Low Self Esteem

What is Low Self Esteem?

Low self-esteem is connected to self-doubt, and to a general feeling that you’re not good enough to meet life’s many challenges. If you have low self-esteem, you may believe that you are not capable of achieving your dreams, and you may even believe that you shouldn’t dream at all. In fact, low self-esteem is the cause of many mental health problems, and can be associated with a number of negative emotions, including anxiety, sadness, hostility, shame, embarrassment, loneliness and lack of spontaneity. 

There are many factors, both current and historical, that can affect self-esteem. Current factors affecting self-esteem may include:

• Thinking that you are no good at anything.
• Feeling you that you do not have much to be proud of.
• Feeling useless (some or most of the time).
• Wishing you could have more respect for yourself.
• Feeling you are a failure. 

Whereas, historical factors affecting your self esteem generally stem back to childhood and may include:

• Abuse – physical and/or verbal.
• Receiving criticism and inappropriate punishments.
• Failing to meet parental or peer group standards.
• Feeling the odd one out at home or school.
• An absence of validation, warmth, love and praise.
• Being on the receiving end of other people’s distress. 

How Common is Low Self Esteem

Low self-esteem is at the root of many of our problems. It can sabotage relationships and careers, cause self-destructive behaviours and hold us back from achieving our full potential. It is a significant feature of many mental health problems including depression, anxiety and eating disorders. However, its pervasiveness in society makes it difficult to accurately estimate its prevalence.

By changing our negative interpretations of ourselves, we can change how we feel and improve our self-esteem at the same time.