I first heard the phrase “fake it till you make it” during my first stay in residential treatment. My therapist told me that this mindset had helped many past residents, but at the time, I didn’t fully understand how powerful it could be — and I didn’t use it the way I should have.
Later on, when I finally tried it, it helped. And then, like many coping skills, I stopped using it and ended up suffering in ways I didn’t have to. The truth is, “faking it till you make it” isn’t a complete fix. You still need the right treatment, medication, and therapy to truly get better. But for certain situations, acting as if you’re the stronger, more grounded version of yourself can make a real difference.
Now that I’m on the right medication and actually stable enough to use this skill, it’s helped me handle things I never could have coped with before. One of the most helpful questions I ask myself is, “What would my best self do right now?” And then I try to act from that place. It sounds simple, but it’s incredibly effective.
I want to be clear: medication and therapy are essential for many people — they were absolutely essential for me. I know for a fact that “faking it till you make it” would not have worked for me before my treatment stabilized me. But if you are stable and able to use this mindset and want to become your best self, I genuinely recommend trying it. It has helped my mental health in ways I never expected.
