What is Low Self-Esteem?

What is self-esteem? 

Self-esteem means how we value ourselves. For example, do we respect or regard ourselves highly enough like we would our family members, friends and colleagues?

What is low self-esteem? Low self-esteem means that we have a negative opinion or belief about our self. This can lead to a person can struggling to respect themselves, or value themselves as a worthwhile person. 

Self-esteem incorporates our identity, how we value our sense of self and belonging; it also affects our self-confidence, or how we measure our competencies and abilities to do things. When we suffer from low self-esteem, we often practice negative self-talk - an internal voice that constantly judges or criticises us. A voice that tells us we are not good enough, inadequate, incompetent or not worthy of love.

Common signs of low self-esteem are:

• Lack of confidence
• Negative social comparisons
• Trouble asking for help
• Worry and doubt
• Difficulty accepting compliments
• Negative self-talk
• Fear of failure
• Poor outlook of the future
• Lack of boundaries
• Being a people-pleaser

Low self-esteem can affect us in many ways: unfulfillment in interests can lead to low mood or depression, achieving goals can be unsatisfactory and social interactions can be difficult often leading to low self-confidence or withdrawal and isolation.

The causes of low self-esteem may stem from childhood, or from a specific event you have experienced in your life, or from a low resilience threshold and poor coping skills to manage stress or even ruminating on negative thoughts and memories. 

Practicing self-care, focusing on your achievements or talking with a trained therapist, at Susannah Ramsay Therapy - Stirling can help build your self-esteem.

Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/signs-of-low-self-esteem-5185978