Self-esteem as the foundation of good mental health

Self-esteem is the positive or negative value, perception, or judgment a person makes of themselves based on an evaluation of their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The way a person values themselves is often influenced by external factors or the context in which they find themselves.

In this sense, self-esteem can increase or decrease based on emotional, family, social, and work-related situations, as well as our positive or negative self-criticism. Furthermore, it allows us to create our identity as individuals and is essential for living harmoniously within society. The degree of positive or negative thoughts we have about ourselves will be a determining factor in how we express ourselves and make decisions.

The importance of taking care of self-esteem

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One of the characteristics of people with low self-esteem is that they tend to limit themselves and feel inadequate. This also affects their physical appearance, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and skills. Consequently, they may not be able to face life with the necessary determination and optimism.

Just like other aspects of our lives, it's important to give space and time to self-esteem.

If we are aware of our qualities, through our own perspective and that of others, we will have the tools and strategies to understand and improve our self-esteem.

And that will help us feel much better about ourselves, influencing our behavior.

The importance of self-esteem in adolescence

The development of self-esteem begins in childhood. Feeling loved and protected by family is the first positive link for self-esteem, and as we grow, this image of ourselves is shaped by our environment.

When adolescence arrives, the development of self-esteem can be significantly disrupted. Adolescence is a complex stage marked by rapid physical, psychological, and social changes. These changes can profoundly affect emotions and feelings. For adolescents, these changes present a challenge that can lead to self-esteem issues, impacting not only their emotional well-being but also their development of their potential due to the insecurities and complexes that arise. In this sense, the insecurities that may emerge, along with peer opinions, can trigger low self-esteem.

And let's not forget social media . It makes it easy for teenagers to compare themselves to the people they see, and this affects their self-image. Seeking approval on social media can lead to dependency, where a person only feels good when receiving positive feedback. For this reason, it's crucial that we foster self-esteem in our teenagers.

Tips to avoid falling into the "ideal body" trap on social media

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The relationship between self-esteem and self-concept

When we talk about self-concept, we are referring to the general idea a person develops about themselves in different aspects of their life. It is the sum of beliefs we have about our personal qualities. It is made up of two elements: personal identity (personality traits, tastes, personal vision, thoughts, ideas, and beliefs) and social identity (friendships, family, activities, leisure, etc.).

It's important to keep in mind that a person may consider themselves to have poor social skills, but others may not perceive them that way. Therefore, self-concept is how one sees oneself, but that doesn't mean that self-perception is the same as how others see it. Self-concept is closely linked to self-esteem because a negative self-concept leads to low self-esteem, while a positive self-concept leads to high self-esteem.

Helping teenagers improve their self-esteem

As we have already mentioned, the adolescent's immediate environment—family, friends, and teachers—plays a fundamental role in fostering self-esteem. In this regard, there are some basic, common-sense recommendations for interpersonal relationships with children and adolescents:

• Act with respect.
• Promote recognition.
• To provide support and help.
• Maintain an understanding and accepting attitude.

At the same time, it is important to avoid attitudes that undermine their self-esteem: contempt, constant negative criticism, mockery, and undervaluation.

There are tips we can share with our teenagers to help them take care of their self-esteem:

• Encourage them to dedicate time to getting to know themselves.
• Set small goals that can be easily achieved and, little by little, increase the difficulty to realize that they are capable of doing it.
• Understanding diversity as something that is present, in order to put aside stereotypes and understand that each person is different (both psychologically and physically).
• Rely on trusting relationships to have fun and share moments when they need it.

But if you want to delve deeper into the work on self-esteem, we recommend the workshop on self-esteem , prepared by SOM Mental Health 360º and downloadable at the end of this article.

This tool is designed for use by healthcare and social work professionals, as well as teachers . It aims to improve or increase adolescents' self-esteem through a 45-60 minute session. This tool can be used in therapy settings as well as in schools.