By: Victoria Wang
Abstract
In adolescence, the navigation of self-esteem and personal identity is crucial in
determining mental health levels later on in life (Pfeifer 2018). As adolescent individuals grow
into teenagehood, a desire for exploration of identity and self-concept is typical, as well as an
increased perception of oneself (Pfeifer 2018). However, this sudden shift in self-perception
during adolescence calls for a higher level of emotional sensitivity and vulnerability in response
to the demands of the external world. As such, issues with low self-esteem and a negative inward
perception are not uncommon in adolescence (Beresin 2022). Common signs of low
self-esteem in adolescence are, but are not limited to, a fear of embarrassment or failure,
unusually low levels of motivation or meaning in life, expressing feelings of being “unlovable”
or “unwanted”, or self-degrading comparison with others.
This phenomenon is common in adolescence due to various factors and societal
pressures, and due to the established scientific connection between stress and poor self-esteem,
the positive correlation between adolescent stress and poor self-esteem is clear (Dalessandro
2016). While this connection may be common, poor self-esteem can have detrimental effects on
a young individual’s mental health and quality of life. An individual maintaining a negative
outlook on themselves puts themselves at risk for harmful, risky, or self-sabotaging behavior.
This behavior can initiate life-threatening or altering actions, such as the
development of eating disorders, self-harm, drug abuse, or suicide. Thus, poor self-esteem in
adolescence is a major issue that must be addressed with sensitivity. Appropriate, safe, and
practical solutions and relief strategies must be developed, employed, and promoted among
young individuals struggling with poor self-image.
Introduction
One of the relief strategies that pose potential and may have positive impacts among
adolescents struggling with poor self-image is introspection. Introspection can be defined as “an
examination of one’s thoughts and feelings” (Noyes). According to research, a large
majority of the thoughts an individual thinks about are negative or from the past. However, with
introspection, an individual can “gain back” the sense of control they have over their lives,
and better understand themselves, and this, in turn, creates a positive refocus in the mind (Noyes).
Similarly, introspection can enhance emotional regulation as introspection allows
individuals to look into their inner world more and be able to identify their stress, sources of
stress, or what coping strategies work for them (Debnath 2023). Introspection in general,
especially regular and consistent strategies, typically leads to better self-awareness, and this
promotes mental health.
Discussion
Despite the correlation between introspection and a higher level of self-confidence,
researchers claim that excessive introspection, or ruminating, actually causes negative impacts
on mental health. Individuals who have low self-esteem in the first place often already
“introspect” by self-analyzing (Orchard et al). It is believed that these individuals end up
over-analyzing their fears and insecurities as well, believing their behavior or self-identity
to be negative or shameful (Eurich 2017). Due to this clear contradiction in introspection’s
impact on self-esteem, it can be inferred that introspection must be done in a certain way to reap benefits in mental health and self-perception (Eurich 2017).
Positive Introspection Practices
While introspection can be the cause of stress and a sense of inferiority for some
individuals, if done correctly, it can be a positive and beneficial practice (Eurich 2017). This is
mainly since, depending on one’s emotional and mental health state, the act of
introspection can either work to bring down an individual by allowing them to focus on their
flaws and shortcomings, or it can bring one up by allowing for awareness of emotions and
knowledge of what coping strategies or practices work for their mental health.
A common technique used in introspection that may mitigate any possible negative
consequences is the “What Not Why” strategy, where an individual reflects on themselves by
asking what they feel and not why they feel it (Eurich 2017). Asking oneself what they feel, if
they are sad, happy, tired, or energized, can bring about self-awareness and enhanced emotional
intelligence. On the contrary, if one ask themselves why they feel a certain way, they are more
prone to rumination or answering themselves in an unhelpful, negative way (BetterHelp 2024).
Another method for reducing any harmful effects of introspection and reaping positive
benefits from it instead is meditation. Meditation can be defined as sitting in silence or a quiet
area calmly and focusing on one’s inner state (BetterHelp 2024). This can offer a more relaxed,
stable environment where one is compelled to think rationally and not irrationally associate
harmful ideas with oneself.
Journaling is also another common practice for those wishing to enhance their
self-awareness. This can be defined as writing down one’s feelings, thoughts, what they did, or
what they learned. It has been scientifically proven to improve mental health by various studies
across dozens of decades. It is mostly noted as a highly effective way of acknowledging one’s
feelings and thoughts, allowing an individual to recognize what triggers them and what they
learn from experiences.
Conclusion
Adolescents constantly face various sources of stress from the external world and societal
pressures, creating a vulnerability for low self-esteem and negative self-perception if they cannot
live up to these demands. Additionally, adolescence is a crucial time for identity development
and habit-building that can lead to personality and maturity development later on in life. Thus, it
is crucial to address the correlation of stress to poor self-esteem by developing effective
strategies to enhance adolescent self-esteem and alleviate evidence of negative self-image.
Introspection serves as one of these strategies that have potential and have been scientifically
shown to give an individual a sense of control over their lives as well as increase understanding
of their triggers, emotions, and thoughts. However, contradictory research claims that
introspection can also contribute to poor mental health and self-image. Due to the lack of a
consistent connection in this relationship, it can be reasonably inferred that introspection must be
practiced in a certain way for an individual to reap the benefits from it. Some effective
introspection techniques that mitigate negative risks while allowing for a more positive
experience include, but are not limited to, the “What Not Why” strategy, meditation, and
journaling.
References
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