Causes Of Low Self Esteem

Have you ever met a person who felt that he is worth nothing and could do nothing right? If you have, then you should know that it is possible that the person is suffering from a case of low self esteem. Now, before we get deeper into what causes this, we need to understand what self esteem is. Self esteem is a character trait that psychologists feel is the most enduring of all other traits. Self esteem is an assessment of how you feel about yourself and can also be referred to as self-worth or self-regard. There are theories which associate self esteem to motivation in a person and are a related to the need for respect from others and the need for self respect. However, more modern theories suggest that self esteem is a way to measure our acceptance in our social environments. Some of the most common symptoms of low self esteem are an inability to express ones feelings, lack of personal boundaries, denial and blaming others for everything.

Low Self Esteem Causes
Now that we know what low self esteem is and how one can recognize the symptoms for it, it’s time to explore the causes of low self esteem.

The most common cause of low self esteem is neglect and it is most prevalent in children. When parents fail to pay attention to their children and help them by providing them with support and affection, it causes them to feel abandoned. This eventually will lead them to find it difficult to assimilate in a society.
You must have heard of positive reinforcement? It is the practice of encouraging a person to do better by praising what he or she has done so far. If you were to do the exact opposite of it and try to motivate someone just by pointing out their faults and mistakes then you are bound to be successful in DESTROYING their self esteem.
There are times when a person may suffer from low self esteem as a result of ridicule. This ridicule can be based on anything from the person’s weight to his or her features and looks. Being ridiculed over habits or interests can also result in low self esteem.
Since most of the times low self esteem is something that develops in childhood, abuse during childhood can also led to low self esteem. This abuse includes verbal, physical and sexual abuse as well.
Since it was mentioned earlier that self esteem can be seen as a measure of acceptance in a society, there can be times when a person will develop a low self esteem as a result of impairment in leading a normal life, like being out of a job or not being able to exercise the same financial freedom as others close to you.

Unfortunately there is nothing you can do about all the bullies of the world, but there is something you can do about yourself. Whatever you do, don’t ever let yourself feel like you are lesser than others or not good enough. Do your best at everything and be satisfied with the results of your efforts.

How to Cite

Related Articles

See also

More in 'Society'