Identity

As defined by the Oxford dictionary, personal identity is a phenomenological sense of oneself as a separate individual being with a distinctive personality and a ‘true self’ persisting over time; a self image. Individuals can experience psychological distress related to their sense of identity, impacting on their personal contentment, relationships, sense of direction and feelings of acceptance and belonging. Identity issues such as gender, sexuality, interpersonal difficulties, personal beliefs, changing roles and ageing can cause emotional distress and exploring these issues with a psychologist can be helpful.