Why Do People Have Such Low Self-Esteem?
Low self-esteem is when someone doubts their abilities. They feel incompetent, unwanted, and inadequate. Low self-esteem sufferers fear failure and blunders.
Self-esteem concerns can hurt your health and relationships. Genes, upbringing, and other factors can cause poor self-esteem.
Low self-esteem is largely caused by your emotional state. Even if there is proof to the contrary, your inner voice or ideas can persuade you that you are not good enough or worth anything. Negative thinking generally lowers self-esteem. (From “What is Low Self-Esteem” – Webmd.com)
Warnings that Your Self-Esteem Is Low
Several indicators point to the possibility that you or someone you know is dealing with issues related to low self-esteem. These are some of the indications of having poor self-esteem:
Intolerance for Praise and Criticism
If you have a low sense of your worth, you may be especially sensitive to criticism, whether it comes from other people or you. You simply perceive it as confirmation that you are incapable of doing anything correctly and as evidence that it serves to reinforce your deficiencies.
Isolation from One’s Peers
Signs of poor self-esteem include saying “No” to social invitations such as going to a party or meeting up with friends, canceling previously agreed-upon arrangements at the last minute, and generally not wanting to be around other people. Because engaging in conversation or talking about your life would only serve to exacerbate the feelings of despair and anxiety that you are currently experiencing, you could find that you have no desire to do either.
Hostility
A person who has poor self-esteem may resort to aggressive behavior as a defense mechanism, such as lashing out at others or being hostile. Attacking a person who might criticize you is an indication of low self-esteem, especially if you already have the feeling that you are about to be exposed or chastised.
An Excessively Obsessive Preoccupation with One’s Own Issues
Someone who struggles with low self-esteem tends to spend a lot of time worrying about their problems, which may be quite time-consuming. Because you are so busy with your issues, it may be difficult for you to assist another person or empathize with their predicament.
Signs and symptoms of the body
It has been demonstrated that having low self-esteem can lead to mental and physical health problems such as sadness, anxiety, and anorexia. It is also possible for it to lead to the development of unhealthy habits such as the abuse of alcohol or the use of drugs. (From “What are the Signs of Low Self-Esteem” – Webmd.com
The good news is it is most times possible to overcome poor self-esteem
Did you know that it is almost always possible to overcome poor self-esteem? The removal of this factor from consideration is an effective treatment for low self-esteem. Contrary to popular belief, it is not usually caused by inherited or ancestral influences. When people develop a critical or negative image of themselves, the cause is usually environmental, according to the majority of psychologists who have studied the topic. If you get rid of the contributing circumstances to negativity, you should find that your self-esteem returns to normal levels.
When the bullying of a youngster stops, the child’s self-esteem begins to return to normal. There is no excuse for bullying, whatever type it is. Be it verbal, or physical…both are deplorable.
According to Psychology Today, there are a few primary factors that contribute to poor self-esteem. Are any of the following issues addressed within the life of a youngster or an adult that you know who has a negative view of themselves?
Abusive behavior on any of the following fronts:
- When parents are all the time arguing and fighting in front of their children, it can harm the children. It can cause these youngsters to have a negative self-image and an unwarranted sense of guilt. Children tend to blame themselves for their parents’ constant arguments and fights.
- Crucial figures of authority and educators. This is something that often occurs more with children and adolescents. Low self-esteem can develop in young people when they compare themselves to those in positions of power and find that they do not measure up.
- Poor academic achievement in the classroom mixed with a lack of support from both the instructor and the parents
- Bullying behavior from peers, which includes adults. It can foster a poor self-image even when parents and friends are supportive of a child or adult. Cyberbullying is another type of bullying behavior used by adults. This happens by sending unwanted electronic messages to a person’s computer.
- Guilt brought on by one’s religious or philosophical persuasions. It is challenging for a person to have a healthy sense of self-image. Even more so when plagued by an ongoing sense of guilt brought on by one’s views on these subjects.
- The media and other influences on society that contribute to the formation of irrational expectations
The list of possible contributors to low self-esteem is longer
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the possible contributors to low self-esteem that you or someone you know may be experiencing. If you’ve been paying attention, you might have noticed that none of these leading causes of an unhealthy or negative self-image relate to the actions of the individual in question. It is neither natural nor usual for human beings to have a negative self-image. Rather, this attitude must be learned from other people or the environment.
To put it another way, each of these factors comes from the outside. When that damaging influence is gone, there is the potential recovery. The cultivation of a pleasant and wholesome view of oneself returns.
Consider a friend or acquaintance of yours who struggles with a pervasive sense of failure. Your friend might not be able to “measure up,” or any number of other areas in which they lack self-confidence. Examine the items on the list above to see whether there are any that could be destructive effects. Engage in conversation with the carers, parents, and other authoritative people who are a part of the lives of the kid or adult in question.
Talk about your worries and make sure the person in issue maintains a healthy, happy, and high sense of self-esteem at all times. So, in most situations, counseling is not necessary to regulate a healthy self-image.
Getting rid of the external and environmental causes of someone’s low self-esteem can do wonders for that person.
