Dr LeCrone
03-24-2006, 02:05 PM
Mental health professionals tell us that many emotional problems are the result of low self-esteem.
They say their patients…
• See themselves in a very unfavorable light.
• Evaluate their performance harshly and critically
• Feel they never succeed at anything
• View life in terms of blacks and grays.
We all know people who sell themselves short, who are defeatists when they could be winners. Because the problem is so widespread, volumes have been written on the subject. Psychologists trace many problems in human behavior to low self-esteem.
Almost anyone can think of an aggressive, loud, overbearing person who intimidates family and friends and gets his way by simply walking over those around him. This pushy, often obnoxious person, may be extremely insecure and have a poor self-concept. Because he was psychologically or physically mistreated as a child, he developed negative personality characteristics to compensate.
Usually a person with this personality type is unwilling to admit that his aggressiveness is built on feelings of insecurity. Within the course of counseling his difficulties may come to light, however, and provide the opportunity for changed behavior and an improved self-concept.
Many other causes of low self-esteem are evident in daily living. Think about people who are physically quite different from the average and then consider their personality. An extremely overweight person may display a lack of positive self regard. A man extremely conscious of being very short may tend to be overbearing and aggressive to compensate for his unhappiness about his height.
Feelings good about one’s self is often easier said than done. The problem can be complicated by living in an environment where there is little positive reinforcement. There is the spouse who constantly puts her mate down, and the boss who focuses on the employee’s incorrect actions rather than on the things he does right.
While people cannot change their past experiences, and may not be able to change their physical appearance, they can change the way they feel and then other things, such as their physical appearance, often seem to improve.
What can be done to help an individual develop a healthy self-concept?
• Various educational institutions, such as your local junior college or university, are providing continuing education courses on self-concept. Books and other follow-up studies are helpful in introducing the individual to new ways of thinking and analyzing.
• Many churches offer self-improvement courses. When taught by qualified personnel they provided a valuable support group. Often leaders come from mental health associations or psychiatric hospitals.
• Some mental health professionals have group psychotherapy available as part of their services.
• Individual counseling is, many times, necessary to change false or erroneous beliefs before a self-concept can be improved.
• Parents can give a child a feeling of accomplishment and self-worth by giving encouragement and praise.
• Educators can reinforce a good self-concept by recognizing the uniqueness of each individual.
Having a person improve his self-concept and raise his self-esteem is a process which requires a lot of work. And results may not be quickly achieved. But the outcome is worth the effort because feeling good about one’s self is the core of happy and effective living.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1985
They say their patients…
• See themselves in a very unfavorable light.
• Evaluate their performance harshly and critically
• Feel they never succeed at anything
• View life in terms of blacks and grays.
We all know people who sell themselves short, who are defeatists when they could be winners. Because the problem is so widespread, volumes have been written on the subject. Psychologists trace many problems in human behavior to low self-esteem.
Almost anyone can think of an aggressive, loud, overbearing person who intimidates family and friends and gets his way by simply walking over those around him. This pushy, often obnoxious person, may be extremely insecure and have a poor self-concept. Because he was psychologically or physically mistreated as a child, he developed negative personality characteristics to compensate.
Usually a person with this personality type is unwilling to admit that his aggressiveness is built on feelings of insecurity. Within the course of counseling his difficulties may come to light, however, and provide the opportunity for changed behavior and an improved self-concept.
Many other causes of low self-esteem are evident in daily living. Think about people who are physically quite different from the average and then consider their personality. An extremely overweight person may display a lack of positive self regard. A man extremely conscious of being very short may tend to be overbearing and aggressive to compensate for his unhappiness about his height.
Feelings good about one’s self is often easier said than done. The problem can be complicated by living in an environment where there is little positive reinforcement. There is the spouse who constantly puts her mate down, and the boss who focuses on the employee’s incorrect actions rather than on the things he does right.
While people cannot change their past experiences, and may not be able to change their physical appearance, they can change the way they feel and then other things, such as their physical appearance, often seem to improve.
What can be done to help an individual develop a healthy self-concept?
• Various educational institutions, such as your local junior college or university, are providing continuing education courses on self-concept. Books and other follow-up studies are helpful in introducing the individual to new ways of thinking and analyzing.
• Many churches offer self-improvement courses. When taught by qualified personnel they provided a valuable support group. Often leaders come from mental health associations or psychiatric hospitals.
• Some mental health professionals have group psychotherapy available as part of their services.
• Individual counseling is, many times, necessary to change false or erroneous beliefs before a self-concept can be improved.
• Parents can give a child a feeling of accomplishment and self-worth by giving encouragement and praise.
• Educators can reinforce a good self-concept by recognizing the uniqueness of each individual.
Having a person improve his self-concept and raise his self-esteem is a process which requires a lot of work. And results may not be quickly achieved. But the outcome is worth the effort because feeling good about one’s self is the core of happy and effective living.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1985