You are the only one who acknowledged that Gilly, Thank you.
I think labels are important. Stereotyping is important. It is human and there for a reason. It is to keep self safe. For me it is important to become aware of when I label and stereotype. For me that is the only way to put those labels to the side. Ignoring them and saying "I dont believe in labels" has the opposite effect on me -I ignore them and unconsciously my prejudices leak out.

I also believe that labels can be very useful and enhance healing and recovery if used for the right purpose - to heal. Not to find excuses or to judge.

Labels to heal and not to judge, yes! that is important. Labels can sometimes diminish us to one thing and we are all much more than, that.

thank you to the people here who have never judged me

I think personally that labels are differrent than the roles we choose and those that Martin recognise he has in his life. In a group there is recognised roles and unrecognised. (conscious and unconscious) and yet they are there and are needed to have a group function. I personally dont like lables the medical people use to put peeps inboxes of conditions. Although they are useful for those that have them sometimes and then sometimes not.

Here this group we can become aware of the roles that we each have and then choose to look or not its all Ok . Sometimes recognising a role and looking enables us to notice if it has a negative or positive effect on our life and then we can choose to keep or not. The power of the group as ive mentioned befor and not as in POWER to hurt but power to empower, is that within a group that is concerned for individual growth and is set on the same gaol each individual working for their benefit and the benefit of others ,each individual can discover self within that group like cannot be discovered elsewhere that is the magic and power of group work.

Quote:

Labels to heal and not to judge

nicely put

The cartoons were great but.... you know what I saw in all those cartoons ?

I saw the negative messages they might plant in a person mind. I wonder if someone had produced a set showing the positive states of mind that can and do exist.

For instance I can see qualities here in people that include, funny, sensitive, caring, loving, and wise...

My love of life (and myself) has grown enormously since I decided to concentrate on positive qualities and help people recognise their strengths and not their weaknesses.

The cartoons above are images of different roles people take in an alcoholic family. The victim (the person who drinks) The enabler (usually the partner of the person who drinks. She/He learns to take on the role of caretaker (co-dependent behaviour) All the others are examples of how other members of the family can be affected by alcoholism.

sorry gilly was me who started the labels chat....oops x

Looking over this thread again some wonderful stuff here its good sometimes to go over things forgot.

Hello Truth,

That is an interesting quote. Do you want to expand on it?

Truth is another perception it remains with the holder.