Just a quick update to announce a review of Adam Eason’s “High Self Esteem in 21 Days” audio programme. This review is well worth reading if your suffering from low self esteem. To find out more simply click the link below.
Read the full review of High Self Esteem in 21 Days by Adam Eason.
Add comment February 29th, 2008
I’ve been watching Extreme Dreams with Ben Fogle recently, a BBC Two documentary in which Ben Fogle leads a team of adventurers on a life changing trek through Uganda. The documentary is inspiring stuff as all the adventurers have had to overcome physical and emotional challenges which include everything from blindness to obesity. Amongst the team involved is Gaynor a mother of three who has Alopecia. Part of the reason why she wanted to take part in this experience is to build her self esteem as having Alopecia has taken its toll on an emotional level.
“I want to get out there and meet people and not hide away…”
Gaynor
By taking part in such a life changing experience she is hoping to build both her self esteem and confidence and this is an incredible positive way of dealing with Alopecia that many of us could learn from. Shying away from the realities of life and relationships with others can be the most tempting way of dealing with things when your self esteem is at rock bottom but in fact it’s the worst course of action. Now I’m not suggesting that everyone pack their suitcases for a trip around the world right now but perhaps taking just a small step everyday is all that’s needed to help restore that inner confidence. This could be anything from doing a little exercise to simply meeting some friends for a quick drink and a chat. It’s the little things that make a big difference in the long run.
“…the word ‘esteem’ shares the same root as the word ’estimate’ meaning ‘to put a value on’. Therefore, you can see that ’self-esteem’, really does just mean; ‘the value we put on ourselves’.”
Adam Eason - The World’s Favourite Hypnosis & Personal Development
Building your self esteem is one of the most important and rewarding steps you can make and this is something that I will be discussing in more detail in the future. In the meantime I’ll leave you with a great quote from Robert Ringer.
“A quality such as self-esteem is a result of practising good human relations”
Robert J Ringer
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1 comment January 31st, 2008
Male pattern baldness for many men is a fact of life and the statistics are overwhelming when you consider 1 in 3 men will have male pattern baldness at some point in their lives. Whilst many are content to let nature take it’s course, for other men its not as simple as that as hair is a core part of our physical identity and losing it is often a emotionally painful process. Although there are many forms of hair loss treatment for male pattern baldness the question of whether to wear a hair piece is an inevitable question that men will ask themselves.
Perhaps what divides opinion about hair pieces is the sheer range of quality on offer and many people will either have known or seen someone wearing a bad toupee. The fact that someone will have put themselves through wearing something like that just goes to show that for some, being bald is the worst case scenario.
Of course there is always the other end of the spectrum and high quality hair pieces made from real human hair and fitted by experts can be a revelation. Some are so impressive that it’s almost impossible to tell the difference. Of course you get what you pay for and these alternatives can be expensive. So what are the alternatives and should men embrace baldness?
In today’s society thankfully its become more acceptable to have a shaven head. Just look at the amount of film stars, soccer players and fashion models that now sport shaven heads. Bruce Willis, Will Smith, Billy Zane and Vin Diesel have embraced the bald look and it has done them no harm at all. A recent documentary in the UK followed one man in his early twenties as he tried various hair loss treatments along with hair pieces and after posting photos of himself with and without hair on www.hotornot.com he found he had a higher score with his bald photo. There is certainly plenty of evidence to suggest many find bald men sexy.
Ironically men’s self esteem has probably never been at a lower level. In today’s highly pressured western society men are expected to have great jobs, make lots of money, be better lovers and look perfect at the same time. Whilst taking care of how you look isn’t necessarily a bad thing its important to take a step back and realise what’s truly important. Being comfortable in your own body is a far more attractive quality than we give credit for. Life is for living and it’s about making the most of what your blessed with so stop saying “I wish” and start saying “I will”.
4 comments January 25th, 2008
I wrote a post a while back about how social anxiety disorder has a strong link with Alopecia and I wanted to revisit this as I think its important topic for people struggling to come to terms with Alopecia. Social anxiety disorder in my opinion is a direct result of low self esteem and the often severe and sudden nature of Alopecia can have a devastating effect on ones self image.
What is Social Anxiety Disorder?
Low self esteem and social anxiety disorder and more common than people are aware of and according to research conducted in the United States is the third most common psychiatric disorder next to depression and alcoholism. However due to its very nature people suffering with social anxiety disorder are reluctant to talk about it and so creating awareness can be an uphill battle, something that will be familiar with people with Alopecia.
