9 Common Symptoms of Low Self Esteem

It is important to remember that Symptoms of low self esteem are not the actual problem themselves; they are just a sign that something deeper is wrong. It's just like when we feel pain in our body, the pain isn't really the problem, the pain is just a sign that something else isn't right.

Taking painkillers doesn't take care of the root problem, the pain might go but the problem will still be there.

In the same way, these low self esteem symptoms are not the actual problem, but they do indicate that something at a deeper level of the psyche isn't right. If you spot these symptoms in yourself or anyone else then it means you need to get to the root of what is really wrong and free yourself from the root of the problem, and as you free yourself from the root causes of low self esteem, you will find that these low self esteem symptoms will also disappear.

9 Commnly Identified Low Self Esteem Symptoms

1. Afraid to take risks - One of the symptoms of low self esteem is that it makes you afraid of taking risks.

It takes a positive mind to take risks, because a positive mind will give birth to optimism, so that rather than looking at what could go wrong, you see what could go right.

When you have a negative mind, you feel negative and as a result become afraid to take risks because you already believe that something will go wrong and that you are going to fail.

Getting what you really want in life, whether it's success in career or business or relationships will require some level of risk, to be afraid of taking risks therefore is to deprive yourself of the things you really want.

2. Can't take complements - Another of the symptoms of low self esteem is that you are unable to take compliments. Whenever someone says something nice about you, you try to dismiss it instead of embracing it because you are unable to see yourself in a positive light.

When people have grown up being told all their life how useless or how ugly they are, it crushes their self esteem and self image to the point that even when someone comes along and tells them that they are beautiful or intelligent, they can't accept it because they have associate themselves with the wrong labels that people have placed on them.

They think "I couldn't possibly be beautiful because all my life I was told that I was ugly and fat" or "I couldn't possibly be smart and intelligent because all my life I've been told by my parents and teachers that I'm stupid and useless"

You are not those negative labels people have put on you. In the words of Les Brown "Someone's negative opinion of you doesn't have to become your reality" - tear off those negative labels.

3. Only see the negatives in yourself - When a person is always focusing on their weaknesses and only see their flaws and short comings, instead of embracing and focusing on and being proud of their qualities and strengths - that is also one of the symptoms of low self esteem.

4. Pessimistic and always expect the worst - I kind of touched on this one earlier, another one of the symptoms of low self esteem is when a person is overly pessimistic, they only see what can go wrong, they always expect the worst to happen rather than seeing possibilities of what could go right.

Even when you are excited about something, a pessimistic person will try to convince you why what you're excited about won't work, they have no passion or motivation and that’s because they focus too much and past failures and as a result expect everything to fail.

5. Have difficulties relating with people - Another one of the symptoms of low self esteem is that you have difficulties relating with people, you feel uncomfortable around a group of people, you are self conscious and prefer to hide away in a corner where no one will notice you.

You keep quiet and avoid conversing with people and even when talking to people you try not to look them in the eye.

6. Suspecting and untrusting due to past hurts - this one is related to the previous point I just made about having difficulties relating with people. One of the symptoms of low self esteem that has been identified in low self esteem sufferers is that they often have a lot of challenges in their relationships, they can be very suspicious and untrusting of their partner due to past hurts and disappointments from previous relationships, they can also be verbally abusive, and emotionally draining - always expecting their partner to fill the vacuum they feel on the inside.

7. Use drugs or alcohol or both as an escape - Common symptoms of low self esteem also include the excessive use of drugs and alcohol as a means of escape from the lack of fulfilment you feel in your life.

People with low self esteem often have a lot of sorrow and emotional pain they are carrying around, and when that pain isn't dealt with at the root, they feel they have to use alcohol and drugs to escape the reality of their life and drown their sorrows.

8. Put others down to feel better about yourself - this is one of the sure symptoms of low self esteem, when a person feels the need to put other people down in order for them to feel good about them self.

If you have to make people feel small for you to feel big then something is very wrong.

9. Try to be a perfectionist - striving to be perfect and out-do others to try and prove that you are better and worth something can be one of the symptoms of low self esteem.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be the best at what you do, but when the motive is to prove to yourself that you are better and superior to others or because you are trying to live up to some false ideal then there might be a problem.

Even without the accomplishments, you should know that you are somebody, if you were to be stripped of everything you have ever achieved, would you still feel good about yourself, would you still feel like a person of worth? Would you still be happy?

If you have noticed any of these low self esteem symptoms in your own personal life, then looking at the common causes of low self esteem might help you identify and get to the root of the real reason why these symptoms are occurring.

Self esteem expert, Dr Joe Rubino, has a great program for building self esteem. The program shows you how to get rid of these low self esteem symptoms. Click here to take a look at Dr Joe Rubino's Ultimate Self Esteem Formula Program.