SELF ESTEEM
Self-esteem relates to how you see yourself and your worth. Low self-esteem relates to feeling badly about yourself and is characterised by a lack of confidence. This can come about as a result of continuous negative thoughts about yourself – which then may be reinforced by situations or other people. Incidents such as bullying, relationship breakdown, job loss, and relationships with parents can contribute to the development of self-esteem issues.
Symptoms
Low self-esteem can often connected to other psychological and emotional difficulties. Some indicators of low self esteem include:
Sensitivity to criticism
Lack of motivation
Feelings of worthlessness
Social withdrawal
Hostility
Excessive preoccupation with personal problems
Physical symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia and headaches
There are many and varied reasons for low self-esteem. It’s frequently traced to difficulties in early years which persist into adulthood. It can also be attributed to ongoing stressful life events (e.g., relationship breakdowns; financial troubles; poor treatment from a partner, parent or carer; being bullied; or being in an abusive relationship). Unchecked, low self-esteem may even lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
Next Steps
At Your Psych Centre we have caring psychologists to assist you to address negative self-beliefs that can lead to low self-confidence and low self-esteem. Through a combination of techniques – including cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) – we help you understand how the negative beliefs have formed, and work on strategies to restructure your thoughts about yourself and your worth.
Contact us at Your Psych Centre via phone, email, or drop in to our office to arrange to see one of our psychologists if you would like to address any unhelpful thoughts or beliefs you may have.
No referral is needed to see one of our psychologists, however, if you would like to access rebates under Medicare you will need to attend your GP and obtain a referral for a Mental Health Care Plan (if eligible) before attending your appointment.