Struggling with self-esteem is not uncommon, but some people have it worse than others.
When your opinion of yourself is low, you are more likely to self-sabotage.
This can mean anything from allowing others to get the better of you to fail to recognize your strengths and celebrate your accomplishments.
Here are 13 behaviors of people with very low self-esteem, according to psychology.
It’s time to stop undermining yourself.
1) They engage in negative talk about themselves
Negative self-talk is a characteristic behavior of individuals who do not respect themselves.
When you have a low opinion of yourself, you tend to focus excessively on your flaws and weaknesses.
You ignore your more positive traits and allow your inner critic to get to you.
According to psychology, this can lead to stunted growth and mental health problems.
Additionally, negative self-talk makes you vulnerable to rumination.
Obsessing over mistakes or shortcomings prevents you from moving forward and noticing everything good that happens in your life.
2) They underestimate their achievements
I’ve struggled with self-esteem for a good portion of my life, and the annoying habit I’ve developed as a result is downplaying my accomplishments.
Whenever I accomplish something, I tell myself it’s no big deal.
Everyone could have done it. I don’t deserve credit for pulling it.
When I evaluate my performance objectively, I realize that not everyone can do what I do.
The problem is that I have a hard time internalizing that knowledge, especially on days when my inner critic is running high.
It takes effort for me to acknowledge my victories and allow others to celebrate me.
I am working on it.
People with very little self-esteem should do this too.
3) They neglect self-care
Another sign that you may have issues in the self-esteem department is that you’re not doing nice things for yourself.
You don’t see yourself as important, so you don’t take good care of yourself:
You have a sedentary lifestyle with minimal physical activity
Your diet is bad
Not getting enough sleep
You allow stress to improve
And don’t care about your appearance
You frequently postpone responsibilities, so you are always overwhelmed
You have the right to put time and effort into yourself.
Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.
Not even your annoying inner voice.
4) They allow others to cross their borders
People with very low self-esteem can have difficulty maintaining and enforcing personal boundaries.
They find it difficult to assert themselves, and this affects their well-being.
According to psychology, setting boundaries is essential when trying to develop self-esteem.
Start by understanding your limits and be honest with others about what type of behavior is acceptable.
You will feel resentful and frustrated otherwise.
5) They give a lot
Since we’re on the subject of boundaries, people who don’t have a lot of respect for themselves tend to be people pleasers.
They may be helpful by nature, but their diminished self-esteem pushes their helpfulness to the extreme.
They often make sacrifices to ensure the happiness of everyone around them, even when no one asks them to.
As you might imagine, this doesn’t leave much room for their happiness to flourish.
6) They stay in toxic relationships
People with very low self-esteem are prone to staying in toxic relationships due to a lack of belief in their worth.
They feel they do not deserve better treatment, which leads them to tolerate disrespect and abuse.
In addition, the fear of rejection or loneliness outweighs their desire for respect.
They end up valuing the toxic relationship at the expense of their well-being, perpetuating a cycle of low self-esteem and unhealthy relationship patterns.
Whether with relatives, partners, or friends, they frequently get the short end of the stick.
If that’s you, I’m sending you a strong virtual hug.
You deserve so much better.
7) They seek validation from others
When your self-worth is fragile, you are likely to become dependent on external feedback.
What does it mean?
Simply put, you need others to affirm your worth and provide reassurance that you cannot find within yourself.
Without self-esteem, you doubt your worth, question your abilities, and reject your intuition.
You turn to others to fill this void, hoping to gain the affirmation you lack internally:
You always ask for a second opinion when you have to make a decision
Once you make a decision, you feel a strong desire for people to agree with you
Do not express opposing opinions to avoid alienating people
You believe that others know what is best for you
You compromise your authenticity to suit you
You have to learn to trust your judgment, preferably sooner rather than later.
8) They compare themselves to others
A lack of self-worth may cause you to compare yourself to others, according to psychology.
Instead of deriving confidence from within, you look for external standards to measure your worth.
Playing the comparison game is harmful because it causes feelings of inferiority.
When you see others as more successful, attractive, or happy, it reinforces your negative self-image.
It’s a vicious circle indeed.
9) They apologize excessively
Given that people with low self-esteem do not have a particularly high opinion of themselves, it is often possible to hear them over-apologizing.
Even when they are not at fault.
Over-apologizing stems from a deep need to comfort others and maintain harmony.
It is a way to proactively address potential errors or errors.
Building self-esteem means realizing that you have a right to exist.
You don’t have to apologize for taking up space or expressing your thoughts.
You deserve to be on this confusing planet just like everyone else.
10) They cannot receive praise
Compliments can cause anxiety in people with low self-esteem, according to psychology.
Praise conflicts with their deep-seated beliefs about how inadequate they are.
When someone compliments them, they interpret it as disingenuous, which leads them to reject or dismiss it:
Oh, it wasn’t anything.
Thanks, but someone else did all the work.
If only you knew how many mistakes you’ve made along the way.
You’re very kind, but I don’t think I did it well.
They may also fear that accepting compliments will set expectations they cannot meet, exacerbating their self-doubt.
11) They give in to bad habits
Many people with low self-esteem do not trust their ability to make positive changes in their lives.
Therefore, they engage in behaviors that provide immediate gratification but have negative long-term consequences.
Excessive escape. Take drugs. Overeating. Shopping addiction.
Their diminished sense of self-worth causes them to neglect their well-being, making it easier for them to fall into patterns of self-destructive behavior.
These unhealthy habits act as temporary distractions, providing fleeting relief.
the problem?
They wreak havoc on your mental health in the long run.
12) Criticism destroys it
It’s normal to take criticism calmly when you have a healthy opinion of yourself.
You cannot interpret this as a personal attack. You look at it as a learning opportunity.
Meanwhile, people who lack self-esteem find it difficult to deal with criticism because it reinforces their negative self-image.
They internalize negative feedback and blame themselves for falling short.
Bad feedback shatters their already fading confidence.
13) They settle for less
Finally, a lack of self-esteem makes you vulnerable to settling for less in all areas.
According to psychology, a pessimistic outlook on life is a common symptom of people with low self-esteem.
You don’t trust yourself or think you deserve nice things, so you accept whatever life throws your way.
Incomplete jobs. Bad relationships. Superficial friendships.
Life is smaller than you want.
You dream of aiming higher but don’t have the confidence to take the risks necessary to forge the destiny you want.
Don’t give in to feelings of despair and defeat.
You are stronger than you give yourself credit for.
finalthoughts
If you have identified yourself above, remember that you are the only one who can improve your circumstances.
Maybe the universe has treated you harshly, or maybe you don’t have enough supportive people in your life to help you develop confidence.
Whatever the reason for your lack of self-esteem, you can build it.
Learn to be kind to yourself and use positive affirmations to rewire your mind.
A mental health professional can help you when you slowly begin to prioritize your needs over the needs of others.
