Low Self-Esteem: Understanding Symptoms & Treatment

Low self-esteem is a common but often overlooked problem that can have a significant impact on an your mental health and quality of life. However with the right understanding and treatment, you can learn to improve your self-esteem and cultivate a more positive self-image. In this blog post, we’ll explore what poor self-esteem is, common symptoms, effective treatment options, and how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help you overcome low self-esteem.

What is Low Self-Esteem?

Low Self-Esteem is having a negative overall view of yourself, judging and evaluating yourself negatively, and holding negative beliefs about yourself as a person. Common beliefs include not feeling good enough or feeling unloveable. People with self-esteem issues experience frequent self-criticism. And they tend to ignore any positive qualities they have or that others notice.

If your self-esteem is low it can often create negative emotions and you’ll often find yourself in cycles of anxiety and/or depression. It’s not uncommon for poor self-esteem to have a big impact across several areas of your life. For example work, relationships and self-care.

Signs of Low Self-Esteem

Have you ever found yourself wondering ‘do I have low self-esteem?’. Here are the most common symptoms of low self-esteem I see in my clients:

• Being highly self-critical and never feeling like you’re good enough. And often ignoring any positive or compliments and claiming any successes are fluke or luck.
• Difficulty prioritising your own needs and neglecting yourself and self-care. Often falling into the trap of people pleasing and not wanting to ‘rock the boat’.
• Feelings of anxiety and depression. Frequently leading to either fear and avoidance of challenging situations, or avoiding and withdrawing from social events.
• Difficulty making your own decisions and sometimes asking others for reassurance. Along with often saying sorry and feeling guilty due to blaming yourself when things go wrong.
• Struggling to like or accept yourself. And thinking other people are better than you or that you don’t deserve positive things.

Low Self-Esteem Treatment

Fortunately, there are several effective treatments available. These include:

1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: CBT is really effective for treating low self-esteem. It focuses on identifying and challenging negative thought patterns and beliefs about yourself, and helps you develop more self-compassion and acceptance.
2. Compassion Focused-Therapy (CFT): CFT is a type of CBT, and is particularly helpful for reducing self-criticism and shame. Self-compassion practices involve treating yourself with kindness, understanding, and acceptance, especially in moments of difficulty or failure.
3. Mindfulness Based-Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): MBCT helps you to become more aware of your thoughts and emotions without judgment, allowing you to cultivate a greater sense of self-awareness and acceptance.

How to Overcome Low Self-Esteem with CBT

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is highly effective in improving self-esteem by targeting the underlying thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to negative self-perception. CBT provides you with the tools and support you need to develop healthier self-esteem and and lead a more fulfilling life free from anxiety and low mood.

Key components of CBT for low self-esteem may include:

• Psycho-education: Learning about the nature of low self-esteem, its causes, and treatment options.
• Formulation: Understanding how your low self-esteem developed, how it presents itself, and what maintains it.
• CBT Tools: Identifying and challenge negative beliefs. Building self-confidence and self-worth. Learning practical coping strategies to manage self-worth challenges and navigate difficult situations. Assertiveness training. Addressing root causes to accept yourself and move to healthy self-worth.
• Relapse Prevention: Putting together a plan at the end of therapy to help you continue progressing towards your goals and to minimise any setbacks.

The Power of CBT for Low Self-Esteem

CBT offers numerous benefits for individuals struggling with self-esteem issues, providing tools and support needed to challenge negative beliefs and build self-confidence. By developing healthier coping strategies, you can learn to value yourself more fully and live a life without low self-worth.

Here are some of the therapy benefits my self-esteem clients find most powerful:

• Actually believing that you’re good enough and stop feeling worthless
• Being able to make decisions without always doubting yourself
• Stopping self-criticism and start being kind and compassionate towards yourself
• Building more positive relationships with healthier boundaries
• Stopping people pleasing and learn how to say no and put yourself first
• Overcoming any symptoms of anxiety and depression once and for all

If you or someone you know is struggling with self-esteem problems, consider reaching out to a qualified therapist who can provide support and effective treatment. With the right help and support, it is possible to overcome low self-esteem and live a life free from the constraints of anxiety and low mood.

Find Out More

I specialise in working with perfectionists. It’s very common for perfectionists to have self-esteem issues, even if it’s ‘dormant’ and sometimes not always as noticeable. As a result I have lots of experience in helping clients successfully overcome low self-esteem. If you’re looking for a BABCP Accredited Senior CBT Therapist you can book an appointment here.

Useful Links

• WhatCBT is and How it Actually Works
• Subscribe to The Diary of a Perfectionist