[1flagwriter]

Please submit your honest answer. I'm taking a poll to see how mental illness effects self esteem.

You need to have the answer choice "sometimes". I would say with mental illness, my level of self-esteem comes and goes. And I don't think that means I have poor self-esteem; I think that means my mental illness causes me to be unable to think clearly about myself at times.

[Shangrala]

I agree with farmergirl.
Although I don't necessarily think low of myself in general, there are many times that I find myself in modes which oftentimes leave me deperessingly questioning myself.

I don't suffer from mental illness (that I'm aware of), however since there really is no classification for "normaility", as every one of us is different and (should be) equally acknowledged AND accepted for who we are AS what we are, I feel that even the healthiest of minds experience low self esteem.

Just my opinion....

Shangrala

[1flagwriter]

I'm not tracking "sometimes". I'm trying to get raw, hard data, not a varience. Thanks for the tips, though...

[DfendrOfEmilysHeart]

No my self esteem is severely lacking. I'm here to try to gain some, though, even if it's just a tiny bit.

Something has to be done. I can't carry on like this.

Originally Posted by 1flagwriter

I'm not tracking "sometimes". I'm trying to get raw, hard data, not a varience. Thanks for the tips, though...

But variance is important data for the question you are asking. Mental illness affects self-esteem by causing it to waver at times. That IS the reality.

[englishteacher]

Flagwriter - how will you know if all, or which ones of, the respondants are mentally ill, thus effecting their self-esteem? After all, Shangrila is a regular around these parts and she says she doesn't suffer from mental illness...

[Miss Laura]

I have extremely low self-esteem before I became ill. I am told to be more assertive but I have no idea how to do that. Been told to read a book on it. So I have that. Low self-esteem for me is all year round since I was about 5 years as much as I can remember

[venusss]

is high self-esteem a good thing or a bad thing?

[1flagwriter]

I got the idea to do the poll from a post I read that questioned one's self esteem and it's being connected to having an emotional disorder (i.e. bipolar). This isn't research, folks. Just a simple observation poll.

[pegasus]

Originally Posted by 1flagwriter

I'm not tracking "sometimes". I'm trying to get raw, hard data, not a varience. Thanks for the tips, though...

You are wanting raw hard data, not a variance and your profile says that you are finishing your B.S in Psychology. Sorry but we do not allow research on this website. Nobody wants to end up as data for your research.

Admin will be alerted. Thank you.

[1flagwriter]

Pegasus,

I've PM'd Admin and asked for them to remove this poll/post. I had no idea that the wrong idea might come across as a result of the poll. I'm not doing anything fishy, I promise. And I thank you for bringing this to my attention.

[Shangrala]

Originally Posted by 1flagwriter

I got the idea to do the poll from a post I read that questioned one's self esteem and it's being connected to having an emotional disorder (i.e. bipolar). This isn't research, folks. Just a simple observation poll.

I cannot speak for everyone here, but for those I have gotten to know, (on this site and also those I know in rl) who suffer from low self esteem, I've noticed more of a connection with that and their upbringing more so than with bp, (although I'm sure that there is a link to that which may influence levels of low self esteem).

I was raised seldom prasied. My mother was the greatest contributing factor to setting me up to feel like the failure from a very early age. I've struggled my entire life with this inner battle between feeling like a failure, and the awareness that I wasn't, which created a conflict with my self esteem.
As I aged and came to terms with the fact that my mom was who she was, which was no reflection on me, I was able to overcome most of my low self esteem. Yet it does linger and kicks into high gear when I'm confronted with something difficult that requires much decision making, or when I'm feeling depressed....but I think that's natural..for the most part?
I mean....who doesn't question themselves on ocassion? And for those who feel that they are perfect, (such as my oldest brohter...lol), I believe that that can very possilby be in relation to an inner fear of some sort, which, in its own right, isn't healthy, depending on its severity.

I honestly believe that the lack of self esteem originally stems from one's upbringing and any mental illness only enhanses it. But, ehh....I'm no therapist. What do I know....lmao.

Shangrala

[T-bone 6074]

Hello Flaigwriter,Even Though I Suffer from Depression, I've always had high self-esteem for myself. My son once told me, he wrote in a Father's Day card, that the things he admired about me the most were my Honesty and Integrity. Those thoughts alone allow me to have high self-esteem.

I have researched my self-esteem and have concluded by a coin flip that I am ambivalent about this whole concept. Sorry.

[1flagwriter]

It's okay, Byz. I'm trying to get them to take this thread off anyway.

[englishteacher]

Flag - it was an interesting poll and an interesting thought.

[la doctora]

Leaving the poll out of it... I agree with farmergirl. My self esteem changes depending on if I am in a manic phase, depressive, or stable. When I am in a manic phase my self esteem increases and has led to inappropriate behavior on my part. When I come out of the manic phase I am ashamed and saddened by the things I have done which leads me to have low self esteem bc of the guilt and thinking I am a bad person. When I am stable I tend to be middle of the road. Some things are good and some things are bad.
Thanks for posting the poll. It stimulated good topic for conversation.

[mamaJenof5]

Originally Posted by farmergirl

You need to have the answer choice "sometimes". I would say with mental illness, my level of self-esteem comes and goes. And I don't think that means I have poor self-esteem; I think that means my mental illness causes me to be unable to think clearly about myself at times.

I agree with you on that one. When I am manic I think I am the greatest thing that lived..I call it my "beer goggles". Ya know when your drunk you think people are better looking. When I'm manic I think I'm better looking smarter, and just the life of the party!

When I'm depressed or inbetween I know what I am and it isn't much

[mamaJenof5]

Originally Posted by Shangrala

I cannot speak for everyone here, but for those I have gotten to know, (on this site and also those I know in rl) who suffer from low self esteem, I've noticed more of a connection with that and their upbringing more so than with bp, (although I'm sure that there is a link to that which may influence levels of low self esteem).

I was raised seldom prasied. My mother was the greatest contributing factor to setting me up to feel like the failure from a very early age. I've struggled my entire life with this inner battle between feeling like a failure, and the awareness that I wasn't, which created a conflict with my self esteem.
As I aged and came to terms with the fact that my mom was who she was, which was no reflection on me, I was able to overcome most of my low self esteem. Yet it does linger and kicks into high gear when I'm confronted with something difficult that requires much decision making, or when I'm feeling depressed....but I think that's natural..for the most part?
I mean....who doesn't question themselves on ocassion? And for those who feel that they are perfect, (such as my oldest brohter...lol), I believe that that can very possilby be in relation to an inner fear of some sort, which, in its own right, isn't healthy, depending on its severity.

I honestly believe that the lack of self esteem originally stems from one's upbringing and any mental illness only enhanses it. But, ehh....I'm no therapist. What do I know....lmao.

Shangrala

some of the things you say are so true, my mom didn't put me down but like you I seldom did anything that was "right" enough for praise. however have been struggling from bipolar systems of mania and depression from such an early age how do I know what my lack of self esteem is from...I don't know much either!lol

[Naturefreak]

Most of the time NO. But everyone keeps telling me what a great person I am . lol

[sunrise]

Originally Posted by 1flagwriter

I'm taking a poll to see how mental illness effects self esteem.

flagwriter, since there are problems with doing research type polls here (as you've learned), you could probably also find your answer in the psych literature. If you go hunting, let us know what you find. Also, I didn't think the poll question actually addressed the question of how mental illness affects self esteem. (It just asked "do you have genuine high esteem?") Also, although I didn't answer your poll, I'm not mentally ill. Who knows how many who answered your poll are mentally ill. So the poll may not be relevant to the topic you are interested in investigating.

I think mental illness can affect self esteem, but that it can work the other way too: self esteem can affect mental illness.

How does one detect the difference between "low self esteem" and "depression"? --that's a question that interests me. Sometimes I've heard people who say they have low self esteem speak about themselves, and it sounds very similar to the negative thinking patterns that often accompany depression. Can a person have low self esteem and not be depressed? Can a person be depressed and not have low self esteem?

Interesting topic.

[Nemo39122]

Id say I have pretty low self esteem in general. Even when ts not, like when I daydream that Im a a famous musician (dont laugh lol) I always imagine myself as being depressed or self destructive, things like that.

[Amazonmom]

I would say my horrendous self esteem came way before my mental illness did.

Now that I am a permanent mental freak show I don't see my self esteem improving any time soon.

I am only referring to myself when I say mental freak show.

[1flagwriter]

Everyone, this is the link to a new person's thread that inspired this poll. I regret starting the poll and have asked Admin to remove it (to no avail).

http://forums.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=134667