Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is your opinion of yourself. People with healthy self-esteem like themselves and value their achievements. While everyone lacks confidence occasionally, people with low self-esteem feel unhappy or unsatisfied with themselves most of the time. This can be remedied but it takes attention and daily practice to boost self-esteem.

Self-esteem affects our thoughts, but also how we act. As an example, someone with low self-esteem may not believe they are good enough for an opportunity and therefore might not even try for it, even if they could achieve it.

Improving self-esteem takes time and effort. In some cases, individuals may have unusually high self-esteem which can also be unhealthy and might indicate a narcissistic personality disorder. Those with low self-esteem can suffer from other issues such as depression.

Self-Image vs. Self-Esteem

Self-image and self-esteem are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct things. Self-image relates to how a person sees themselves. Everyone evaluates their characteristics, looks, and skills to some degree. Someone with a positive self-image might think that they are competent, attractive, and a pleasure to be around. They might also feel confident that other people think these things, too. Self-esteem relates to how a person then feels about their self-image. Poor self-esteem often stems from a poor self-image.

Characteristics of Low Self-Esteem

• Behaviors exhibited by people with poor self-image or esteem include:
• Doubting their skills
• Feeling ashamed or embarrassed
• Believing they will always fail
• Blaming other people
• Poor boundary setting
• Avoiding social engagement
• Hurting others to feel better about themselves
• Avoiding compliments

Some of the many causes of low self-esteem may include:

• Unhappy childhood where parents (or other significant people such as teachers) were extremely critical
• Poor academic performance in school resulting in a lack of confidence
• Ongoing stressful life event such as relationship breakdown or financial trouble
• Poor treatment from a partner, parent or carer, for example, being in an abusive relationship
• Ongoing medical problem such as chronic pain, serious illness or physical disability
• Mental illness such as an anxiety disorder or depression.

Therapy for Unhealthy Self-Esteem

Unhealthy self-esteem and self-image can change over time. Mental health professionals can use psychotherapy and psychoanalysis to help those with low self-esteem. The process begins by identifying the causes of the unhealthy self-esteem. The therapist and patient can then work on building a healthier perspective on these triggers and the patient’s self-esteem.