To illustrate how bad Social anxiety disorder can be, those who have this it will struggle with everyday tasks that most people take for granted - working, socialising, shopping, speaking on the telephone, can be an unpleasant ordeal marked by constant feelings of anxiety and self-consciousness.
Sufferers typically experience feelings of dread and nervousness in the build up to the feared situation, and analyse or ‘replay’ the situation in their mind when it’s over, ruminating on how they could have ‘performed’ better. Sufferers may also experience physical symptoms such as trembling, blushing or sweating.
How is Low self esteem related?
So how does this relate to low self esteem? Well, self esteem is probably one of the most important elements in your life and a general agreement exists in psychiatry that self-esteem plays a central role in mental and physical health. Self-esteem is often referred to as self-worth, self-confidence, and self-respect and reflects a person’s overall self-appraisal of their own worth. It’s important to note however that this is very different to confidence which is specifically related to our actions.
How to improve low self esteem and social anxiety disorder
Luckily low self esteem and social anxiety disorder can be beaten. This should start with working on building your self esteem as it is an investment in your well being that will pay dividends in virtually every aspect of your life. Consider the following;
Combat your negative inner voice
Challenge your negative and critical inner voice. Focus on the positive points in any task, no matter how poorly you think you may have done. Be rational when appraising your abilities.
Practise self nature
Look after yourself physically, take regular exercise, eat well and practise good hygiene. These all add up and will always make you feel better about yourself. Make a list of your strengths and achievements so you can focus on the positives in your life. Most importantly be thankful for all that you have in your life already.
Get help from others
Seek out support groups in your area for things like social anxiety disorder. Ask a good friend to listen to you “vent” your feelings for a little while and don’t be afraid to ask for a hug from a loved one. If it really is too painful to deal with then talking to a professional counsellor is a good way to learn more about your self-esteem issues and begin to improve your self-esteem.
Hypnosis
You may also want to consider clinical hypnosis as dealing with your subconscious mind is an effective way to literally “unlearn” all the negative programming you can build up throughout your life. Adam Eason’s High Self Esteem in 21 Days is one of the best around if you want a comprehensive self hypnosis product and comes highly recommended. If its over your budget then there are several other shorter hypnosis sets on the market.
I hope this article has given you a greater understanding of what low self esteem and social anxiety disorder are and how they effect your life. The techniques we have talked about will help you improve your well being and I urge you to take positive action today.
4 comments August 22nd, 2007
I’ve just finished reading a recent study about Alopecia by Hunt and McHale entitled “The psychological impact of alopecia”. The study paints a pretty bleak but all to familiar picture for those of us who have lived with Alopecia for any length of time.
Many of the psychological symptoms resembled those of social anxiety disorder and up to 63% of those suffering with Alopecia reported work related problems and around 40% of woman with Alopecia reported marital problems as a direct consequence.
The extent of alopecia is one of the predictors of psychological distress. People with severe hair loss are more likely to experience psychological distress.
Hunt and McHale 2005
However on a more positive note many of us lead perfectly normal lives and in fact Alopecia has proved no barrier to many who at the top of their field. Just look at some of the celebrity role models who have Alopecia for example. I find this incredibly interesting, especially as someone who has suffered from a lack of confidence which related directly to negative experiences as a child with Alopecia.
I have been looking for answers to this question and perhaps more importantly how can we empower ourselves to make the necessary changes in our lives. I’ll be looking in to these issues as this blog evolves and I hope you’ll join me in this journey. I firmly believe anyone can effect change in there life no matter what the obstacles but what we all need most importantly is support.
1 comment November 7th, 2006
I read an interesting article about Mark Oaten (A liberal democrat MP in the United Kingdom) and the effect male pattern baldness has had on his life on the Independant website.
To quote the article.
In a remarkably candid article, the Lib Dem MP describes how overwork and the pressure of living in the Westminster village coincided with “something of a mid-life crisis”. Losing his hair in his late thirties had “knocked me for six” he says. “I started to look noticeably older.”
He found that his thinning locks were attracting more attention than the important messages he was trying to convey about the Liberal Democrat policy on law and order. Television appearances would result in a “barrage of emails” noting his lack of hair. “I became more and more obsessed by its disappearance.”
The article goes on to explain how an estimated two thirds of adult men will suffer from male pattern baldness or androgenic alopecia as it is technically known.
If you suffer from male pattern baldness then you can read more about natural hair loss treatments via the link below.
Add comment May 8th, 2006