Why Am I Worthless? Feelings Of Worthlessness And What You Can Do About Them
Feeling like nobody wants you around – even though it usually isn’t true – is one of the worst feelings in the world.
Feelings like this can appear at any time during your life, out of the blue or triggered by a recent event, and they can shatter your self-confidence if not dealt with fast.
But you are not alone.
Here are some incredibly common reasons why people feel worthless, and what you can do about it…
1. Someone has told you that you’re no good
Many people experience growing up in toxic environments, where being told you’re no good is almost normal. They then pass this on to others in their lives.
As it’s natural for people to care about what others think of and say to them, statements like these can hurt – a lot.
When this happens, tough as it might be, the best thing to do is to stand up for yourself in the moment.
Work through identifying any toxic relationships in your life and freeing yourself from other peoples’ negativity.
2. You keep telling yourself that you’re no good
Negative self-talk is one of the worst things you can do to yourself.
If you have grown up hearing from others that you’re worthless, you might be more inclined to criticize yourself in this way too.
You might need to dig deep into yourself to discover where these feelings are stemming from in order to put a stop to them.
Social media can also trigger such feelings, with the illusions of other people’s lives constantly seeming better than your own.
Practice treating yourself with the kindness and respect you treat your loved ones with.
3. You compare your successes to others
When you play the comparison game, there’s no winning.
Especially when it comes to social media, where people often highlight the best parts of their lives and leave the rest, other people’s successes can seem worlds better than your own.
And that can leave you feeling lost, deflated, and even worthless.
Practicing gratefulness is a great way to learn to appreciate everything you have instead of wishing for what others have (or appear to have!)
Find a way to appreciate what you have while working towards achieving what you want.
If you can’t get out of comparing yourself, why not try comparing yourself to the person you were last year?
Bettering your life and focusing on yourself is a sure-fire way to avoid getting caught up in the comparison game.
And please, stay off social media when you’re feeling low!
4. When life throws you curveballs
Going through big changes in your life can lead to you questioning your sense of self.
Losing a job, ending a relationship, or getting evicted from your home can all trigger feelings of hopelessness.
In these situations, it’s easy to start blaming and criticizing yourself.
But when you’re already in a rough situation, treating yourself badly by telling yourself you’re worthless definitely doesn’t help.
Instead of judging yourself, learn to forgive, and move on.
You may require a helping hand in these circumstances.
Turning to a trusted friend, family member or therapist can offer a great deal of help and the fresh perspective you need to get out of your slump.
5. It feels like everyone is against you
Another reason you might be feeling worthless is because of the thoughts you have about other people.
At times, people can feel like others are dissing them backs, but in reality, they're imagining things that aren’t true at all.
The problem is, when you believe so strongly in these ideas, they can come true, like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
When you are unable to process correctly what other people think of you, you will stop looking at anything that goes against the idea. You’ll keep finding evidence to support it, strengthening the idea that in their eyes, you really are worthless.
Ask yourself: is there any reason for these people to dislike you?
6. You have a negative outlook
If you keep seeing the bad side of events more than the good, you might be a victim of negative bias.
And while it’s natural that bad events have a stronger impact on your brain, you shouldn’t let them overshadow the good.
If you have a victim mentality and keep feeling bad about yourself for no reason, the first step is to admit that you are feeling this way.
Taking responsibility in life is crucial to feeling empowered.
Then you can move onto finding the root cause and fixing it at the source.
Everyone likes to feel like the victim once in a while to receive care and attention from loved ones.
But sometimes feeling bad could actually just be a result of your own negative thinking.
Hard as it may be, doing things that make you feel empowered can help. Changing your bad circumstances when you can and making the most out of them when you can’t, can lift you up and get you feeling more in control of your life.
If you can't change your situation, you can at least try to change your reaction to it.
7. You might have health issues
If you feel like you have underlying mental health issues contributing to your feelings of worthless, it’s best to seek professional help.
When negative thoughts take control and you feel like you’re having trouble regaining that control, it can be a sign of something deeper.
You are the person who knows yourself the most, so if you feel like something is off, take action immediately.
Conclusion
It isn’t uncommon to feel worthless.
Especially if you’ve grown up with narcissists, feeling helpless can be a recurring issue.
Getting a different perspective on things is important when it comes to changing your view of yourself.
When feelings of worthlessness take over, it’s important to collect evidence of times you felt more confident, stay physically active, look inward, and seek help when necessary.
This way, you can start building a stronger sense of worth and start living a more empowered life.
