Self-esteem issues may arise at any point in life and often occur alongside other struggles, including depression, anxiety, and life changes. Our self-esteem is affected by many things: physical development, appearance, racism, the quality of our relationships, our successes, and our social and financial status. These issues impact us differently at different ages and stages of life. If we don’t care for our self-esteem in healthy ways, more harmful consequences can follow, including disordered eating, isolation/withdrawal, overspending, substance use, and adopting a false identity.
It is unrealistic to feel great, or even good, about ourselves in every situation. However, feeling bad about yourself in most situations keeps you from vital experiences and connections that would likely help increase self-esteem. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a great starting point for understanding the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make self-esteem struggles worse. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) also lends itself well to self-esteem issues, as it values the idea that there are some things we must accept and other things we can change. Together, CBT and DBT set a strong foundation for working on self-esteem issues across the lifespan.
