Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Low Self-Esteem
Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Low Self-Esteem: Identifying and Addressing Perpetuating Factors
A refined cognitive behavioural model of low self-esteem elaborates on the impact of certain factors on perpetuating the cycle of low self-esteem. These factors include
- negative core beliefs,
- maladaptive assumptions,
- triggering events,
- cognitive biases and
- unhelpful behaviours.
1. Low Self-Esteem: Negative Core Beliefs
In line with Fennell’s model, adverse interpersonal experiences shape negative core beliefs. These experiences encompass rejection, exclusion, victimisation, abuse, conditional affection or criticism by others. The mentioned encounters are influenced by the societal value assigned to individual characteristics like sex, race, appearance or abilities.
A. Core Beliefs of Personal Adequacy and Social Connection
- The first set of beliefs pertains to perceived personal inadequacy and lower worth. This includes perceptions of reduced worth, limited success in domains highly regarded by society, and a lack of respect or status (e.g., ‘I am worthless’/’Others don’t respect me’).
- The second set of core beliefs of personal adequacy and social connection relates to weaker social connections and reduced belonging. This encompasses feeling less liked, loved, accepted, and included, along with a diminished sense of belonging (e.g., ‘I am unacceptable’/’Others exclude me’).
B. Core Beliefs about the Self and Others
Negative self-beliefs, such as “I am a failure,” correspond with beliefs about how others perceive us, like “Other people look down on me.”
2. Conditional Beliefs and Associated Behaviours
Conditional beliefs, sometimes termed “dysfunctional assumptions,” and “rules for living” link to core beliefs. For instance, a core belief of “I am a failure” may lead to conditional beliefs like “If I don’t achieve high performance at work, I’m a failure.” These beliefs trigger compensatory behaviours, which are discussed below as “excessive or unhelpful behaviours”.
3. Triggering Events
Situational triggers threatening personal adequacy or social connection activate underlying core beliefs. Examples include perceived failures, mistakes, social blunders, rejection, exclusion or negative evaluations by others.
4. Cognitive Biases
Negative beliefs regarding self-worth lead to cognitive biases in attention, memory, and interpretation, potentially relating to implicit self-esteem processes. These biases influence interpretations of experiences, such as viewing mistakes as catastrophic rather than minor slip-ups.
5. Negative Appraisals and Core Belief Activation
Appraisals of triggering events indicating a reduction in one’s value activate negative core beliefs about self-worth and social connection.
6. Negative Emotions
Activation of core beliefs related to low self-value leads to negative emotions like low mood, anxiety, shame and self-disgust. These emotions reinforce negative cognitive biases, fueling further negative appraisals.
7. Low Self-Esteem: Excessive or Unhelpful Behaviours
- Focusing on situations where you feel undervalued and dwelling on past mistakes and failures can keep you stuck in a negative self-image.
- Negative self-talk can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- Continuously comparing yourself (unfavourably) to others often leads to feelings of inadequacy, jealousy and a sense of never measuring up.
- Constantly seeking validation from others and depending on what others think about you makes your self-esteem dependent on factors beyond your control. It can lead to engaging in behaviours solely to gain validation rather than for genuine self-expression or growth.
- Avoidance reinforces (social) anxiety, perpetuates low self-esteem and leads to missing opportunities for personal growth.
- Maladaptive perfectionism, where you tend to berate yourself or have intense self-deprecation when you don’t meet standards, has consistently been linked to depression, anxiety and increased levels of stress.
- Self-sabotage and unhelpful mood regulation strategies are about engaging in self-destructive behaviours, such as substance abuse or self-harm. It can provide short-term relief, but in the long term, it hinders personal development and reinforces negative self-beliefs.
- Excessive use of corrective behaviours, such as over-apologising, can be damaging to both self-esteem and relationships.
- Neglecting self-care (exercise, healthy eating, adequate sleep) can affect both physical and emotional well-being, further diminishing self-esteem.
Mental Ill-Health and Low Self-Esteem
The unhelpful behaviours can contribute to the emergence and persistence of mental health issues. For instance, excessive avoidance and overthinking could potentially contribute to severe cases of anxiety and depression. These mental health challenges may erode the individual’s sense of personal competence and weaken social connections, which in turn perpetuates diminished self-esteem.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Low Self Esteem
CBT offers insights into the complex interplay between cognitive, emotional and behavioural factors that maintain low self-worth and its associated challenges. By revising and modifying the key elements of negative core beliefs, maladaptive assumptions, self-defeating biased thoughts and unhelpful behaviour, we can short-circuit the vicious cycle of low self-worth.
Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Low Self-Esteem: Conclusion
(Negative) core beliefs underlie negative appraisals, which activate negative emotions. These emotions prompt counterproductive responses such as excessive value monitoring, safety-seeking behaviors (reassurance seeking and avoidance) and dysfunctional mood regulation strategies. The safety-seeking behaviours, while providing fast relief, contribute to the maintenance of mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, etc.
CBT works on breaking the problematic interplay between cognitive, emotional, and behavioural factors that nurture low self-worth and related challenges.