Part 2: Low self Esteem-How does it develop?

In Part 1 I introduced what low self esteem can look like. In Part 2 we will look at how low self esteem can develop. Low self esteem will develop in a different way for everyone and the information provided below discusses common reasons. For support with understanding your own low self esteem and how it develops, you are encourage to speak with a mental health practitioner.

In general, the ideas we have of ourselves and the judgements we make on ourselves are our own opinions. We often take these opinions to be true and therefore treat them as though they are facts. In order to improve your self esteem it can be important to understand where these opinions have come from.

Early experiences

The opinions we have of ourselves often develop based on our life experiences. They can develop through: conversations with others, our culture, social situations, listening to other conversations and the media. Experiences at home, in school and among peers will have influenced how you view yourself and other things. Negative opinions of oneself can develop if we have negative experiences such as:

Abuse or Neglect – if as children, we experience neglect then we may experience psychological scars. It is not surprising that if someone has experienced  abuse or neglect, they may develop a negative view of themselves

Parents high standards – if parents are overly critical this can have a negative impact on our self esteem. If family members focus on mistakes and rarely acknowledge positive attributes and individual can develop negative self beliefs.

Difficulty with peers – If an individual struggles to mix with peers, experiences difficult experiences in school or among peer groups they can believe they are different than others. Similarly children experience bullying and some individuals struggle to be resilient to the comments of their peers.

A lack of positives- Some parents and caregivers do not meet the basic emotional needs of children. As such, some children develop a low self esteem because they did not receive praise or encouragement as a child.

Late onset – Often the roots of low self esteem come from early experiences, however, individuals who have healthy self esteem can also find that it is challenged and chipped away at through adulthood. Workplace bullying, abusive relationships and continuous stressful life events can cause low self esteem to develop in adulthood.

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