We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is the Connection between Low Self-Esteem and Depression?

Jessica Ellis
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 4,393
Share

Many mental health professionals believe there is a significant connection between low self-esteem and depression, though the extent and effects of this link are not fully understood. Self-esteem is an individualized system of beliefs, judgments, and analysis of the self, and can have a great effect on how a person views the world. Depression is a physical and mental condition characterized by strong feelings of sadness, loneliness, and lethargy. Both low self-esteem and depression can significantly affect a person's quality of life, and each condition may be able to create or deepen the other.

A person with poor self-esteem is unable to see or judge himself objectively. Low self-esteem may cause a person to feel destined to fail, unattractive or undesirable, and can exaggerate flaws and failures in a person's mind while undervaluing strengths and successes. There are many different causes of low self-esteem, from a history of being bullied or abused, to a feeling of isolation from peers. Poor self-esteem often begins in adolescence, but many adults struggle with self-image issues throughout their lives.

People who suffer from true clinical or major depression experience a wealth of sadness and negative emotions, often on a daily basis. Depression can sap the desire to be involved in life or make a person feel isolated, desperate, and lonely. While depression can sometimes have a specific trigger, such as bereavement or a traumatic event, it is often caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain or a destructive, depressive pattern of thinking.

The main connection between low self-esteem and depression is a similarity in negative thought patterns. A person with low self-esteem may berate himself for having few friends, but may lack the initiative and interest to join activities or remedy the situation because of existing depression. Thought patterns in both conditions tend to reinforce negative self-image ideas, such as worthlessness and a self-defeating attitude.

Low self-esteem and depression are frequently linked to the developments of other conditions, such as eating disorders. A distorted body image, which is common with self-image problems, can lead to the desire to drastically change eating habits or start starvation diets in order to reach an ideal goal. The inability of the body to reach a distorted goal of perfection can lead to overwhelming depression. Even if a person with an eating disorder reaches his or her weight goal, he or she often finds no cessation to the pattern of melancholy and self-disgust.

Both low self-esteem and depression can be managed with proper treatment. Many people enter therapy for one condition, only to find that it is partially caused by the other. Defeating poor self-esteem thought patterns is often a major portion of therapeutic treatment for depression, along with complementary therapies and advised medication.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Jessica Ellis
By Jessica Ellis
With a B.A. in theater from UCLA and a graduate degree in screenwriting from the American Film Institute, Jessica Ellis brings a unique perspective to her work as a writer for WiseGeek. While passionate about drama and film, Jessica enjoys learning and writing about a wide range of topics, creating content that is both informative and engaging for readers.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis
With a B.A. in theater from UCLA and a graduate degree in screenwriting from the American Film Institute, Jessica Ellis...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-the-connection-between-low-self-esteem-and-depression.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.