The media, social media, our peers, our family members and our influences can play a major role in shaping our self-esteem. The way we view our selves internally and externally can also affect our self- confidence. Statistics show that residual self-esteem issues in young women often lead to deeper problems. For instance, girls/ young women with residual low self-esteem issues have a higher chance of developing drug and alcohol addictions. These young women can also suffer from depression and anxiety leading to self-harm and choices they may later regret. Loving yourself is an important part of shaping who you are and who you want to be. It’s not an easy thing to do; and you may often feel let down, not good enough, put last compared to others and unappreciated. These feelings can take an even larger toll on your confidence. When we look at self-esteem as a larger issue, many young women are suffering in silence. They are often told they are just young and will grow out of it, they are just insecure, or that it’s “normal”. However, the climate that we live in now especially involving social media can begin to turn self confidence issues into larger issues. Over the past 10 years the NHS has seen an increase in hospitalizations of young women due to depression, anxiety, self-harm and more. When trying to find the root of these issues a lot of young women claim they deal with self-esteem issues, feel pressure in their daily lives, and often feel worthless. You can read more about this study here.
“Low self-esteem is a thinking disorder in which an individual view him/herself as inadequate, unlovable, and/or incompetent. Once formed, this negative view permeates every thought, producing faulty assumptions and ongoing self-defeating behavior” - Neuman, M.D., Fredric, 2014
Breaking Down the Stats
"75% of girls with low self-esteem reported engaging in negative activities like cutting, bullying, smoking, drinking, or disordered eating."
"7 in 10 girls believe that they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with friends and family members."
"90% of eating disorders are found in girls."
"1 in 4 girls today fall into a clinical diagnosis – depression, eating disorders, cutting, and other mental/emotional disorders. On top of these, many more report being constantly anxious, sleep deprived, and under significant pressure."
"NHS data shows 68% rise in hospital admissions because of self-harm among girls under 17 in the past decade “Over the past few years we have seen overwhelming demand from young girls presenting with emotional distress and self-harm.
If you feel like your self-esteem is taking a toll on your daily life, reach out to us! Stars That Shine WV has programs such as Self-Saturday that can give you tools for self-love and confidence building. Fill out a contact form if you would be interested in more resources and tools that can begin to help you or someone you know.
References
Campbell, D. (2017, September 23). Stress and social media fuel mental health crisis among girls. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/sep/23/stress-anxiety-fuel-mental-health-crisis-girls-young-women
DoSomething.Org. (n.d). 11 FACTS ABOUT TEENS AND SELF ESTEEM. Retrieved from https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-teens-and-self-esteem#fn10
Heart of Leadership. (2013). National Association of Self Esteem. Retrieved from https://heartofleadership.org/statistics/
Heart of Leadership. (2013). The Triple Bind, Steven Hinshaw. Retrieved from https://heartofleadership.org/statistics/
Neuman, M.D., Fredric. "Low Self-esteem." Psychology Today. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fighting-fear/201304/low-self-esteem.
Shapiro, Hannah. "Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty boosts girls' self-esteem for Back to School." Retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/article/dove-s-campaign-for-real-beauty-boosts-girls-self-esteem-for-back-to-school.