It's all in the mind, they say. What we think, so we are. They could not be more apt. Our subconscious mind is so strong, that the way one thinks, the mind starts believing and following exactly that. In that way, the image that we have of ourselves, also called self-esteem, is based on what we 'think' of ourselves and the perception we have of our own self. This fact is highlighted with a study of the different kinds of people around you. Some are extremely confident of themselves, proud even. Any achievement, no matter how small or insignificant in the large scheme of things, takes on the form of something that needs to be highlighted, because they have a positive self image. And then there are those who seem to be doing well in life, but it never translates into confidence or pride because even the slightest criticism gets them down. These classic are cases of low self-esteem. Low self-esteem is a crippling condition because more than anything else, it prevents growth. One is constantly left doubting, questioning, cross-questioning, over thinking, over analyzing, blaming and putting oneself down. How then, is one supposed to have a positive and healthy environment to grow in? In these cases, their own mind curbs their success. Reiterating the fact that it's all in the mind. Yet, though it is a condition that is made even more intense because of the way in which we think, there are certain causes that lead to this condition in the first place. In most cases, the development of low self-esteem is traced back to childhood and the lack of encouragement or the constant criticism that is meted out to the child. The effects of low self-esteem which may develop in childhood, can subsequently make their way into adulthood and lead to severe adjustment problems. Given the kind of crippling effect that this condition can have on the mind, it becomes extremely important to diagnose low self-esteem in a person early on so that it can be treated. One of the most effective ways of diagnosing this is with the help of a low self-esteem test which can be administered for answers. In the following sections, we will take you through the details of this condition and give you a test for the same. Diagnosing the Problem The test given below will highlight the varied low self-esteem symptoms and help diagnose this condition better.

■ I cannot hear criticism about myself. No matter whether it is constructive criticism or otherwise. » Yes » No ■ I am my worst critic and find it difficult to be accepting of myself and others. » Yes » No ■ I get very defensive when I feel that someone is criticizing me. » Yes » No  ■ I cannot trust people easily. » Yes » No  ■ If someone mistreats me, I perceive it as a punishment for something bad that I've done and convince myself that I deserve it. » Yes » No  ■ I often minimize my success and magnify my mistakes. » Yes » No ■ I tend to get very anxious in social situations and around elements that I don't know about. » Yes » No  ■ I fear that people are always criticizing me. » Yes » No  ■ I find myself thinking negatively most of the time. » Yes » No  ■ I have given up on several dreams and ambitions because of the fear of failure and subsequently of what people would think. » Yes » No  ■ I often wear branded clothes, or buy things that I feel people will like. I do not like to carry off things that I'm comfortable in which might not necessarily fall in the 'acceptable' bracket in society. » Yes » No  ■ I procrastinate most of times, fretting that I might not do a good job of it. » Yes » No  ■ I'm either very closed as a person or very open when it comes to sharing personal information. » Yes » No  ■ I often felt inadequate and inferior as a child. » Yes » No  ■ I hate getting into and therefore avoid confrontation and conflict as far as possible. » Yes » No  ■ I constantly compare myself to others and feel that I have been dealt a hard hand in life. » Yes » No  ■ My decisions often change depending on what people might want to hear or expect of me. » Yes » No  ■ I tend to be quiet in a social group, refraining from saying much because of the fear that others might judge me. » Yes » No  ■ I am easily discouraged and often hurt and angry by what others say and do. » Yes » No  ■ I tend to be a perfectionist and want everything to be done in a particular way and style so that no one can criticize things about me. » Yes » No

Key - If you answered more than 4 questions positively, then it could mean that you're suffering from low self-esteem. Anything more than 10 points means that you have a very low self image and esteem and that there is a need to take immediate action in improving your self-esteem. A read through this test will have given you an idea of how a person with low self-esteem thinks and the kind of symptoms that he exhibits. After answering this test, if you find that you are suffering from the same, you can then take certain positive steps for overcoming this problem and free yourself of the unnecessary torment and torture, in turn learning to love yourself for what you are.