Self Esteem & Confidence
Self-esteem is how you think and feel about yourself; this may be positive, negative or move between the two points. This usually dictates how you live your life and the decisions you make – and how you view others too.
Symptoms of low self-esteem include:
- Feeling worthless
- Feeling incompetent and unrealistic about your abilities
- Feeling unloved
- Being overwhelmed with fear and negative thoughts
- Being unrealistic about goals
- Being drawn into destructive relationships
- Fear of change
- Distorted views of self and others
Our esteem develops from our experiences and relationships from birth. Negative experiences and troubled relationships lower it, and good experiences and strong bonds raise it. No single event or person determines your level of self-esteem, as it develops over time and can change with time and events.
Healthy self-esteem allows people to be realistic about goals, accept criticism, learn from mistakes and be adventurous but not reckless. Low self-esteem makes people fearful and unrealistic about goals and risks, which further dents their self-image. People with low self-esteem also compare themselves unfavourably with others and have little natural ability to protect themselves.
Negative experiences and troubled relationships can lower self-esteem but it is constantly changing. Some people may be less resilient to recover from set-backs and may need to find an external source of strength to help them change. Counselling, a self-help group or religious group might be useful to help them establish a secure base from which to explore.
If you would like to speak to someone or organise an appointment with one of our experienced psychologists, please contact us today.