The Causes of Low Self Esteem
According to The Mayo Clinic, "Self-esteem is your overall opinion of yourself — how you honestly feel about yourself with all of your successes, abilities, flaws and limits. When you have healthy self-esteem, you feel good about yourself and see yourself as deserving others' respect. When you have low self-esteem, on the other hand, you put little value on your opinions and ideas, and you constantly worry that you aren't 'good enough.'" Currently, there are many theories about the root causes of low self esteem.
Some researchers say that academics play an important role in causing low self esteem. Students generally strive to do well in school so they can have positive self-esteem. In 1989, researcher M.V. Covington reported that achievement scores decrease as self esteem decreases and achievement scores increase when self esteem is increased. He added that personal goal setting and having the perception that achievement is possible, as well as one-on-one instruction are among the best tips for improving self confidence. Students who set meaningful and realistic goals are in the best position to improve their academic performance, and therefore build self confidence as well.
Environment is one of the causes of low self esteem, which can be seen in dilapidated projects across America. Being surrounded by drugs, alcohol, street gangs, cultural conflict, crime and violence most often leads to school failure, low self-esteem and delinquency. In 1978, Thomas M. Kenney reported a direct link between building self-esteem and reducing delinquent behavior. According to former LA County Sheriff Sherman Block, "Children join gangs to fulfill the need to belong and the need to feel important. They want to be somebody rather than be a nobody. We must focus on enhancing the self-worth and self-esteem of young people so that they do not seek out and need the gang to satisfy these most basic human needs." In a 1992 and 1999 study, Robert W. Reasoner and Michele Borba concluded that self-esteem programs in school settings can reduce the incidence of violent verbal or physical aggression in schools by 40-50%.
Dysfunctional interpersonal relationships are widely believed to be another of the major causes of low self esteem. In some cases, this may mean an abusive, neglectful or alcoholic parent. In other cases, this can be a parent who is possessive, overprotective and highly critical of the child. As youngsters grow into maturity and begin to date, a large part of one's self confidence rides on the approval of others and social acceptance. Feelings of self worth arise from being desired by others, which plays a part in being able to develop self esteem. In the presence of a lover, people feel more attractive, intelligent, witty and accepted. When that relationship turns abusive, sour or unfavorable, the individual may begin to wonder, "What is wrong with me that I am no longer wanted?" In some cases, it takes years of therapy to overcome such devastation.
Related topics about Causes of Low Self Esteem
Techniques For Building Self Esteem
Learning ways of building self esteem is critical if you had a troubled childhood. Positive self esteem will be the solid base necessary to build up a happier, more successful life, psychologists say. Recently researchers discovered that childhood adversity like sexual maltreatment, emotional abuse and physical violence actually leads to distinct changes in the brain.
Low Self Esteem Effects and Outcomes
One of the most serious low self esteem effects is that it makes it impossible for an individual to live a healthy, happy and productive life. Psychologists have spent decades studying the role that poor esteem plays in a number of social ills. In some cases, people with low self-esteem resort to violence to assert their dominance, while other times people with low esteem become the victims of such violence.
Some Worthwhile Self Esteem Self Help Books
Feeling Good by Dr. David Burns M.D.