Do you constant worry about and/or find it important how others think about you? Are you often self-critical and constantly looking for approval and connection? Are you frequently afraid of rejection?
A negative self-image often arises from a lack of safety, appreciation and connection. When you have a negative self-image, you often have negative thoughts and feelings about your performance. In that perspective, others are always better, the things that go less well receive more attention than the things that go well and you are very sensitive to criticism from others – because what you want is confirmation.
It can feel paralyzing to constantly try to keep this up. This can lead to experiencing psychological complaints. For example, someone may develop eating problems, become fearful of failure and increasingly withdraw from social contacts and work. This, in turn, can lead to feelings of depression.
Do you recognize this, and would you like to work on improving your self-confidence? A psychologist can help you through cognitive behavioral therapy.