Low self-esteem can have devastating repercussions for relationships, work and health – from stress to depression to anxiety to self-harming behaviors and more.
Negative experiences during childhood and adolescence can have a dramatic effect on your self-esteem, including genetics, trauma and religious affiliation.
1. You’re Always With Your Partner
Low self-esteem can result in feelings of abandonment by your partner. You might worry they won’t love you enough or fall for someone else instead of you.
Relationship expert Laura Steventon notes this behavior is common for individuals with low self-esteem and can cause them to be jealous or control others in some manner. They may become critical and control others instead.
Relationships with people who suffer from low self-esteem can be challenging. They may not feel they deserve your time or are uncomfortable discussing certain topics such as anxieties and fears. It can be tough to communicate effectively when communicating with these individuals.
So it is crucial that we recognize these symptoms quickly and address them effectively in order to strengthen our relationship quickly and feel more secure and fulfilled together. The sooner these issues can be dealt with, the quicker your relationship can improve allowing both of you to feel more confident and content together.
2. You Can’t Say No
Low self-esteem makes it hard to say “no”, since you may not feel worthy of having your needs fulfilled.
Learn to put yourself first by prioritizing yourself. Doing this can help build up your self-confidence and empower you with strength in yourself and in yourself alone.
One method to do so is by writing down all your positive qualities and habits – this can help counter any negative thoughts that suggest you don’t possess what it takes for success.
Learn to resist your inner critic. Negative thoughts about oneself often arise from within and contribute to low self-esteem issues.
Have you experienced abuse, neglect or punishment which has left you with low self-esteem? These experiences are highly impactful and difficult to shake off.
3. You’re Always Feeling Guilty
If you find yourself constantly feeling responsible for things that aren’t your responsibility, you may have low self-esteem. These feelings of guilt could stem from people in your life such as family members, friends or your partner triggering it in you.
As much as guilt may weigh on us, there are ways to cope and overcome it. Here are a few ideas on how you can do just that:
One effective strategy for reframing guilt is recognizing it’s just an emotion you cannot control; try instead to find the lesson behind each situation as a means for growth.
4. You’re Always Making Excuses
Low self-esteem makes people more apt to make excuses instead of taking action when faced with challenges and opportunities, leading them to avoid situations which might make them feel uneasy or upset.
As an example, you might tell other people things like, “I don’t have the strength or ability to handle that” or avoid speaking up when others become angry with you. Furthermore, this might also prevent them from sharing their opinions or standing up for themselves when faced with situations in which others are hostile towards you.
Compulsive self-mutilation, or picking at your skin or biting or chewing your nails and hair in order to relieve tension, is a common trait among those with low self-esteem.
Low self-esteem can stem from various causes, including your upbringing, past relationships and perceptions of yourself and others, an ingrained pattern of self-criticism or poor mental health overall. Once you understand where it stems from and take steps to change it, however, a stronger foundation for yourself can begin taking shape.
