How Did You Come To Get the Symptoms of Low Self Esteem – Part 2

Let’s take a look at some examples:

·    Let’s say that your parents were very busy and distracted when you were growing up. Did this mean that you didn’t get the attention you wanted from them? If they were very busy, you may have felt that you didn’t matter, that you weren’t worthy of their time. They probably didn’t think this themselves, but if you as a child interpreted their behavior this way and formed the belief that you were not worth their time and attention, this could have had a negative impact on your self-esteem even as an adult.

·    If you only received attention for “bad” things you did, such as getting a bad grade, having a messy room, and so on, this no doubt had an impact on you. Perhaps you internalized what they said about you. If they didn’t balance the criticism with positive praise, it’s very likely that you began to see yourself in a negative way.

·    If other kids picked on you in school because you were different in some way, this had to be difficult. Perhaps you began to believe some of the things they said about you, even if they weren’t true.

There are many other examples, to be sure, but one of the most common things (and a common thread throughout discussion about low self-esteem) is that when negative things were said to you or about you, you began to internalize them and eventually to believe in them.

Again, it’s important to stress that most of the time, this was not done on purpose to make you feel bad. This isn’t about blaming people, because it doesn’t matter what others did or said to you in the past. What is important is that you change the impact this had, now.

The assignment today is to simply give some thought to your past experiences and write down those that you think had an effect on your low self-esteem. If you know where the symptoms of low self esteem started, it may just help you turn it around.

Can The Symptoms Of Low Self Esteem Be Bad For Your Health- Part 2

Weight gain from a psychological viewpoint is a way to cover up the internal hurts that are causing the low self-esteem. If a person gains weight, they often feel that no one will want to bother with them; this is most commonly seen in victims of rape and other demeaning type crimes that relate to low-esteem. Many people also find comfort in food; food doesn’t argue with them or verbally abuse them. Food is their only friend.

Weight loss is another tell-tell sign of low self-esteem. The person will either starve himself or herself if they feel they are to “fat” to love or that the answer to all their problems is through weight loss unfortunately, they will find that weight loss has nothing to do with the way they see themselves. The mirror in which the physical body appears is not the same mirror that our emotions look though.

Addictions are another very common occurrence in people who suffer from low self-esteem. They turn to illegal drug or prescription meds as an escape from what they have created and perceive to be their reality. When in fact the drugs are only a temporary break from low self-esteem issues and create a whole new set of problems. The physical effects drugs are devastating on the body and the mind. These substances also cause brain damage or death if the addiction is not handled.

Alcohol abuse is another form of addiction. There are a number of people that will try to drown their problems in booze in order to feel better about themselves. The think of alcohol as their friend because it gives them a false confidence in place of the real confidence they have yet developed.

It makes them think they invincible and this false bravado allows them to do things they would not attempt otherwise. The problem with this addiction is that over time it damages the liver, causes heart disease and even contributes to cancer development.

The symptoms of low self-esteem is a horrible thing for a person to have to endure and the secondary conditions such as the ones listed above only barely begin to scratch the surface of mental and physical problems it can cause. If you or someone you know is suffering from no or low self-esteem try to convince them to get help, you might just save their life!