Why do people become addicted to drugs? There are several answers to that question and one happens to be low self-esteem or low self-respect. While this isn’t the only reason that people turn to drugs, turning to drugs can bring about an artificial boost in self-esteem, at least for a little while.
What is Low Self-Esteem?
When low self-esteem takes over a person’s life, they tend to have negative feelings about themselves and the world around them. They feel like they aren’t good enough and they have struggles understanding that the world is a good place. They tend to have more negative thoughts about themselves and the world instead of positive thoughts.
To deal with those negative thoughts, people with low self-esteem turn to drugs. And, since many drugs are habit-forming, addiction happens. Fortunately, detox programs can help people with their personal struggles with addiction.
What Causes Low Self-Esteem and Addiction?
Interestingly, people with low self-esteem also suffer from other issues. Low self-esteem isn’t usually the sole reason for people to turn to drugs. Something had to trigger the problem. Those problems usually include one or a combination of the following:
- Family problems
- Mental health disorders
- Behavioral disorders
- Failure at work or school
- Chronic health problems
- Abusive relationships
People who suffer from problems with self-esteem tend to have similar behaviors. Most of these happen before getting into drugs. The behaviors include:
- Being overly self-critical
People who struggle with self-esteem will criticize themselves, even if they are finding success. They will look for every flaw they can find and how those flaws create more flaws.
- Insulting self
This one of the easiest behaviors to see in someone with low self-esteem. They will constantly put down the way they look and what they do. They do not realize it, but if they put themselves down, it makes it easier to accept blame for all of their problems. For example, if I am not good at putting on makeup, then when my makeup looks bad, I know it, because I’m bad at putting on makeup.
- Not taking credit for achievements
Even if the person with low self-esteem actually does something well, that person will chalk it up to luck or the success of someone else. They cannot take the credit themselves, because they do not believe they are worthy of it. When their self-esteem is as low as it is, there is no way that they can be good at anything.
- Blaming self for all problems
A person with low self-esteem will take the blame for problems, even if those problems have nothing to do with them. If it rains, then the person did something to cause it.
- Has negative self-talk
Self-talk is an inner dialogue and people who have negative self-talk say terrible things to themselves. They can think themselves into failure and avoidance, especially when negative self-talk is combined with low self-esteem. It’s almost like a form of self-sabotage. There are studies that show negative self-talk has a connection to depression, too.
- Judges self as inferior to others
People with low self-esteem constantly compare themselves to others and it only increases their low self-esteem. They are thin enough, pretty enough, or strong enough. They are smart enough or rich enough. Simply because someone else is thinner, prettier, stronger, smarter, or richer. And, if they can’t compare with other people, they certainly feel like they aren’t going to be successful in anything they do.
- Can’t take compliments
People with low self-esteem do not understand how anyone could compliment them, simply because they do not believe they are worthy of kind words and compliments. They are failures who cannot do anything well, so they cannot accept compliments. Compliments are uncomfortable because they have such a poor view of themselves.
These behaviors are easy to see and people who behave this way often turn to drugs to compensate for the perceived weaknesses. So, to help people with self-esteem issues recover from drug addiction, behavioral therapy is often used. Many of the best recovery programs infuse therapies that treat other disorders that add to self-esteem problems, like depression and anxiety.
Often, people with self-esteem issues have difficulty interacting with other people. Often, they are introverts, so experimenting in drugs or alcohol can turn an introvert into an extrovert. Eventually, they think they need the substance all of the time to “loosen up” and the occasional use becomes a daily use, then a need.
Why Lack of Self-Esteem Becomes a Problem?
People who have low self-esteem believe that they will fail and that people will mock them to a point that they will never recover. Eventually, people with self-esteem choose not to participate in activities where they could fail, even if the failure rate is incredibly low. Fortunately, there are techniques that will help people recover from issues with self-esteem. When addressed at a young age, people with self-esteem issues can learn to think positively.
How to Build Self-Esteem in Young People
However, when people in power berate or belittle children and teens, self-esteem issues begin to arise. People with self-esteem issues do not perform better when they are forced into competitive situations or urged to try harder. Instead, they need to learn about their own negative self-talk and be encouraged to do things that they believe they can accomplish. Things they truly love to do. People in power need to show that they are proud of the accomplishment, not put it down if it wasn’t exactly as expected. When young people can develop strong bonds with someone they trust, their self-esteem will grow, rather than diminish.
People in power should not focus on the things that children cannot do. This only reinforces the weaknesses and thoughts of failure. Instead, they should encourage children to keep doing the things they love to build up their self-esteem. By putting down a child who is already struggling with self-esteem issues, young people grow up to be scared and lonely because they are so afraid of what could happen to them. But, by building up confidence in young people, they are less likely to get involved in addictive substances.
People with self-esteem issues have to work through their recovery process in a unique way. Often, drugs and alcohol, or addictive behaviors like shopping and gambling, can improve self-esteem – at least for a little while. But, once the addiction is realized, the person with low self-esteem can sink even lower.
Steps to Help Recover from Addiction and Low Self-Esteem
There are some things that people can do to help build their self-esteem while in recovery. These can be useful for anyone with self-esteem issues, too.
1. Create a mantra:
Instead of continuing negative self-talk, people who are working on building their self-esteem need a positive mantra. They should repeat it to themselves in writing, speaking, and thinking several times per day for at least four weeks. The mantra can be something simple like “I am worthy of love” or “I’m a good person” – something basic that is believable. After repeating it several times, the mantra becomes a way of life.
2. Learn to breathe:
People with low self-esteem can easily get into their own heads. So, it is important that they have a way to escape that is readily available. Paying attention to the breath is a good way to quickly get out of your own head. With a simple audible breath, in and out through the nose, anyone can escape negative self-talk. Training the mind to recognize negative self-talk quickly will make it easier to escape it just as quickly.
3. Choose forgiveness:
When people make mistakes, many people find comfort in forgiveness. Instead of having to forgive someone else, people with self-esteem issues need to learn to forgive themselves. A forgiveness mantra could also be repeated on a daily basis until the person with low self-esteem actually, truly forgives himself or herself.
4. Learn to accept compliments:
This takes practice as most people with self-esteem issues since compliments go against everything they believe about themselves. They need to learn how to accept compliments by simply saying “Thank you” and nothing else. They may have an urge to say something negative about themselves to the person giving the compliment, but they have to learn to stop.
5. Recognize your worth:
People with self-esteem issues need to understand that they are valuable people with something to offer to society. They may not be good at everything, but no one is and this is a tough concept for someone who feels inferior to accept. With therapy, people with self-esteem issues will eventually recognize they are valuable.
6. Take small steps:
Working through addiction recovery and self-esteem issues is not easy. It involves small steps taken every single day. People in recovery need to understand that they will not be fixed overnight and that relapses are possibilities. But, by following through on plans and working with loved ones and professionals, real recovery from addiction and from having low self-esteem is doable, especially once they recognize they are valuable and worthy of living a healthy life.
