Self-Esteem

What Is It?

Self-Esteem is the overall opinion of yourself. Your self-esteem starts to form during your early childhood. It’s influenced by your thoughts and perceptions, how others react to you, your experiences at home or school, your status in society, and the media’s messages.

Types of Self-Esteem

Your self-esteem can fluctuate throughout your life depending on your experiences, but normally it stays fairly constant. Self-esteem can be characterized into three distinct types:

Low: People with low self-esteem have a very hard time with valuing themselves. They tend to be very insecure and have a great fear of messing up.
High: People with high self-esteem accept and value themselves. They have confidence and courage to face problems and don’t let those problems throw them off balance.
Inflated: People with inflated self-esteem think they are better than others and always underestimate everyone else. They tend to lack affection and healthy relationships due to their inability to listen and constant blaming of others.

Did You Know?

75% of girls with low self-esteem reported engaging in negative activities like cutting, bullying, smoking, drinking, or disordered eating
38% of boys in middle school and high school reported using protein supplements and nearly 6% admitted to experimenting with steroids
7 in 10 girls believe that they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school, and relationships with friends and family members
Among high school students, 44% of girls and 15% of guys are attempting to lose weight

How Can I Raise My Self-Esteem?