I Hate Myself: Overcome Self-Loathing and Realize Why You're Wrong about You - Hardcover

by Blaise Aguirre (Author), Jewel (Foreword by)

Learn to understand the unaddressed symptom of mental health

In I Hate Myself: Overcome Self-Hatred and Realize Why You're Wrong About You, internationally known Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School Dr. Blaise Aguirre tackles the pervasive and often ignored issue of self-hatred. This book provides crucial insights into identifying and overcoming this deeply disturbing feeling, explaining why common practices of "self-care" or "self-love" often fall short in cases where self-hatred has become an integral part of a person's identity.

Dr. Aguirre shares compelling first-hand accounts from patients who have battled and conquered self-hatred, revealing the severe impact this feeling has on people from all walks of life and their loved ones. The book delves into the roots of self-hatred, associated mental health disorders, and offers practical strategies for overcoming these challenges.

In the book, you will:

• Learn to identify the origins and signs of self-hatred
• Understand the connection between self-hatred and suicidal behavior as well as to co-occurring disorders like borderline personality disorder and depression
• Discover effective strategies for transforming self-loathing into self-compassion

Perfect for those struggling with self-hatred and their loved ones, as well as mental health professionals, I Hate Myself offers a compassionate and practical approach to achieving self-acceptance. Start your journey towards healing today and embrace the self-worth you deserve.

Front Jacket

In I Hate Myself: Overcome Self-Loathing and Realize Why You're Wrong About You, internationally recognized Harvard academic and psychiatrist Dr. Blaise Aguirre delivers a groundbreaking and insightful discussion of one of the most important--and least discussed--experiences in the field of mental health: self-hatred.

Self-hatred is a key source of suffering as well as contributing factor in many cases of attempted and completed suicide. Yet, it is rarely discussed in therapy, and even more rarely studied by researchers. Dr. Aguirre explains how to identify, understand, and then overcome this deeply disturbing and potentially life-threatening experience. He also highlights why self-hatred is such an intractable problem and why simply applying the seemingly commonsense practices of "self-care" or "self-love" may not go far enough in addressing the issue.

I Hate Myself contains the honest, firsthand accounts of many patients who have conquered self-hatred and related constructs. It outlines the real impact of self-hatred on affected people and makes clear why they erroneously come to believe that they are irredeemably flawed and then come to see why they are worthy of compassion and love.

The author explores the origins and the signs of self-hatred, reviews its manifestation in commonly co-occurring disorders--including borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, and depression--and identifies specific strategies that those who experience self-hatred can apply to reduce their suffering.

Perfect for those with lived experience, and for those who love them, I Hate Myself will also earn a prominent place in the libraries of social workers, psychologists, counselors, psychiatrists, researchers, and other mental health practitioners and clinicians with an interest in this critically important and infrequently discussed subject.

Back Jacket

Praise for I HATE Myself

"I hope that in exploring Dr. Aguirre's concepts in this book, you will begin to realize that destructive thoughts and opinions and certainties of self-hatred are not only not true but are distracting you from experiencing the journey of a lifetime--discovering who you actually are. And who you are, I promise, is beautiful. Scars and all."
--JEWEL, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, humanitarian activist, and mental health advocate

"Dr. Blaise Aguirre has led the way on many clinical issues. Here he again breaks new ground on the poorly understood and researched topic of self-loathing... This practical and ultimately hopeful book will be of use to individuals, families, and therapists alike."
--KEN DUCKWORTH, MD, Chief Medical Officer, NAMI, and author of You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health

"I thought I knew what self-hatred was, but I only knew how it manifested in other observable symptoms. As a concept of its own, defined equally by the author and by the generous people with lived experience who contributed to this book, self-hatred transcends diagnoses and can be, or rather finally will be, a core treatment target in the alleviation of human suffering."
--JON HERSHFIELD, MFT, Director of The Center for OCD and Anxiety, Sheppard Pratt Hospital

"Not only is this book beautifully and compassionately written as itself an act of love and inspiration, it shines a light on one of the most underlooked topics in mental health and the lives of suffering people who deserve better. It's not just my hope but my belief that this book can bring relief to millions."
--Dr. CHRIS WILLARD, PsyD, Harvard Medical School faculty and author of How We Grow Through What We Go Through

"In this evocative volume, Blaise Aguirre provides critical information on a deeply painful, yet under-recognized clinical problem: the persistent, unrelenting, and unyielding intense dislike of the self that is self-hatred. In his characteristic straight-talking yet compassionate style, Aguirre not only provides a rich understanding of self-hatred, but the life-saving tools to combat it. This book is essential reading for those who experience self-hatred and the clinicians who support them."
--CARLA SHARP, PhD, John and Rebecca Moores Professor, University of Houston

"A long overdue masterful deep dive into the importance of tackling self-hatred head-on, with expert viewpoints from individuals with lived experience and mental health professionals. This is a must-read for those impacted by self-hatred, with insights to overcome this distressing core belief, and for therapists and researchers to take up the challenge of addressing this condition, allowing affected individuals to reclaim their self-worth."
--LYNN COUREY, CSW, Founder and President of The Sashbear Foundation, helping families with skills and hope

Author Biography

BLAISE AGUIRRE is Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in the Department of Psychiatry. He is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and the founding Medical Director of the 3East dialectical behavior therapy continuum of care at Harvard affiliated McLean Hospital. He is also the author of Coping with BPD, Mindfulness for Borderline Personality Disorder, DBT for Dummies, and Borderline Personality Disorder in Adolescents.