There is a difference between saying "I did something I regret" and saying "I am broken." The first is an observation. The second is a label — and labels are one of the most destructive patterns in psychology.
Labeling works like this: you take one behavior and turn it into your entire identity. You watched porn, so you are "a porn addict." You failed once, so you are "a failure." The behavior becomes who you are instead of something you did. Therapists call this a cognitive distortion — your brain drawing a conclusion that is wider than the evidence supports.
Here is a simple test. Imagine a friend who told you they were struggling with the same thing. Would you say "you are broken"? Or would you say "you are dealing with something hard"? The language you would use for a friend is closer to the truth than the language you use for yourself.
Try this reframe: every time your mind says "I am [negative label]," replace it with "I am a person who [specific behavior] and is working to change it." "I am an addict" becomes "I am a person who developed a compulsive pattern and is actively recovering." Same facts. Completely different identity.
The label traps you. The description frees you to act.
You are not your worst behavior. Replace the label with a description — it changes everything.
Write down one label you call yourself. Cross it out. Next to it, write the description version: 'I am a person who ___ and is working to change it.'