The realities of low confidence | National Teen Self-Esteem Month
61% of 10-17-year-old girls in the UK have low self-esteem…
This startling statistic demonstrates the incredible amount of young females suffering from a lack of confidence. But it is the impact this has on their lives now, and long into the future, that should make us sit up and pay attention. In this blog we look at ways low self-esteem affects girls and provide useful suggestions to turn it around into a positive outlook.
When someone views themselves in a negative way, it can seriously affect the way they navigate life - missing significant career opportunities for example. But for some it can even make it difficult to complete normal day to day activities.
The overwhelming destructive outlook girls can take on occupies a huge space in their brains, until it affects every decision they make.
According to an article in Good House Keeping, 9 in 10 girls will not spend time with family and friends, participate in activities outside the house, or try out for a team or club if they aren’t happy with the way they look.
These statistics demonstrate the devastation that low self-esteem has on young girls; it stops them living their lives at a time when they should be making amazing memories that last forever.
Some can’t even face going to school and their low self-esteem prevents them from continuing in education.
These figures are based on findings from 2017 research, however, as the pandemic has had a disproportionately worse impact on teenage girls’ mental health, we know the situation can only have become worse. We know that the NHS recorded a record number of teenage girls seeking help with eating disorders in 2021.
May is Teen Self-Esteem Month which is a yearly occurrence to raise much needed attention to highlight how teenagers can begin to view themselves in a much more positive light.
Any young person, of any gender, can face low self-esteem in their lives, which can be caused from many different factors throughout their childhood, such as bullying, trauma related incidents, not meeting high academic expectations, facing extreme criticism or not meeting the ideal image presented by society.
Draining yourself and your energy on these negative thoughts can have a serious impact on our young people’s mental health. Low self-esteem is a major factor in self-harm and attempts in suicide.
Here are some useful ways to boost your self-esteem and to learn to appreciate yourself and who you are:
Look at how far you have come – Appreciate all the achievements you have made already, big, or small. You have been able to overcome so much and will only continue to achieve more.
Stop worrying what others think – This is definitely easier said than done but it is possible. Why not try it in short phases as this change cannot happen overnight. You can try things such as choosing to wear what you want out or having your hair a different way and eventually, over time, you will forget about other people’s opinions and just live for you own. Make decisions for you and not for others.
Learn something new – Learning is one way to appreciate yourself more. When you educate yourself, whether that be a new topic or a new musical instrument, you have a much deeper appreciation for yourself, and your skills. It can also open up more avenues for new relationships and opportunities.
Heal and look towards the future – Some low self-esteem issues can come from traumatic past events; it is time to heal these and begin to move on from them. This can be with the help of family, friends, a mentor or paid professional help but once you can finally free yourself from the baggage of your past, you can begin to look forward to hopes of a better future and begin to focus on your goals.
Help others – A very rewarding thing can be helping others. This can be those who have experienced something similar to you or just helping those you know are in need of support. It can give you a sense of purpose and boost your self-esteem as you’re able to help someone else.
We, at Transitions UK, are aware of the extreme outcomes that can be caused through low self-esteem, and we support many people who struggle with these thoughts in all of our projects.
Our Affirm Project supports those with mental health and emotional needs through tailored mentoring and befriending services where we create a path plan to better their lives and futures. We focus on personal development, confidence, self-esteem, educational opportunities, and employability.
We understand the importance of having someone to talk to – we provide our young people with volunteer mentors and their guidance is key to the successful progress we see every day.