A girl filled a mirror with harsh words about herself — her dad wiped them away and wrote something else

Trigger Warning: This particular article mentions self-harm, which might be triggering for some readers. 

There is no love like that of a father, and Jill Castlen (@jill200016_) from Owensboro, Kentucky, realized it during a tough phase. As Castlen's confidence gradually diminished, she completely lost herself, and the persistent negative thoughts significantly impacted her mental health. Dejected, she let out her frustration by scribbling awful notes about herself moments before she was rushed to the hospital in distress. However, the uncertain moment of darkness became a turning point in Castlen's life when her dad made her feel the kind of self-love she had never experienced before. She recalled the incident with a heartfelt Instagram video on March 30.

In 2013, Castlen lost her desire to be alive — consumed by resentment, she injured herself and was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition. Meanwhile, her father saw the mirror, filled with nasty self-remarks, and decided to help his daughter regain her confidence. When Castlen returned from the hospital, she realized her dad had erased all the harsh self-judgments and left a beautiful message instead.

"Kind, loving, smart, pretty, faithful. We all love you, Jill. I am proud to call you my daughter. Stay strong," Castlen's father had written on the mirror. Moreover, he insisted she open up more often about her feelings and not be scared to take others' advice in moments of confusion. For anybody going through a similar difficult phase like hers, Castlen wrote, "If you don’t have a dad, take advice from mine — you are beautiful and worthy and loved" in the caption. 

Research studies have observed a direct link between strong parental support and kids' self-esteem. Take, for example, a study of 250 adolescents (124 males and 126 females) that revealed the impact of authoritative (supportive), permissive (extremely affectionate, with very few boundaries), and authoritarian (overtly controlling) parenting styles. Among kids with supportive parents, more than half (56.28%) reported high self-esteem, while only 13.66% struggled with self-confidence.

However, the percentage of children with low self-esteem goes higher (44%) when parents follow an authoritarian approach. "Among the adolescents with Permissive parenting, 11.6% had high self-esteem, 64.71% had moderate, and 23.53% had low self-esteem," the study concluded.

Meanwhile, reacting to Castlen's story, @mommabearlife commented, "I'm so glad that your dad stepped up when so many don't. He is correct; you are strong, and you are loved! And thank you for reminding all of us! Continued love and prayers for you on your healing journey! You’re doing amazing things for others in your journey! Hugs!" @maddietlhawk added, 'I am proud to call you my daughter.' I love that you experience this."

You can follow Jill Castlen (@jill200016_) on Instagram for more lifestyle and parenting content. 

If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is, please contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433).

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