"Tracey helped me at a real time of need. I was suffering from really low self esteem and was having a lot of trouble sleeping due to pressure at work. I had seen others and not really made any progress but from the first introductory call I knew Tracey was different. With her support I pulled myself up and sorted out my sleeping in no time. I would strongly recommend her, and have already done so to both a family member and colleague (both of whom were very grateful and have been back). Thank you Tracey for your help, I am so glad I picked up the phone and got in touch! Thanks a mil."
Why don’t I feel good about myself?
If you suffer from low self esteem you may experience one or more of the following:
- Unable to judge your own strengths or achievements
- Unable to accept compliments
- Reluctance to take on challenges
- Reluctance to trust your own opinion or judgement
- Reluctance to be involved in social situations
- Lack of social skills and self confidence
- Periods of sadness and/or depression
- Tendency to accentuate the negative
- Preoccupation and concern over what you imagine other people think
- Treating yourself badly but NOT other people
- Unable to be fair to yourself (although you may not recognise this yourself, it may have been pointed out to you by others)
- Worrying whether you have treated others badly
- Expecting little out of life for yourself, together with possible self neglect
- Eating disorders
I am not worthy… !
Low self esteem is the inability to be objective about yourself or to value oneself correctly. There is a tendency to compare with others and to come off worst. People suffering from low self esteem will often be heard making negative or derogatory statements about themselves.
Causes of low self esteem.
There are often a combination of factors relating to low self esteem, however this condition can usually be traced back to a negative event or experiences in early life such as a failure or the individual being told persistently and made to believe that they are not a competent person. Sometimes this can be by well meaning authority figures such as a parent or teacher.
As we grow up we take the voices of people who were significant to us with us. We tend to criticise ourselves in their sharp tones, and make the same comparisons with other people that they did. Our experiences create a foundation for generalised conclusions about ourselves and subsequent judgements about ourselves as people. It is these judgements, the habitual negative conclusions that we draw, and the resulting distorted self view of the self that lies at the heart of low self-esteem.
Can low self esteem be harmful?
The effects of low self esteem can be far reaching and all pervasive. They can include fear and anxiety about one’s competence and ability to cope. They may create doubts and fears which can lead to bad feelings, sadness and ultimately depression. Low self esteem and a lack of self worth often creates a hypersensitivity to the comments of others, sometimes distorting them and tending to always see them as criticisms. This is term can have an ongoing effect on relationships whether intimate or otherwise. People suffering from low self esteem are often seen as ‘needy’ or high maintenance. They lack confidence in their own skills and abilities and often find it hard to make decisions, or assert themselves.
A lack of self worth may lead to coping behaviours like under or over achieving; which are ultimately self defeating or self sabotaging. Low self esteem is also linked with obsessive compulsive tendencies, addictive behaviours notably alcohol and drugs. Many forms of sexual dysfunction are connected to feelings inadequacy and low self worth.
As can be seen the effects of low self esteem can be all pervasive and far reaching. They not only have a negative effect on how you feel but also how you behave and ultimately on general health and quality of life.
Low self esteem is difficult to live with yet there is hope. With a series of hypnotherapy and counselling sessions it is possible to think and feel differently!
When you are ready to make some changes, small or huge, just contact Hypnotherapy Balham now! Don’t think about it anymore, just give it a go, pick up the phone and make a call that could change the rest of your life…