Insecurity is becoming increasingly common in young adults. Even though deemed the generation of narcissists, due to the fixation on the social media avatars and hence self-praise, young adults now are suffering from high levels of insecurity.
What is insecurity?
Insecurity is the state of not being sure about anything. The precariousness of the situations then makes one fearsome, and therefore, their mental state is perturbed greatly.
Insecurity about one’s own self can be about anything really. You might be insecure about your looks, your height, your weight, your achievements, your intellect, your education, your career etc.
It may seem like a self-created problem, but the issue is more nuanced. There are various reasons for one becoming insecure, and the implications of this state are grave as well. It greatly affects mental health, leading to heightened levels of stress and anxiety. Moreover, these issues also then lead to impaired physical health, meriting then a visit to the Psychiatrist.
Suffice to say, coming to the understanding about why you are feeling insecure and taking steps to remedy it is important.
Reasons for insecurity
Experiences
You do not grow up in a vacuum. You are greatly influenced by your environment, especially early on in your life.
During this time, if you come across painful experiences, or are hurt by other’s attitude towards you, are bullied, or called derogatory names by people around you, you will become more susceptible to suffering from insecurity.
Parents play an especially crucial role. If they use phrases like ‘you are stupid’, ‘you are not beautiful,’ you will internalize these concepts. Consequently, you will become critical of yourself, and thus suffer from insecurity.
Environment
The hurtful comments do not always have to be directed at you to make an impression in your mind. If people around you, especially your parents, are highly critical of themselves, you will also then start berating yourself, as that is the only way you know how to treat your own self.
Furthermore, there are other ways that parents can foster insecurity in their child. An absent parent can edify the idea that the child is unlovable, hence the parent is not around often. On the other hand, an always-present parent can make child so reliant on them, that they become insecure about trusting themselves.
Similarly, if the parents only praise their child on achievement, they are also reinforcing insecurity in the child, as they think they need to achieve something first to be worthy of love. When they are unable to win, things start to fall apart in their mind.
Low self-esteem
Naturally, when you are not convinced of your own self, yourself, you are in a vulnerable state. Since you are not assured of your abilities, you then become insecure about yourself.
Negative thinking
Negative self-talk is not only a reason for insecurity, but it is also caused due to insecurity. In this state, people end up berating themselves, and consequently self-sabotage.
There are different forms negative self-talk can take; it can be using harsh words for one’s own self, like saying I am ugly, or comparing yourself to others, and then calling yourself a failure.
The constant self-criticism is also an extension of negative thinking.
Healing
It is pertinent to recognize first why you are insecure, and then taking steps towards remedying the condition.
Some helpful things to do include practicing self-compassion; be kinder to yourself. Sit with your feelings, and actively debunk the misconstrued notions running in your mind. Work hard but learn that failures are a part of life too.
If you do not address your problem of insecurity, you then set yourself to many issues. You become vulnerable to exploitation. Moreover, you also have higher chances of suffering from mental health problems like anxiety and depression, that then require treatment from your Psychiatrist in Islamabad. Therefore, tackle this issue!