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The aim of this article is to present a summarized view of concepts associated with the notion of identity. Human identity includes both a sense and a set of characteristics, defining an individual as unique or as resembling others from the same group. These characteristics can be observed both from the outside and by the individual him/herself. However, a discrepancy is often found between these two observations, as in general people tend to perceive themselves more positively than others perceive them. A positive self-image is necessary for mental well-being, but cognitive biases aiming at preserving it may hamper the integration of a certain type of information about oneself, namely the negative one. A variety of clinical conditions implying cognitive impairments, whose effects increase under these cognitive biases aiming at protecting the self-image, may cause discrepancy between patients’ self-image and the reality. Thus, acceptance of one's own disease or disability seems to depend on various cognitive and affective mechanisms that take place naturally in a clinical condition of vulnerability.