Self-compassion is correlated with well-being and has many associated mental health benefits. Greater self-compassion is associated: Psychopathology & Individual Differences Course Work, TCD, Ireland

Self-compassion is correlated with well-being and has many associated mental health benefits. Greater self-compassion is associated with increased social connectedness and decreased self-criticism, depression, rumination, thought suppression, and anxiety. Further, recent meta-analyses have demonstrated the benefits of self-compassion interventions in improving general anxiety symptoms.

Self-compassion may be particularly relevant for individuals with a social anxiety disorder (SAD) given their high levels of self-criticism. Werner et al. found that those with SAD have lower levels of self-compassion compared with healthy controls and recent research has supported the benefits of inducing self-compassion.

Self-compassion consists of three main facets: self-kindness versus self-judgment, common humanity versus isolation, and mindfulness versus over-identification. Self-kindness involves extending understanding to oneself rather than harsh criticism and judgment. Common humanity involves seeing one’s experiences as part of the larger human experience, rather than seeing experiences as separating and isolating. Mindfulness involves holding one’s painful thoughts and feelings in balanced awareness rather than over-identifying with them.