Self-esteem in adults is influenced by perceptions, thoughts, relationships, and experiences. It develops in childhood and continues throughout life. Personal thoughts and perceptions about interactions with others are a significant factor in self-esteem. Financial, relationship, and health problems can also affect self-esteem. People with low self-esteem tend to question their judgment and decision-making skills and exhibit destructive behavior patterns. Esteem-building techniques can help improve self-esteem.
The factors affecting self-esteem in adults are varied and complex. A combination of perceptions, thoughts, relationships, and experiences all impact a person’s sense of self-worth or self-worth. Psychologists view self-esteem as an enduring aspect of personality that develops in childhood and continues throughout life. While this long-term feeling of self-worth is relatively stable, changes in the level of self-worth are possible. A healthy, positive level of self-esteem creates greater satisfaction with experiences and relationships, a motivating factor for learning techniques that promote healthy self-esteem.
One of the main factors influencing self-esteem are personal thoughts and perceptions about the interactions between self and others. As children interact with family members, teachers and community members, they begin to build a concept of their role in society and their relative worth. These feelings of self-worth become the foundation of adult self-esteem. Increasing self-esteem can be achieved by altering personal thoughts, perceptions and self-talk. Focusing on personal strengths and positive qualities rather than flaws can help people move towards a healthier level of self-esteem.
Other factors affecting self-esteem include financial, relationship, and health problems. Losing a job or promotion can drastically alter feelings of self-worth. Similarly, the end of a romantic relationship or the beginning of a new one affects how a person judges their self-worth. A long-term illness or injury can also affect how adults feel about themselves. These are moments when psychologists especially recommend keeping attention on the positive characteristics of a person.
People with low self-esteem tend to question their own judgment and decision-making skills. They may not have enough confidence in their ability to solve problems, tending to overanalyze or delay making decisions. After a decision has been made, they may continue to deliberate, perhaps regretting the decision they made. This tendency to imagine better outcomes for alternative choices reinforces feelings of low self-worth. The use of esteem-building techniques can change the self-perpetuating nature of low self-esteem in adults.
Other symptoms of low self-esteem include a variety of destructive behavior patterns in interactions with others. People with low self-esteem can be overly sensitive to criticism. They also tend to be very critical of themselves. Feelings of guilt, spending too much time worrying about the past or future, and an excess of irritability, hostility, or dissatisfaction are also typical. Every negative or unsatisfying encounter becomes another factor in lowering self-esteem unless esteem-building strategies are put in place.
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