[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n today’s society, low self-esteem is an epidemic for lack of a better word. It has affected from how we view ourselves to how we go about our daily lives and how we react to the different challenges life throws at us.
When we are influenced negatively – both emotionally and mentally – this adversely affects our self-esteem. Whether or not these feelings have been triggered from within or from external forces, it will affect our life experiences.
Low self-esteem should not be taken lightly. It is notorious for reducing a person’s quality of life. Psychiatrists and mental health speakers say that, if ignored, low self-esteem can lead to stress, depression, and other mental-related illnesses.
Some of the major causes of low self-esteem include:
- Financial problems
- Abusive and toxic relationships
- Ill-treatment from people including spouses, parents, caregivers, relatives, and friends
Life inevitably has its fair share of challenges. However, we should not allow these stressors to make us doubt our abilities. This is because failing self-esteem is enough to trigger suicidal thoughts. It is destructive to the extent that people suffering from it revert to substance abuse, promiscuity, bad eating habits, bullying or have expensive cosmetic surgery just to change how others see them.
WHAT DOES LOW SELF-ESTEEM DO TO YOU?
Breeds negativity
Self-esteem and mood go hand in hand. This is to say that a diminished self-esteem will cause feelings of anger, shame, loneliness and sadness among other not-so-good emotions.
We are all human and at one point in our lives, we are bound to experience negative feelings. However, for a person with esteem issues, this is a completely different encounter. They experience these feelings in combination and will often have difficulty shaking them off.
Self-loathing
Low self-esteem causes self-hatred. They will hate themselves, their thoughts and actions. They also have a hard time forgiving themselves for mistakes they did. Some, especially ladies, will hate their bodies, putting a strain on their relationships. They feel so unworthy that they do not take the time to take care of themselves.
They believe they have nothing to offer
Someone that believes they have nothing to offer will, most often than not, view other people’s thoughts, traits, and actions as being superior to their own. They believe that no one cares about how they feel, what they do, what they think or what they have to offer.
Such believes are destructive and may lead to loneliness, social withdrawal, and depression.
Strive for perfection
We have all encountered that person who is always striving to please everybody; the ‘people pleaser.’ They are not able to stand their ground and say ‘no.’ Believe it or not, the need to always prove yourself and believing you have to be perfect is a huge red flag as far as low self-esteem is concerned.
If ‘perfection’ is not achieved, they feel like they are not ‘good enough’ and find it hard or are unable to forgive themselves for simply being human.
The worst thing is that all the above effects will further enhance that feeling of self-unworthiness. This, in turn, leads to a further downward spiral.
If you have read this and have recognized a few points that apply to you, it is best to seek help so that the debilitating eoidemic can be broken down before it is too late.
