Self-esteem is the subjective perception about the self-concept, worth or value. The American Psychological Association defines self-esteem as “the extent to which the qualities and attributes included in one’s self-concept are perceived to be positive.”
It also describes the amount of trust and confidence one has in their abilities and attributes. Self-esteem contributes in shaping the self-concept and self-worth. It is important because it influences the decision-making process, relationships, emotional health and overall wellbeing.
The significant characteristics of self-esteem are:
Self-confidence: Self-confidence is a key component of self-esteem because believing in oneself and having confidence towards one’s own abilities helps in building high self-esteem.
Security: A secure sense of self leads to higher self-esteem. Secured self means not seeking validation from people and completely accepting parts of self.
Emotional self-care plan: Emotions play an important role in how we think and behave. It refers to the techniques used for emotional regulation. Identifying the feelings, understanding the emotional needs and triggers and setting boundaries are a part of the emotional self-care plan.
Self-love: It is interconnected with self-esteem and self-compassion. Having strong sense of appreciation, affinity and positive regard leads high degree of value towards oneself.
Sense of belongingness: The quality of social relationships and the ability to find meaning in relationships provides a sense of belongingness which eventually enhances the self-esteem.
Sense of competence: The competence element explains the degree of believing in the skills and abilities that are essential to succeed in life.
Self-Esteem and Mental Health Issues are closely interrelated hugely influencing each other. Low self-esteem can lead to multiple mental health issues, affecting the overall well being of the person. Let’s delve into specific mental health issues and conditions and their relationship with self-esteem in an individual.
Depression and self-esteem
Individuals with low self-esteem are more likely to develop depression. Negative perception about oneself, leads to persistent feelings of sadness, worthlessness, hopelessness and helplessness. This consistent negative self-belief triggers depressive symptoms and difficulty in finding meaning in life. The treatment for depression consists of a comprehensive approach highlighting the depressive symptoms and the underlying self-worth issues.
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective treatments which helps in addressing the core negative thoughts related to the sense of self.
- Behaviour Therapy encourages individuals to engage in healthy activities which would provide them with a sense of accomplishment and uplift self-esteem.
- Interpersonal therapy focuses on improving the social and personal relationships because stronger connections help in elevating mood and self-worth.
Anxiety and self-esteem
Low self-esteem can lead to anxiety disorders. People with low self-esteem have constant fears and insecurities, worry about the perception made by others. They also have the fear of disappointing people and not measuring up to others’ expectations. This eventually leads to intensified anxiety especially in social situations and immense fear of failure. The treatment for anxiety consists of approaches like:
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is an effective treatment for anxiety disorders caused by low self-esteem and other reasons. It helps in identifying the automatic negative thoughts that trigger anxiety and challenge the self-worth.
- Acceptance and Commitment therapy allows individuals to accept their intense emotions and feelings rather than escaping or avoiding them. It helps the individuals to accept that these deeper feelings are responses to certain situations and should not prevent them from moving forward in their lives.
- Desensitization helps individuals who have social anxiety by gradually exposing to feared social situations (e.g. public speaking, socializing with strangers). It is a strep by step process where the small steps encouraged with appreciation and admiration.
How can growing up with narcissistic parents impact self esteem? Learn here.
Bipolar disorder and self-esteem
It is defined as a disorder possessing alternating episodes of mania and depression. The periodic nature of bipolar disorder ranging from high and low self-perception leads to difficulty in maintaining a positive and stable perception about self. The treatment plan includes:
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy focuses in recognizing the triggers and early signs of mood shifts, thus helping the individual to become more aware, navigate it in the appropriate way, learn the coping mechanisms and reduce the impact on the wellbeing.
- Addressing self-esteem specifically in the therapy sessions encourages the individual to deal effectively with the self-esteem issues.
- Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy emphasizes on maintaining a proper routine by managing sleep, food habits and social interactions. A healthy lifestyle helps in stabilizing mood.
Body image issues and self-esteem
It has a strong correlation as negatively perceiving one’s body can make a person feel dissatisfied, ashamed and critical about their appearance and self-worth. The treatment plan for body image issues include-
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy helps individuals identify distorted thoughts and challenge these thoughts by providing more stable and balanced thoughts. It also encourages the individuals to develop healthy coping mechanisms.
- Mindfulness based cognitive therapy involves mindfulness practices with cognitive therapy to help individuals to be in the moment with more acceptance and self-compassion
- Body appreciation and body acceptance- This approach intends to shift the focus from appearance to appreciating the body for its own abilities and capacities. It emphasizes on the strength, mobility and the overall health.
Thus, self-esteem plays a crucial role in determining mental health. Emotional, psychological and physical health of a person depends on the components of self-esteem. If a person is struggling with low self-esteem leading to a lot of mental health issues, it is always important to seek help from a professional for positive self-esteem, resiliency and better mental health. And if you are looking for a trusted resource to understand the issue of self-esteem better and get professional help, reach out to North America Behavioral Health Services!
