Low self-worth or self-esteem is when someone lacks confidence, about who they are, how they look and what they can do. Often they feel unloved, inadequate, afraid they will let people down or make mistakes, which is not only very detrimental to your wellbeing but can lead to depression and anxiety. Low self esteem can affect you in many ways and the signs you or someone you may know are suffering can be ;
Sensitivity to criticism
Lack of assertiveness
Social withdrawal
Hostility or ‘lashing out’
Preoccupation with problems
Poor problem solving
Lack of care for themselves
Overcompensating or ‘people pleasing’
Feeling sad or lacking worth
Depression
Anxiety
Eating disorders
Drug or alcohol abuse
There are many reasons you may have low self esteem, your’ genes, upbringing, life circumstances but at its’ heart are negative core beliefs. Your mind can be an excellent storyteller and can weave together stories usually about you and often untrue. This inner voice in your head can become stuck on certain thoughts and feelings, replaying events over telling you that you are not good enough, worthless, unlovable or a failure. You will be surprised most people have these thoughts and beliefs, however it is how we deal with them which makes the difference.
How I can help?
Our core beliefs are often maintained by 'thinking errors' developed over time, often developed as coping strategies which tend to reinforce a problem rather than solve it. I can help you understand what is going on and provide you with the means to change this negative self talk, By disputing these unhealthy patterns of thoughts, replacing them with new more positive and rational one’s we can can change these long established unhelpful patterns of thoughts and behaviours. When our confidence is low we simply don’t believe we can achieve anything. Cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy is an excellent way to boost your self belief and confidence by identifying these underlying core beliefs, disputing the negative thoughts and ultimately ‘changing the stories we tell ourselves’.
Together with ACT, coping skills trainingand self-compassion therapy we can break the vicious circle of low self esteem (only feeling good about yourself if praised or reassured by others) and give you back more control of your life and an increased confidence in your own abilities.
And next time you feel under confident or full of negative self talk, take a look at people around you and wonder what they are struggling with. As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said,
“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not.”
I offer a free 20 minute consultation, if you have any questions or are still unsure how I can help please feel free to contact me via phone or email.
