What Are Self-Esteem Issues?
Possessing low self-esteem or self-esteem issues is when someone lacks sufficient confidence about who they are as a person and what they are capable of doing on their own. Those experiencing low self-esteem may constantly worry about letting people down or making mistakes due to their perceived inability to succeed. While it’s perfectly normal for people to sometimes lack confidence, those with self-esteem issues tend to have very little confidence in general.
What are the Symptoms of Self-Esteem Issues?
Self-esteem issues can have significant negative impacts on many aspects of daily life, especially regarding personal and professional relationships. Those experiencing these issues or who just possess low self-esteem, in general, can end up encountering a massive variety of symptoms depending on their situation. Some of the signs that indicate the presence of self-esteem issues include (but are not limited to):
- Sensitivity to criticism and fear of judgment
- Self-deprecation and self-criticism
- Social withdrawal and isolation
- Low motivation
- Low self-respect
- Poor body image
- Profectionest tendencies
- Preoccupation with personal problems and failings (to an excessive degree)
- Hostility and defensiveness towards those who may criticize them
- Focusing on your negative qualities and ignoring your achievements
- Believing that others are better than you and comparing yourself to them
- Not accepting compliments
- Potential to engage in earlier sexual activity compared to peers
- Anxiety and depression
- Feelings of extreme sadness, shame, or anger
- Anorexia
- The development of unhealthy habits like smoking, alcohol abuse, and the use of illicit drugs
What Causes Self-Esteem Issues?
There is a wide range of factors that can result in people developing self-esteem issues, many of which take place during one’s childhood. In fact, many people find that much of their self-esteem issues may stem from a variety of negative experiences that occurred during their formative years. Some of the causes for self-esteem issues can include (but are not limited to):
- Having under or over supportive (smothering) parents or caregivers
- Having authority figures in conflict with one another (fighting parents, for example)
- Stressful life events (moving, divorce)
- Mood disorders, like depression
- Bullying from peers or authority figures
- Trauma or abuse
- Loneliness
- Medical issues
- Academic challenges and struggles in school
- Negative influences from peers
How are Self-Esteem Issues Treated?
To improve or overcome self-esteem issues, there are several tactics that people can make use of. Most of these methods have to do with actively trying to improve your thoughts, actions, and perceptions of self over time. This can be especially helpful when done with a trained medical psychiatrist or therapist, like those available at Interpersonal Psychiatry. They can help you work through things and keep you on a solid track towards developing a more positive perception of yourself. Some of these tactics include:
- Avoiding the use of self-deprecation (even in humor)
- Thinking about your achievements and the things your good at
- Celebrating your accomplishments (even small ones)
- Avoiding trying to do things perfectly
- Doing something that you enjoy
- Not beating yourself up if a mistake is made
- Thinking about the things you can change and improve about yourself
- Exercise
- Volunteering to help people
- Changing negative thinking by examining alternative explanations and considering new perspectives