Insecurity is a form of anxiety related to the expectations that others have of you or expectations you have set for yourself. When you feel insecure, it may feel like you are less able or are even lesser than others. It is a socially-oriented emotion where you are afraid of not being accepted or respected. It is very human to feel insecure, but when you feel insecure often or for a long period of time, it can lead you to regularly doubt yourself, not trust your own decisions, rely heavily on others, or avoid social contact because you feel inferior. Ultimately, it can also lead to fear of failure, loneliness, low self-esteem, or even problems in relationships and career.

Consequences of insecurity

If you frequently feel insecure, it can also become a personality trait. Thus, it is said that someone is insecure. The following characteristics occur when you are insecure:

  • You are easily influenced by what others say or do not dare to disagree with others.
  • You are afraid that others will find you boring or not good enough and will therefore reject you.
  • You are heavily focused on (not) making mistakes and your own shortcomings.
  • You quickly see making a mistake or having a shortcoming as proof that you are not good enough.
  • You have difficulty receiving criticism and compliments.
  • You constantly compare yourself, your achievements, and skills with others.
  • You set high (unrealistic) standards for yourself or pursue a certain perfectionistic ideal.
  • You avoid challenges or often choose the easy way.
  • You are afraid of losing friends, becoming the target of gossip or bullying, or being left alone.

Vicious circle

A characteristic of insecurity is that the strategies you have learned to cope with it actually maintain it in the long term. For example, by avoiding speaking up, you miss the chance to discover that people find you interesting. By setting such high standards for yourself, you fail to realize that it is okay to do a little less or make mistakes. You may struggle to view yourself more realistically because you focus only on your shortcomings and reject compliments. You may also miss the opportunity to discover your potential and new skills because you avoid challenges. Have you noticed any other vicious cycles in your life? Insecurity persists because you make choices driven by it. In short, it’s time to break that circle!

https://emotiontypology.com/negative_emotion/insecurity/
https://mindkorrelatie.nl/onderwerpen/onzekerheid
https://www.psyned.nl/onzekerheid/

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