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Help With Guilt and Low Self Esteem

Nixie319
Nixie319
For a long time now I've had extremely low self esteem and I don't know how to change that. I have recently changed antidepressants from Imipramine to Zoloft so I'm hoping this can help, but I know that it won't be enough.

I feel bad about myself for being so weak physically and emotionally. My mom and brother have much worse pain than mine and I feel guilty because they seem to tolerate it better. I'm also having trouble coping with everything my family is facing right now but the despair makes it harder for me to be of any use to them.

In addition to all my pain, fatigue, and family struggles, I'm very afraid to go out on my own. Before being disabled it wasn't a problem, but now I feel insecure being out without anyone in my family with me. This is something I'm starting to feel very ashamed of.

I was wondering if anyone else has problems like this or other problems that lowered your self esteem or made them feel guilty. If so, I would love to read what you have to say.

Is there any advice you can give me on how to improve my self esteem and help me feel less guilty?

Thanks.
Luna113
Luna113
You are not alone! First, don't judge yourself. Pain, emotional or physical, is subjective. You can't say "someone has it worse, so mine doesn't count". No, you're in pain. It's a binary state. In pain vs not in pain. This isn't a triage situation. You're not on a priority list. You hurt? Okay. Accept it. Take it in. I accept it and I acknowledge your pain. I don't judge it.

The best thing you can do for yourself it's accept how you are. Be your own champion. I've had doctors write me off over and over because they don't know what's wrong. I have fatigue, it's vague. I've even got the "just try harder" talk from a doctor. Believe me, it's demoralizing. But you know what? I DO have a fatigue problem and it's that doctor's falling for throwing her hands up. I will never stop searching for cures, but never beat yourself up for not being an easy fix. I really believe things happen to us for a reason, even if we might not figure it out in this lifetime. So never invalidate yourself! *hugs*
PinterestFan
PinterestFan
Guilt and shame are for preventing us from being cruel and vicious, not for making ourselves feel bad, for no reason. You can decide that you have nothing to feel shame or guilt about, and if you start telling yourself that, as often as you need to, you'll start believing it. It's always better to believe the truth, regardless of how long you've believed something that is false.

Your pain is your pain. No reason to try to compare your suffering with someone else.

Self esteem gradually appears when you begin to realize that you're
who you want to be or that you are becoming who you want to be, that you don't really need validation for anyone else, and that you
don't have to accept anyone's opinion of you or anything else - you
can and will decide things for yourself.

Sending good thoughts.
ZAZAS
ZAZAS
You almost described my life. I don't go out and mix well with people either. My daughter thinks I am agoraphobic. Not really, just in physical and mental problems. I just don't won't to be around people.. Each person has their own pain level, don't compare yourself to others in pain. We are all different in dealing with pain.