity:

• Friends
• Family
• Schoolmates
• Other social groups
• Societal trends
• Pop culture

Stages of Identity Development

Influenced in part by Erikson’s theory, psychologist James Marcia described four identity statuses. These statuses represent different points in the development of identity.

In Marcia’s theory, identity forms due to exploring different identity alternatives and then making commitments to different ideas and values. These four statuses are:  

• Identity diffusion (role confusion): At this point, a person has not explored or made identity commitments. 
• Identity foreclosure: This involves committing to an identity without exploring other options, often as a result of peer pressure, conformity, cultural expectations, or parental pressure.
• Identity moratorium: This is a period of active exploration where an individual tries new things and seeks out alternatives.
• Identity achievement: This status involves having explored different options and then making a commitment to an identity. This does not necessarily end with adolescence. It can ultimately be a long process that creates self-awareness and a strong sense of self.

Ways to Build a Stronger Sense of Identity

No matter where you are in your life, there are things you can do to help build a stronger sense of identity. For example

• Consider your values: Thinking about what your values are helps solidify your identity. Core values are those things that are really important and meaningful to you and that motivate you and guide your decisions.
• Learn about yourself: It’s important to spend time alone to get to know yourself better. Those quiet moments can help you focus on your priorities and improve your sense of self.
• Practice self-compassion: Showing yourself kindness and compassion can help you better understand and accept your flaws and limitations.

What Happens When You Struggle With Role Confusion

Role confusion can have lasting consequences on a person’s life, including:

• Difficulties with commitment: A stable personal identity allows individuals to have better relationships with others.
• Worse mental health and well-being: Research has linked a strong sense of identity to better emotional and psychological well-being in adolescents.
• Weak sense of self: Role confusion has been found to lead to a weak sense of self.
• Lack of confidence: Poor self-identity can make it difficult for people to have confidence in themselves and their abilities.

How to Overcome Role Confusion and Find Direction

• Build on your strengths: Identify the areas in your life in which you excel, and take time to develop and build on those strengths. As you develop those skills even more, you may find other aspects of yourself that are also important to your identity.
• Try new things to discover what you like: Be open to trying new things and having new experiences. Think about your passions and interests. Brainstorm some ideas around things that excite you. Sometimes you might try things and decide you don’t like them. That’s also part of personal growth. It helps you clarify what matters to your identity and eliminates feelings of confusion.
• Make commitments and set goals: While you can set goals in any part of your life, consider thinking about some common areas like health, career, finances, and education. Having goals gives you a better sense of what you want to work toward and which aspirations are central to your sense of self.
• Participate in activities related to your interests: Whether church events or clubs for sports, take the initiative to become part of something that interests you. This might involve finding a new hobby, joining community groups, or even just getting together with friends to enjoy a shared pastime.