The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

Today obesity is talked about as a major physical health problem. It can cause diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, immobilization, and many other problems. However many articles fail to mention what is one of the most important and most destructive problems. This is the effect of obesity on one’s mental health and wellbeing. Being excessively overweight usually instills in it’s victims a sense of self worthlessness and gives them a very negative self-image. This can lead to an array of problems that affect the person in a way that is much more direct and difficult to deal with than physical problems. While the problem is known to affect men, it strikes women much more often.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

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The models and celebrities in the media that set the…show more content…
Also, she states that more importance has now been placed on how women’s bodies look in the nude because of fashion magazines and commercial images instead of how women look under layers of body enhancing clothing (p.6). “Obesity is not simply a cosmetic disorder,” state Jeffrey Koplan and William Dietz in their article “Caloric Imbalance and Public Health Policy” (p.1). These physicians fail throughout the entire article to truly mention the mental effects of being overweight; they just seem to think that being fat is a small problem when it comes to looks. This is just one of many examples that have disgusted people who are experts on mental health and society’s pressures. “Like other minorities, fat people are seen as throwbacks to a more primitive time,” states Schwartz (p.3). Obese individuals and populations are looked at as inferior, lazy, self-indulging, and out of control. A revolutionary type of assertion is made by Schwartz in his article. He states that if it were a fat society, people would live longer, happier lives because they would be more comfortable in their own bodies (p.5). This completely contradicts what virtually every medical study in existence says, but it may be right The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

Why is Self-Esteem important?
Self-esteem refers to a person’s beliefs about their own worth and value. It also has to do with the feelings people experience that follow from their sense of worthiness or unworthiness. Self-esteem is important because it heavily influences people’s choices and decisions. In other words, self-esteem serves a motivational function by making it more or less likely that people will take care of themselves and explore their full potential. People with high self-esteem are also people who are motivated to take care of themselves and to persistently strive towards the fulfillment of personal goals and aspirations. People with lower self-esteem don’t tend to regard themselves as worthy of happy outcomes or capable of achieving them and so tend to let important things slide and to be less persistent and resilient in terms of overcoming adversity. They may have the same kinds of goals as people with higher self-esteem, but they are generally less motivated to pursue them to their conclusion.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

Self-esteem is a somewhat abstract concept; it’s hard for someone who doesn’t already have it to know what it would be like to have it. One way for people who have lower self-esteem to begin to appreciate what it would be like to have higher self-esteem is to consider how they may feel about things in their lives that they value. For instance, some people really like cars. Because cars are important to them, these people take really good care of their cars. They make good decisions about where to park the car, how often to get it serviced, and how they will drive it. They may decorate the car and then show it off to other people with pride. Self-esteem is like that, except it is yourself that you love, care for and feel proud of. When children believe they are valuable and important, they take good care of themselves. They make good decisions about themselves which enhance their value rather than break it down.

Dimensions of Self-Esteem

High vs. Low Self-esteem. Self-esteem is thought of as occurring on a continuum, meaning that it is thought to smoothly vary in amount or magnitude from low to high across different individuals. Some people have higher self-esteem, while other people have lower self-esteem. The differences between these people are not obvious, but instead are apparent only through comparison of their thoughts and feelings about their worth.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

Proportionality of Self-Esteem. Self-esteem is also thought to vary in another way which we might describe as proportionality or reasonableness. It turns out that not all instances of high self-esteem are the same. Some people with high self-esteem have arrived at that place based on a series of real accomplishments. They give themselves credit for being able to meet new challenges because they have been able to meet previous challenges. Their good opinion of themselves is in proportion to the real challenges they have overcome in life.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

In contrast, there are other people whose high self-esteem seems excessive and out of proportion to their actual accomplishments and actions. These people think well of themselves but cannot point to any substantive past accomplishments, actions or choices they have made which would justify that high self-opinion to a fair minded observer. Their higher self-esteem is based more on a sense of entitlement than on any accomplishment. This entitled version of high self-esteem is considered to be less psychologically healthy than the more proportional variety of self-esteem, mostly because of the selfish and self-centered behavior that tends to accompany the sense of entitlement. This variety of high self-esteem is sometimes described as “overly-inflated”, indicating that it is excessive and out of proportion to actual accomplishments and actions. In adults, this type of self-esteem can be linked to Narcissism.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

Just as self-esteem can be too high or “overly-inflated” in proportion to a person’s accomplishments and actions, it can also be too low, or “under-inflated” as well. In many cases people who end up having poor self-esteem actually have met adversity and challenges and treated others well, and do have a basis for feeling good about themselves. However, for various reasons, including a tendency towards depression, anxiety or obsessive perfectionism , a habit of engaging in cognitive distortions, or because they have been abused or exploited they may not recognize these accomplishments and actions as meaningful. They perceive themselves as failing to meet an internalized and unreasonably high standard of goodness and thus display very low self-esteem and corresponding emotional distress when they cannot meet that internal standard. However, an outside observer would see them as worthy based on accomplishments and actions and have difficulty understanding why exactly they feel so badly about themselves.

