5 ways to overcome the causes of low self-esteem. Seek help from a mental health therapist.

Self-esteem is generally seen as an amalgamation of an individual’s notion and realisation of their capabilities, shortcomings, self-worth and identity. An individual’s perception of these constructs determines their ability to manage and lead a fully functioning life and also helps them to become contributing factor towards the society as well as oneself. Self-esteem as a concept is also synonymous with self-love, self-worth, kindness and compassion towards oneself. To be self-compassionate is an ability that develops over a period of time with continuous grit and perseverance.

It is imperative to practise self-compassion as it can contribute towards various factors of an individual’s day to day life like being able to gauge the situation and take informed decisions, to be able to extend, cherish and sustain meaningful relationships, have an insight about their needs and abilities and being able to be mindful about its expression.

An individual sometimes finds it difficult to practise self-esteem or doesn’t always find oneself in the best of his mental capacity to be able to be kind to themselves. There can be an array of sources that might lead to this situation, them being environmental, parental or psychological. The example for environmental sources could be bullying/abuse in schools or workplaces. The example for parental sources could involve neglect on the caregivers’ part which might lead to a crippled sense of self-esteem in a child for the long run. The example for psychological sources could throw light on how a traumatic event could affect an individual’s capacity to be able to accept oneself as they are and deal with challenging situations.

If an individual is facing any of these circumstances, it might manifest largely in their behaviour in the terms of

• Not being able to be assertive in communication
• Being complacent and not being able to reason with authorities
• Always focusing on the negative aspects and discarding the positives
• Surrounded by feelings of self-doubt
• Decreased self-confidence
• Finding it difficult to be vocal about their needs
• Having trouble accepting your positive qualities observed by others

Literature reviews of may researches have revealed that when an individual is gripped by his/her own incapacity of being able to accept themselves the way they are; it culminates into a wide range of mental health concerns like, depressive episodes, sense of hopelessness, anxiety when having to face difficult situations and in extreme cases even suicidal tendencies. All in all, we can say that low self-esteem can become problematic if not intervened with at the early stages.

There are many ways in which one can learn and try and instil a healthy sense of self-esteem. Some of the ways are

Accept yourself the way you are

Self-acceptance is a skill and if learnt can help an individual to scale and maintain positive notions about oneself. Accepting yourself wholly with all the positives and shortcomings, reminding yourself that you are allowed to be flawed and that it is okay. Inculcating this value and practising it might help you to strike an emotional balance and will help you to be considerate of yourself.

Practise being assertive

One might find being assertive to be difficult when faced with concerns related to low self-esteem. But practising assertiveness and standing up for yourself or your beliefs might help you in gaining some confidence which in turn might help you to voice out your concerns and reason with others.

It is okay to not be okay!

There are days where you do not feel like yourself and think about giving up when things come crashing down. That is the time you have to take a deep breath, have a cup of warm coffee and tell yourself that it is alright if things do not go as planned and it is alright to have pitfalls as nobody is perfect! You do not have to be strong all the time.

Let the positivity flow in

Identify the positive qualities that you possess and try to fine tune them. You may be a brilliant artist or can draw/paint beautifully. Indulge in that and pat yourself on the back for a job well done! Take time out for yourself, nourish your hobbies and watch your self-esteem soar high.

Seek professional help

It is 101% acceptable to seek help for your mental health concerns. Sometimes one might find it difficult to deal with their problems on their own and ignoring this might lead you further down the rabbit hole. In order to avoid this one must welcome the fact that it is okay to seek help as it might help you gain a new perspective and empower you to look at the solutions in a fresh light.

Mpower Centres in Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata are one stop solutions if one is struggling with any mental health concerns. The centres follow effective help seeking practices and offer mental health services where one can get help and assistance to improve your perception about self.

Just remember, you are amazing the way you are, believe in yourself and do not let anyone stop you from shining brightly!

Also read, What things to say to a colleague who is struggling with low self-esteem?
https://mpowerminds.com/blog/What-things-to-say-to-a-colleague-who-is-struggling-with-low-self-esteem

How does self-insight help in improving mental health? Find the best psychiatrist near you.
https://mpowerminds.com/blog/How-does-self-insight-help-in-improving-mental-health-Find-the-best-psychiatrist-near-you

What secret sides of human nature do therapists see that a non-therapist would be surprised about?
https://mpowerminds.com/blog/What-secret-sides-of-human-nature-do-therapists-see-that-non-therapists-would-be-surprised-about