We need to be reflective enough to know when we have a mental health problem and need to do something about it. But it's also true that one of the most common causes of mental health problems are patterns of thought that can be changed by conscious self-discipline. Indeed, that's the basic premise of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

I also think there's a social point: we often feel bad because we fear that other people will think less of us for various reasons (money, status, lifestyle). A lot of the time, it's important to resist that natural social impulse and to live on your own terms.