Self-esteem is thus more complicated than a simple high vs. low dimension can describe. It varies both in terms of magnitude, and in terms of its reasonableness when compared against accomplishments and actions. Parents seeking to foster healthy self-esteem in their children need to nurture and cultivate both of these dimensions. The bulk of this document will go on to describe ways that parents can work to nurture their children’s healthy self-esteem. Before describing these methods, however, we want to further clarify why a healthy self-esteem, proportional to actual accomplishment and behavior and neither over-inflated nor under-inflated, is desirable.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

Evidently, self-esteem is seen as a personal trait which tends to be enduring and stable, the one that encompasses within itself a host of beliefs about oneself. In reality, self-esteem means different things to diverse people. To some it means feeling good and loving yourself unconditionally. To others it is a feeling which is at the center of one’s being of self-confidence, self-worth and respect. Therefore, it is vital for one to have high self-esteem since it paves the way for love and success in life (Bruceeisner, 2012).The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

Over the last decade children and adults, in the United States, have been gaining more and more weight. Obesity is rapidly becoming an epidemic in our youngsters’ lives. Whether it’s all the fast food or lack of exercise, adults and especially children are heavier than ever. This increase in the national girth is giving way to such debilitating and chronic disease diabetes, joint and muscle ailments, and even heart disease. Beside that, there is a result from statistic says that disability due to obesity-related type 2 diabetes will increase particularly in industrializing countries, as insulin supply is usually insufficient in industrialized countries.
To anyone delivering health care to adults in the United States, the impact of…show more content…
So, on the same way, the people who are obese do want to do something about their look and body shapes. There are questions to be asked, what do they really think inside in mind? How do they feel when people talk about them? And what do they expect the way of people looking at them? Sometime being fat is very unpredictable. Somehow the obese people cannot change the way they are, but inside themselves they always wanted to be skinnier and look better. They do not want people to look at them funny, or make stupid comment about them or their bodies.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay Being Obese does make them feel guilty and ashamed, they do want to do something to change the way they look. As a lady who has been told that she is being overweight said to me that “I don’t like people call me fatty”, with a strong tone voice. I know how it’s feel when people called you name. She then told me that, “Did you know how embrassed is that when I try to get through an axiel with my body size? You would never know understand how bad I feel internally”. During the talk with this lady, I can tell that people who are obese don’t feel good about themselves, not only this, they also try to hide themselves from public, get a rid of people talking about them, and stay away to those skinny people

Certainly, people often overlook the importance for individuals to have a healthy or positive self-esteem. On the very basic level, a positive self-esteem is delineated by various qualities. They include being able to accept responsibilities for one’s own actions, respect and tolerance for others, being able to handle criticisms, and of course, being able to take charge of one’s own life. Also, it’s about taking a great pride in your own achievements, possessing a great level of integrity and loving others while being loved. The majority of people in the community, especially those in the business and entrepreneurial sectors, believe that possessing a healthy or positive self-esteem will aid in being a successful professional in your field of work.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

In the medical field of the economy, for example, doctors, nurses and other people working in the medical community have a belief that possessing a positive self-esteem is very crucial in the maintenance of a healthy life by individuals. In contrast to the thought that a positive or healthy self-esteem is vital in an individual’s professional life, it also plays a very important role in alleviating psychological disorders.

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What Are the Effects of Underappreciation?
When an individual possesses a low self-esteem, he or she tries to impress others or prove others a focal point in their lives. However, this is deemed to be a total waste of one’s time and energy and can even result in psychological issues. In particular, a person without a healthy or positive self-esteem tends to have contempt towards people and usually acts arrogantly. They usually blame themselves for their actions and failures, lack confidence in themselves and mostly doubt their acceptability and self-worth (Reasoner, 2012).The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

These elements do not only show the negative part of an individual’s life. They are also quite unhealthy to the emotional well-being of an individual. This is because an unhealthy or negative self-esteem is damaging to an individual’s emotional health. This backs the fact that a healthy or positive self-esteem indeed can aid in alleviating psychological disorders.

The Relation of Self-Esteem to Science
One of the peculiar psychological disorders that are mostly stroked by self-esteem is known as Borderline Personality Disorder. Individuals are not willing to validate their feelings for other people or trust others when they usually do not feel well about themselves. People who suffer from borderline personality disorder coupled with a poor self-esteem can exasperate the anger which is mostly present in this type of psychological issue. More often than not, a burst of angry tirade is as a result of a lot of unresolved matters which have been posponed for later. Hence, the only way a person with borderline personality can assert his or her feelings or thoughts is through anger. In addition, having a healthy or positive self-esteem can help alleviate this issue and curtail the feeling of anger associated with borderline personality.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

How Does Low Self-Esteem Negatively Affect You?
By Elizabeth VenzinLast updated: 8 Jul 2018
~ 2 MIN READ
How Does Low Self-Esteem Negatively Affect You?We live in a world where there is an epidemic of low self-esteem. It affects almost every aspect of our lives, from how we think about ourselves to the way we think about or react to life situations.

