Everyone suffers from low moments at a point in life as situations determine; however, when it becomes a norm for some people who live like this everyday of their lives, it is a pointer to suffering from low self esteem.

Self-esteem is associated with one’s perception of himself or herself. Also called self-regard, self-worth, self-respect, it is how we view ourselves. Note that self esteem is a subjective evaluation; this means that it’s almost always based on your opinion, rather than fact. People that suffer from low self esteem are self- defeated; their battle is with how they perceive themselves from within.

Causes of Low Self Esteem

Childhood experiences are the leading cause of low self esteem. This is the time in your life when you develop your self-identity and start to form an understanding of how you fit into the larger world.

A child’s upbringing can be a determining factor in how a child develops an healthy or unhealthy self esteem. Being bullied or abused as a child is a great cause of low self esteem. Other factors that cause low self esteem are:

experiencing prejudice, discrimination or stigma, including racism
losing your job or difficulty finding employment
problems at work or while studying
ongoing stress
physical health problems
mental health problems
relationship problems, separation or divorce
worries about your appearance and body image
problems with money or housing.

Impact of Low Self-Esteem

While low self esteem in itself is not a mental health problem, if not tackled, it can lead to various mental problems especially depression and anxiety. Some of the experiences of low self-esteem can be signs of a mental health problem, particularly if they last for a long time, affecting your day to day life. Research suggests that low self-esteem is linked to a number of mental health problems including:

Anxiety
Eating disorders
Emotional distress
Panic disorder
Risky behaviors
Social anxiety disorder
Substance use
Stress

Signs of Low Self Esteem

The symptoms of Low self esteem are categorized into two – internal and external.

Internal symptoms of low self-esteem:

People with low self esteem often exhibit different signs, however, there is always a common feeling of inferiority complex. They always have constant feelings of not being good enough, seeing others better than they are.

Other internal feelings include:

worrying and self doubt.
feeling hopeless, worthless, unloved, or unwanted
obsessively fearing failure or believing you’re not good at anything (when there isn’t any evidence to show that’s true)
having imposter syndrome or feeling like you don’t belong
feeling like your successes or accomplishments are accidents or that you don’t deserve them
frequent negative self-talk
feeling like you’re a burden
always doubting yourself or second-guessing yourself
blaming yourself unfairly
hating yourself

External symptoms of low self-esteem:

people pleasing, saying “yes” to everything and everyone
trouble learning new skills or concepts, especially things that are deemed difficult by society, like math
difficulty making new friends or increased dependency on existing friends
Blaming others for one’s failure.
a lack of personal boundary setting: always wanting to be around people
conflict avoidance even if you aren’t at fault
going after what you want, not asking for what you need
disempowering body language, such as slumped shoulders, protective postures, limited eye contact, avoiding eye contact, etc.
social withdrawal and anxiety.
You display a low body stance, often slouching, sending the message that you are not proud of yourself.
Instead of taking criticism objectively, you react emotionally.

You can overcome it

Low self-esteem can take a toll on your emotional well-being, so it is important to take steps to address your sense of self and get the support that you need. Remember that your self esteem isn’t about the facts about you but how you translate it to form your own realities and opinions about yourself. It’s important to remember that you have the right to feel good about who you are.

If need be, seek professional help, remember that your upbringing is in your past, so forgive yourself while you face your future. Most importantly, believe in yourself, Notice the little things that you are good at and allow yourself to feel proud of them. Other areas to boost your self esteem include: