Stress, Depression, Trauma and Self-Esteem
Some stressful situations can affect our self-esteem, which then affects how we respond to and deal with stress. According to a study conducted by Galanakis et al. (2016), toxic stress can worsen the symptoms of almost all physical and emotional disorders.
“Trauma is a reaction to an experience that results in the victim/survivor to feel helpless and vulnerable, with a loss of control and safety.” – Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative
“People of color can also experience racial trauma from forms of discrimination and systemic inequities. Weathering the cumulative effects of living in a society characterized by white dominance and privilege produces a kind of physical and mental wear-and-tear that contributes to a host of psychological and physical ailments.” – Dr. Ebony McGee Vanderbilt University.
In addition, people who experience abuse, neglect, or life-events that leave them feeling unsafe, including those who are discriminated against based on their neurodivergence, learning and physical differences, or gender and sexuality are also more vulnerable to trauma reactions.
If your young person suffers from depression, mood disorders, trauma, or other illnesses associated with poor self-esteem, they may experience more stress and find it more difficult to handle the daily pressures of life. Here are some factors to consider.
- The size and strength of our social support network — friends, family, etc., has a big effect on how we experience and deal with stress. Youth who have a strong social support network experience less stress than their more isolated friends.
- Young people with low self-esteem and low self-acceptance sometimes lack social support from friends, family, teachers etc. and this has been linked with higher levels of stress.
- Physical and emotional fitness can also affect how we deal with stress. If your young person is physically and emotionally fit, dealing with stress becomes a lot simpler.
- Often, poor self-esteem means that preteens and teens are emotionally unprepared to deal with the inevitable difficulties of everyday life, and this increases their feeling of being under stress.
- The frequency and intensity of stress will also impact our reaction to it. If our preteens and teens have well-dosed time and space to recover and feel safe, they are better able to manage the stress in their life.
- People who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) often battle with poor self-esteem. They may lack self-esteem or believe they are worthless. This can have long-term consequences.
Remember, there are many ways to counter the external challenges your young person will face in their journey to develop a healthy body image and self-esteem. Since day one, they’ve had everything they need within themselves — don’t let the world convince them that they do not. Know that they are inherently worthy and have the power to love themselves in the way they desire by making small choices and commitments to themselves everyday. Remind them of this truth daily. With practice it will get easier and they will likely start to notice a difference in the way they feel.