MissDVL
04-08-13, 11:38
I've never, ever thought of myself as having low self esteem before. As long as I can remember, I've been a confident, happy person who everyone knows for having a smile on my face.
Since I've been seeing my counsellor (7 months), we've discussed the problem of low self esteem. Again, I've been a bit reluctant to accept that this is one of my problems, and why I suffer so much with my anxiety. But today, at a very low point, while searching for other methods of help available, I stumbled across the following...(credit to professional-counselling])
"If you are suffering from low self-esteem or an inferiority complex and you are searching for how to build self-esteem, you may recognise some of the following signs and symptoms.
When you just don't think much of yourself, you are likely to:
worry a great deal
be very cautious
avoid having to move out of your comfort zone
avoid upsetting anyone
constantly look for other people's approval
fake illness to get attention and be let off challenging events/tasks
suffer from social anxiety and have a whole range of excuses at the ready if you can't avoid being invited
do whatever it takes to avoid rejection
have a negative outlook - your glass is half-empty
suffer from depression and/or anxiety
fear being ridiculed
suffer addictions
run a constant stream of negative self-talk
suffer from insecurity in relationships
have dysfunctional relationships with frequent troubled endings
This list of low self-esteem signs is enough to depress you on its own. So I am sure it comes as no surprise that if you have a low opinion of yourself you are also at risk also of depression. That is because you are not meeting your essential emotional needs in balance."
This absolutely shocked me. Every single item on that list is how I have been feeling for the past 5 or 6 months.
Those of you have seen my other thread will know that my OH is currently in prison, which is a massive source of my anxiety and depression. I am constantly insecure about our relationship, how he feels about me, how he will feel when he gets out etc. He does his very best to reassure me but for some reason it just will not sit in my head.
I constantly seek approval from others, whether it's how many 'likes' my status gets on Facebook, or how well I do at work. I thrive on praise and always have done, but not on this scale.
I'm a massive hypochondriac and will always exaggerate any illness I have in order to get sympathy. I don't do it specifically for that purpose, but for the fact that sympathy makes me feel loved.
I can't quite believe I've not seen this for what it really is, and hoping now I can accept that my low self esteem IS a huge issue to me, it will enable me to conquer my anxiety and depression properly.
Since I've been seeing my counsellor (7 months), we've discussed the problem of low self esteem. Again, I've been a bit reluctant to accept that this is one of my problems, and why I suffer so much with my anxiety. But today, at a very low point, while searching for other methods of help available, I stumbled across the following...(credit to professional-counselling])
"If you are suffering from low self-esteem or an inferiority complex and you are searching for how to build self-esteem, you may recognise some of the following signs and symptoms.
When you just don't think much of yourself, you are likely to:
worry a great deal
be very cautious
avoid having to move out of your comfort zone
avoid upsetting anyone
constantly look for other people's approval
fake illness to get attention and be let off challenging events/tasks
suffer from social anxiety and have a whole range of excuses at the ready if you can't avoid being invited
do whatever it takes to avoid rejection
have a negative outlook - your glass is half-empty
suffer from depression and/or anxiety
fear being ridiculed
suffer addictions
run a constant stream of negative self-talk
suffer from insecurity in relationships
have dysfunctional relationships with frequent troubled endings
This list of low self-esteem signs is enough to depress you on its own. So I am sure it comes as no surprise that if you have a low opinion of yourself you are also at risk also of depression. That is because you are not meeting your essential emotional needs in balance."
This absolutely shocked me. Every single item on that list is how I have been feeling for the past 5 or 6 months.
Those of you have seen my other thread will know that my OH is currently in prison, which is a massive source of my anxiety and depression. I am constantly insecure about our relationship, how he feels about me, how he will feel when he gets out etc. He does his very best to reassure me but for some reason it just will not sit in my head.
I constantly seek approval from others, whether it's how many 'likes' my status gets on Facebook, or how well I do at work. I thrive on praise and always have done, but not on this scale.
I'm a massive hypochondriac and will always exaggerate any illness I have in order to get sympathy. I don't do it specifically for that purpose, but for the fact that sympathy makes me feel loved.
I can't quite believe I've not seen this for what it really is, and hoping now I can accept that my low self esteem IS a huge issue to me, it will enable me to conquer my anxiety and depression properly.