A common reason to seek counseling services is for help with a low self-esteem. In fact, around 85% of adults suffer from this issue, yet most will never seek help for it. Suffering from low self-esteem can not only cause you to feel depressed and unsatisfied in life, but it can also affect many other things, including your health. Here are several health effects caused by low self-esteem that you could avoid by seeking help for this problem.
One of the most common effects of low self-esteem is depression. Depression is considered a mental illness, and it can rob you of happiness, joy, and contentment in life. It can also lead to a lack of motivation and can cause you to withdraw from people. If you fail to treat your depression, it can affect the relationships in your life, your career, and your entire future.
Depression can be treated, but if a low self-esteem is the cause of your depression, it might be better to treat the esteem issues instead of the depression. By finding ways to feel better about yourself, your depression may naturally go away.
If your low self-esteem is causing you to feel depressed, the way your body responds to the stress and depression can affect the way your heart works and functions. The body's natural response to stress and depression is to release a hormone called cortisol. When this occurs, your heart rate and blood pressure will increase, and this will place extra stress on your heart. Too much stress on the heart can lead to heart disease, heart attack, and other heart-related issues.
It's also important to realize that a low self-esteem can put you at a higher risk for developing an addiction. This could be an addiction to alcohol, drugs, or pain killers, and the effects of any of these addictions can be devastating. Addictions to drugs and alcohol harm the body in many ways, and they will also typically cause a lot of other issues in life. If you develop an addiction, you may have trouble keeping a job, focusing, and having quality relationships.
The best way to avoid these health risks is to seek help for your low self-esteem, and you can do this by contacting an adult counseling center in your area. A counselor can help you develop a better perception and view of yourself, and this could help you become happier in all areas of your life.