CBT for OCD: How It Works
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can take over your life without expert help. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for OCD that helps you feel better within weeks. Find out how it works.
Tips for Boosting Your Self-Esteem
Your self-esteem, or opinion of yourself, affects your emotional, physical, social, and financial well-being. If you have low self-esteem, you have a negative view of yourself and may feel unhappy about who you are as a person, dissatisfied with your accomplishments, or have little confidence in your abilities.
Many people with low self-esteem also struggle with mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Having a better opinion of yourself can ease the symptoms of these conditions.
At Revîv Functional Psychiatry & TMS Wellness Center in Fullerton, California, our highly experienced psychiatrist Dr. Hina Sidhu understands how self-esteem affects every aspect of a person’s life.
In this month’s blog, we want to give you some tips on how to boost your self-esteem.
Find your strengths
Many people with low self-esteem think they have no good qualities or talents. They downplay achievements and brush off compliments. But everyone is good at something.
Think about your achievements and find your strengths. Are you good at solving problems? Do you like being helpful? Are you a good cook?
Keep reminding yourself of your achievements, talents, and strengths to build your confidence.
Change your self-talk
Self-talk is how you speak to yourself internally. Your internal dialogue affects how you feel and think about yourself. Negative self-talk is common in people with low self-esteem. They’re highly critical and tend to blame themselves when things go wrong.
When you find your thoughts turning negative and critical, take some time to look for evidence to support your beliefs. Or, ask a friend you trust for their opinion. Taking an objective approach to your negative self-talk may help you see that it has no merit.
Then, work on making your negative self-talk more positive. For example, instead of: “I failed. I can’t do anything right”, say: “I’m proud of myself for trying. I can try again.”
Practice affirmations
Affirmations are positive statements you repeat to yourself daily. They’re an exercise that benefits your mind, changing your thoughts and feelings about yourself. Some affirmations you can say to yourself to boost self-esteem include:
- I value who I am as a person
- I deserve to be happy
- I can overcome any obstacle
- I have everything I need to achieve my goals
- I look forward to the future
You may say your affirmation out loud in front of a mirror or write them down in a journal. Affirmations help change your negative thinking (and negative self-talk) and boost your self-confidence.
Take care of yourself
Taking better care of yourself boosts your mood and confidence. Eat a balanced diet filled with nutrient-rich foods, exercise regularly, and get 7-9 hours of sleep a night. These healthy habits benefit your body, mind, and spirit.
Do fun things
Doing fun things makes you happy. Make a list of the things you love and find time in your daily schedule for these activities.
Spending time with people that make you happy is also good for your self-esteem.
Boosting your self-esteem takes patience and practice. Be kind and forgiving when you find yourself falling back into your negative thoughts or habits and try again.
You can also reach out for professional help. We take a functional medicine approach to psychiatry, looking at all the factors that influence your mental and emotional well-being and developing holistic plans that benefit your whole health.
Don’t let your low self-esteem keep you from living your best life. Call our office or book an appointment online today so we can provide the help you need. We also offer telemedicine appointments.
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