When negative influences and thoughts are prevalent — generated either from within ourselves or through others — it adversely affects the way we feel about ourselves. It also affects the experiences we have in our lives.

Over time this can lead to low self-esteem which can reduce the quality of a person’s life in many different ways. Unchecked, low self-esteem may even lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, sometimes with tragic results.

But what causes low self-esteem? There are many and varied reasons, but according to clinical psychologist Dr. Lars Madsen it’s frequently traced to abusive or dysfunctional early years, the effects of which can persist well into adulthood. It can also be attributed to ongoing stressful life events (e.g., relationship breakdowns; financial troubles; poor treatment from a partner, parent or carer; being bullied; or being in an abusive relationship).The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

We all know our lives are full of challenges and triumphs, of ups and downs. In today’s world we are only too aware there are many stressors that can cause us to doubt ourselves. And, as doubt creeps into our minds, “I can’t do that” or “I will never overcome this” become mantras that become harder and harder to dismiss.

How often do you think, “if only I believed in myself”?

I recently spoke with psychiatrist Dr. Kevin Solomons, who wrote the book Born to be Worthless: The Hidden Power of Low Self-Esteem. He told me our self-esteem system mostly moves us to make healthy, constructive and adaptive life decisions, but can go wrong, just as any system can.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

When it does go wrong, our failing (low) self-esteem can get us to make self-destructive decisions such as tolerating mistreatment or harming ourselves (by using drugs, becoming promiscuous, developing eating disorders or indulging in cosmetic surgery), or harming others (bullying, cheating) in an effort either to make others love us or to numb us to the pain of our own worthlessness.

Any negative life event or reaction can cause us to doubt ourselves. We all have times when things do not go as we think they should. The world can feel lonely in trying to find the right resources to help us at these times — everything can be daunting and even confusing. Often we place too much credibility on the negativity we have around us.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

The most important lesson I have finally learned from my own life’s challenges is that it’s not external events that have the most profound effect on our self-esteem. It is how we view our own life and life’s events. Ultimately, it’s the inner belief we have in ourselves that guides our journey. Do we really believe we deserve to live in a bad relationship? Do we really believe we deserve to be mentally or physically abused? Is our negative belief in ourselves keeping us in these negative environments?

In life we are all constantly faced with challenges and changes. As we slowly begin to believe in ourselves, we can discover that although we cannot change our past experiences, we can change the way we think about them. As a result, we can change not only how we think about ourselves, but also identify a way to a better future.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

In particular, an individual who experiences borderline personality psychological disorder most often associates some form of suspicion to people who want to be their friends. A person with this kind of issue has a feeling that their friendship with others will end as the time goes on. This is because they think they have nothing to offer in the new friendship, which is actually wrong. Therefore, possessing a healthy or positive self-esteem can aid an individual who has a psychological disorder like the borderline personality to comprehend the fact that they deserve to be happy and achieve success in everything they do. Specifically, this is linked to their professional life or personal life, and also to the sense of self-worth.

A typical example of it is when an individual gets a job that he or she has always wanted, let say a dream job. A person possessing a psychological disorder like borderline personality will position himself or herself for failure. Meanwhile, the staff may use the opportunity given a mistake and can even flare up at the employer for placing them in a position to fail. On the other hand, an individual with a healthy or positive self-esteem will realize that he or she indeed deserves the job. In addition, they’ll recognize and appreciate the opportunity given to him or her to achieve success. A person with a healthy self-esteem will thank and respect the one who gave him that opportunity.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

The Importance of Rational Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is significant to an individual’s well-being and mental health since it has the capability of leading him or her to a more deserving social behavior and better health. Obviously, low self-esteem is often characterized with a range of broad social problems and mental disorders like eating disorders, depression, suicidal tendencies and anxiety. Notably, some schools of thought in the field of medicine, most often in the field of psychological disorders, believe that healthy physical and mental health are a result of comprehending the development of self-esteem and its outcomes.

Self-esteem can, therefore, be explained as the sum of a person’s knowledge and beliefs about his or her personal qualities and attributes. It is a cognitive composition that combines the concrete and abstract views about oneself and also controls the possession of information of self-relevance. Moreover, an individual who possesses suicidal tendencies has the urge or feeling of hurting himself or herself as he/she is feeling unhappy and unworthy.The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay

Consequently, having a healthy or positive self-esteem alleviates any negative emotions and feelings an individual with any form of suicidal tendencies might go through. In addition, research has proven that self-esteem is a crucial psychological factor which contributes to quality and healthy life. It has also been proven with research that subjective well-being extremely corresponds with high self-esteem (Zimmerman, 2000). Therefore, it plays a major role in the mental well-being and happiness of individuals.

Overall, self-esteem and mental well-being of an individual are directly related. Any alteration in a person’s self-esteem, be it high self-esteem or low self-esteem, will affect the psychology of that person. Likewise, a healthy or positive self-esteem definitely helps in alleviating psychological disorders and puts an individual on the pedestal of high belief and confidence in him or herself. The State of Medicine And Self-Esteem Essay