The absence of self-love, recognition, and admiration: Evidence-based psychological approaches to managing persistently low self-esteem
Anna Schmidt
2026-05-19
9 min. read
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“My accomplishments were just a fluke,” “I can’t comprehend why anyone would value me,” or “I certainly don’t deserve this success” – if these types of thoughts frequently accompany your daily experiences, there is a strong likelihood that your self-esteem requires intentional support. The internal narrative we maintain and our perception of self profoundly influence our quality of life, interpersonal relationships, and capacity to fulfill personal aspirations. Persistently low self-esteem can function as an invisible barrier, preventing the full realization of one’s potential. In this article, we will examine the multifaceted nature of self-esteem—its psychological underpinnings, developmental mechanisms, and pivotal role in motivational and emotional processes. Most critically, however, we will present specific, research-backed strategies designed to help you gradually cultivate a healthier self-image when previous attempts at self-appreciation have resulted in feelings of inadequacy or self-defeating comparisons with others.
What is self-esteem?
The concept of self-esteem has long since entered the mainstream language we've all had the opportunity to hear about it in one context or another. It's often said that someone's problems are caused by a low sense of self worth, and you can rarely find self-assessment guides. In psychological terminology, self-estimation is a self-evaluation, so it's a generalized, relatively lasting assessment of one's personality. What we're talking about here isn't so much knowledge about oneself (I'm a woman, I'm 40 years old, I work for a big company), but rather an emotional attitude toward oneself as a person.
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