Essay Example: Low Self Esteem and Depression in Young People

Self-esteem or as sometimes referred to as self-worth, is in most instances considered as an essential part of success. The term is used to describe an individual's sense of personal value or self-worth or in other words, it describes how much you like and appreciate yourself. Low self-esteem is therefore a feeling of worthlessness, i.e. thinking that your worth is lower than what you perceive other individuals to have. Depression on the other hand can be described as a mood disorder that is characterized by a feeling of sadness and a persistent low mood with a loss if interest in most things. Low self-esteem and depression therefore present issues worth looking into their relationship, causes and effects, especially among young people.

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The major link or relationship between depression and low self-esteem is thinking styles and thoughts that are similar to both. The two elements, low self-esteem and depression) often go hand-in-hand whereby a sense of low esteem leaves an individual being vulnerable to depression. While it can be sometimes normal for young people to suffer from lack of confidence or sometimes be disappointed in themselves, people suffering from esteem issues always have a feeling of being unworthy. Low self-confidence can be hard particularly for young people since it kicks in at a time when they are exposed to new life skills and events like relationships, friendships, beginning high school or work, etc. Among the many causes of low self-esteem include; loneliness or bullying, abuse or trauma, negative friends or peers, other ongoing secondary medical issues, serious criticism and neglect from parents, caregivers or any other people that are influential in their lives, etc. Some of the general signs exhibited by a young person with low self-worth include; feeling unwanted or unloved, being afraid to try new things, showing indifference emotionally, inability to withstand minor frustrations, difficulty making new friends etc. (Margarita Tartakovsky, 2013).

Most of the signs and symptoms associated with depression are somewhat similar to those of low self-worth; however there are a few others like, low appetite or unintentional loss of weight, insomnia, fatigue, restlessness, impaired ability to concentrate, think, or make-decisions. A lot of things can cause depression including child trauma, personality issues, life events, environmental issues, genetics and so much more (Macgill, 2017).

It is highly advisable for both parents and teenagers to pay close attention to their self-esteem; this is because the adolescence stage is tumultuous period both physically or emotionally. It is a stage that leaves most teens struggling with low self-esteem. It would therefore be wise to take immediate action in cases where a teenager's self-worth exhibits consistent decline, so that the risk of developing into depression is reduced. Immediate action does not necessarily mean dragging the teen in to psychotherapy; rather, other methods that do not involve a mental health professional could be employed. Both parents and young people are advised to seek knowledge on science-based techniques that are necessary for improving self-esteem such as self-compassion and self-affirmation exercises (Ph.D., 2014). Young people should be encouraged to speak out about their feelings while giving them assurance to provide help and support in every possible way. One should always listen carefully and take an understanding approach to what the young person has to say and avoid being judgmental.

References

Macgill, M. (2017, November 30). What is depression and what can I do about it? Medical News Today.

Margarita Tartakovsky, M. (2013, January 23). 8 Suggestions for Strengthening Self-Esteem When You Have Depression. Psych Central.

Ph.D., G. W. (2014, November 23). Why Teens with Low Self-Esteem Become Depressed as Adults. Psychology today.