The Benefit of Labeling

Build emotional intelligence with the use of labels.

We, as a society, can be quick to label people based on actions and acute circumstances. Categorizing people like asshole, coward, kind, strong, or even something as simple as good vs bad. We also casually use medical diagnoses like PTSD, depressed, and OCD on ourselves and others. This kind of language and the use of labeling may not seem like much on the surface but it dehumanizes anyone receiving the label and prevents open-mindedness. People are too complex to be summarized by a label. Bad days, past experience, strengths/weaknesses, and countless other factors contribute to a person’s behavior in a given moment. This isn’t to take away from legit medical diagnoses like major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety, etc, but even these individuals shouldn’t be defined or labeled by the challenge they are facing. Everyone is on a variety of spectrums of character traits and medical diagnoses that fluctuate based on context, circumstance, and mental state.

I love the quote “people are icebergs,” in that there is so much to a person we can’t see in a given moment. The only person who can come close to best understanding yourself is… yourself. Reflection, self-awareness, and intent are what allow one to begin seeing under the surface into why we are the way we are. As answers and opportunities are revealed, you will still never come to a succinct label for yourself. 

Labeling people is limiting. Labeling feelings or emotions, however, leads to understanding, empathy, actionable solutions and emotional regulation.