When you first look at newborn babies you realize that they’re completely untarnished and unscathed from the world that lies before them.

We weren’t born with a low self esteem, it is shaped from our life experiences and our interaction with our peers and it forms the basis of how we see ourselves, both the good and the bad.  A major part of how we view ourselves is through the perspective of others.

It’s true, how often do you have the wind taken out of your sails when someone doesn’t like you simply because you laugh too loudly?

Subconsciously you begin to think the same thing about yourself and before you know it you’ve sustained yet another battle chink in your self esteem armor.  Years down the track, your armor tends to look a little worse for the wear, beaten and battered you feel deflated and self defeated.  All of these experiences eventually shape you into who you become.

Self esteem issues are most often the most difficult to detect because the wounds aren’t inflicted physically and people can’t see the damage you’ve sustained over the years.  It’s not until the deep seeded issues rear their ugly head that you finally realize you need help.

The beautiful thing about self esteem is that it’s resilient, it can be repaired and fortified and you’re going to learn some tips to help you do just that.

There are a myriad of reasons that cause people to develop low self esteem which have either been inflicted by other people, the person themselves or both.

A person that suffers from low self-esteem presents with common as well as predictable behavior patterns and in some instances may even become seriously ill depending on the severity.

When it comes to low self-esteem it’s possible to develop side effects such as high blood pressure, IBS, indigestion, heart disease, anorexia and other related illnesses.

A PERSON SUFFERING FROM LOW SELF ESTEEM WILL SHOW SIGNS OF:

•    Aggression towards other people as well as towards themselves
•    Constant negative self talk such as “I can’t do this” or “I won’t succeed” etc
•    They usually have a concave posture
•    They speak quietly as well as speak down of themselves
•    They will avoid any conflicting situations
•    They prefer to be alone and do not socialize much if at all
•    They hardly participate in any outdoor activities
•    In severe cases anorexia may be present

Low self-esteem can lead to drug abuse, alcohol abuse, eating disorders, nervous breakdowns and even suicide.

People that fall into this category need to seek professional help as they are unable to help themselves.

Depending on the severity of low self esteem there are other methods such as self help programs as well as an array of self help books which are more suited to those that have a mild form of low self esteem. If you or your child or even a friend suffers from extreme depression as a result of low self-esteem find help immediately, chances are that you or they require professional help from a medical practitioner.