Written by Robyn Russell for Psychcentral.com
Feelings of worthlessness can happen for a variety of reasons, including depression. But with self-care and support, confidence and joy can return.
Experiencing a low mood and thoughts of worthlessness can be unpleasant and even frightening at times. These emotions may arrive after a major life transition, such as a divorce or a job loss. They can also be because of financial difficulties or another life stressor.
And yet, sometimes low self-esteem can also be due to depression — one of the most commonTrusted Source mental health conditions in the United States.
Learning more about the link between depression and feelings of worthlessness may help you work through those negative thoughts. It may also help you notice when it may be time to reach out to a mental health professional.
How depression may affect your sense of self-worth
It’s important to note that depression and low self-esteem are different concepts.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) notes that feelings of worthlessness and guilt are common symptoms of depression. At the same time, low self-esteem is a risk factor for depression.
Low self-esteem, on the other hand, can happen for numerous reasons. It may have appeared after disappointing a friend, for example, or doing poorly on a test. The feeling may have also been spurred by the way you were raised or your experiences throughout life.
Still, while they’re not one and the same, feelings of worthlessness can be part of experiencing depression.
Experts suggest this because depression may distort your sense of self.
“Depression is often tied to a sense of low self-worth and negative beliefs about yourself,” says Billy Roberts, LISW-S, the founder of Focused Mind ADHD Counseling in Columbus, Ohio. “It can feel like you’re wearing emotional eyeglasses, clouding your vision. If you believe you are not good enough, you’ll see the world through these ‘not good enough’ glasses.”
Isabelle Morley, PsyD LLC, in Massachusetts, adds saying, “In some ways, the most challenging part of depression is the painful lies it makes people believe about themselves.”
“Even when someone has high self-esteem and a positive sense of self-worth, they can suddenly be plummeted into self-doubt, self-criticism, and the deeply held belief that they are worthless once depression hits,” she says.
If these feelings sound familiar to you, do know that you’re not alone and help is available.
How to be kind to yourself and boost your self-esteem
While feelings of worthlessness may seem difficult to bear, please keep in mind that several tactics can help you restore — or discover — happiness and self-confidence.
One of the most vital things you can do for yourself is to show yourself compassion. Understand that feelings of worthlessness are an aspect of depression itself.
“If you’re feeling this way, remember that it is the depression shaping how you see yourself, and it is not the truth,” Morley says. “It is an imbalance of neurochemicals that is impacting the way your brain and body are functioning, leading to misconceptions about who you are as a person.”
Holding this awareness at the forefront of your thoughts may help you empathize with yourself and what you’re going through.
In addition, you may want to consider the following:
Engage in behaviors that give you meaning and joy
Depression and feelings of worthlessness can make it hard to do things you used to enjoy.
Still, intentionally doing activities that give you a sense of meaning, purpose, or mastery is one of the front-line methods for boosting self-worth and treating depression. This approach is known as “behavioral activation” and has been shown to relieve symptoms of depression as well as cognitive therapy.
While it can be part of a structured therapy approach, you can also use this technique by yourself in a more informal way.
What activity you try is entirely up to you. For some, hiking may provide a sense of meaning and joy. For others, it may be reading about travel destinations or crafts.
To get you started, it can be helpful to schedule a specific time or interval to do the activity in question. Ideally, aim to do something that gives you a sense of meaning and joy multiple times throughout your week.
Exercise
If you’re experiencing worthlessness, it may seem hard to muster up the energy to exercise. But research shows that exercise can be key to improving mood.
In fact, one studyTrusted Source found that exercise may relieve depression.
This may be due in part to the fact that exercise releases endorphins — “feel good” brain chemicals that may help lift feelings of unworthiness.
If exercise feels like a challenge, try thinking about the following:
- Find a form of exercise you enjoy. The more exercise feels like a “leisure activity,” the more likely you might be to engage in it. Now is not the time to be hard on yourself or force yourself to do something you dislike.
- Focus on short amounts of exercise instead of long, intense workouts. This will help with feeling “overwhelmed” by the thought of exercising.
- Use an activity tracker to get biofeedback, if one is available to you, or a fitness app. Research has shownTrusted Source that activity trackers may encourage you to participate in regular exercise, so using one or a fitness app may reinforce positive behavior.
- Learn about the benefits of exercise to stay motivated.
Indeed, research reportsTrusted Source that a combination of these efforts led to better outcomes overall.
Meditation
“Meditation can be incredibly beneficial for people who are feeling low and lacking self-esteem,” says Charna Cassell, MFT, and the founder of Center for Passionate Living in Oakland, California.
“Meditation brings you back into the present moment,” she says. “This can be helpful for those who may be feeling guilty about the past or afraid of the future — two things that can increase feelings of worthlessness, shame, and desperation.”
Science backs this, too. While more research needs to be done on the topic, findingsTrusted Source indicate that increased mindfulness — which may, for example, be achieved through meditation and yoga — is related to less depression, rumination, and worry.
If you’re unsure of how to get started, plenty of apps and online meditation options can help, and many of them are even free.
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