Low self-esteem can be seen in the belief to being worthless, incompetent and hopeless.

Such a way of thinking can lead to a dangerous cycle in which the continuation of negative self-beliefs begins to create a subconscious pattern of behaviour that aggravates negative beliefs. For example, we can say, “You see … my behaviour is a proof that I am worthless, so I have the right to believe that I am just such; incompetent and hopeless “. Beliefs are getting stronger, and the pattern of thinking is working.

People with low self-esteem often present the following symptoms:

• They try to do everything perfectly
• They are afraid to love and believe that they do not deserve to be loved
• They blame others for their mistakes
• Consistently express a negative opinion on almost every topic
• They like to “play” safely; They are afraid to take even the slightest risk
• They are very suspicious even of family and friends
• They want others to make decisions for them

It is worth to understand that in many cases, low self-esteem is a learned state. It means that negative self-esteem has been ingrained by someone else or has evolved by generalising several negative events.

Excessive generalisation occurs when the isolated results of our actions attempt to identify self-esteem in our whole live. For example, if a man invites a woman to dinner and hears “No,” then he builds the conviction that all the women say “No” to him.

For a man with a high self-esteem, the word “No” only means that this particular woman was not interested in dinner.

Often, a person with authority; parent or carer may have a negative impact on the child’s self-esteem.

Low self-esteem affects every aspect of life. What could be the consequences of this influence?

The way we think about ourselves is crucial and often directly linked to the general state of health. People who reflect on themselves negatively often experience the following consequences:

• Easy to get discouraged
• Fright and Fear
• Consistently located in chaotic and even dangerous relationships
• High assurance
• Addiction to alcohol and drugs
• Eating disorders
• Cardiovascular and immune system disorders
• Problems with skin and hair
• Long-term stress that can lead to heart disease
• Sexual dysfunction in men and women
• Failed relationships
• Negative impact on family and friends

People with low self-esteem may experience four basic fears identified by psychologists.

• Fear of doing something that will confirm low self-esteem
• Fear of experiencing once again feelings of despondency, despair and humiliation
• Fear that others will recognise imperfection and inability
• Fear of losing what is already there; And that will never succeed again, which will lead to a sense of rejection again.

The good news is that learned behaviour can be altered by assimilating new, rational and positive beliefs.