What Causes A Sense Of Inferiority? Potential Mental Health-Related Sources

Have you ever felt that you were not good enough despite all the efforts that you put into yourself and your work? You may be struggling with an inferiority complex, a very common phenomenon that is especially growing in the adolescent age group. Although they may be particularly common with adolescents, anyone can have feelings of being inferior. These feelings can be very persistent, and without help, they might never go away. This article will discuss what causes someone to develop a sense of inferiority and what you can do to address and fix these feelings. Let’s learn how to manage an inferiority complex.

What causes a sense of inferiority?

People may feel inferior for numerous reasons—perhaps you're a budding musician and you see a musician who has a virtuosic ability on his or her instrument, or you have a classmate or co-worker who has a higher academic or work performance than you, or maybe you feel like your physical appearance isn't as beautiful or handsome as your friend's.

Regardless of the cause, an individual's self-esteem can be negatively affected by these types of feelings, and if it becomes severe enough or others point it out, it can develop into an inferiority complex. This is a term related to individual psychology that was coined by Alfred Adler when he was studying the development of human personality. Adler believed that feelings of inferiority are universal and involves "a gap between the ability of an individual and the task which he is expected to perform" 

However, inferiority complexes, which are considered persistent and debilitating, stem from "when a person finds himself in a situation where his abilities and attitudes are denigrated or rejected by other people," and it is "a magnification of natural feelings of inferiority and results when strivings to overcome inferiority are greatly hindered." 

This essentially means that if others say negative things about an individual, this can cause the person to feel self-conscious, inept, and impotent, and when they attempt to solve their feelings of inferiority, they yield little to no results. Consequently, people who struggle with these feelings may appear overly shy or timid. On the other hand, those with inferiority complexes may try to overcompensate when trying to overcome their feelings and may come off as aggressive.

Inferiority complex and education

It is believed that education as a whole is a major contributor to inferiority developing during puberty, and those who have failed or repeated classes, especially more than once, are prone to having an inferiority complex during adolescence and might form a "non-progressive attitude towards school and peers." Not only can educational performance be a contributor to the problem, but the environment itself can as well—since inferiority complexes often involve the denigration and rejection from other people (and adolescents can be cruel to each other). 

However, inferiority does not necessarily involve peers or people around the same age, and parenting can also contribute to inferiority at a very young age. Excessive and harsh parental demands are a good example of this. If a child gets a B on a test, which is objectively a good, passing grade, his or her parents may ridicule their son or daughter and make comments and ask questions such as "you should have tried harder" and "why didn't you get an A?"

In extreme cases, this can also lead to physical punishment, which is an entirely different topic. However, domestic violence and child abuse can lead to lifelong self-esteem issues and can cause risk-taking and self-destructive behaviors to help find relief for a sense of inferiority and to satisfy anger and frustration. 

The mental health effects of feelings of inferiority

When someone feels inferior, their self-esteem will inevitably drop because they think that they are not good enough, either because they are comparing themselves to another person or because they do not meet another's standards.

A natural response to low self-esteem is to feel frustrated, which is formally described as an emotional state characterized by confusion, annoyance, and anger. Obstacles and the interruption of goal-seeking behavior and the failure to meet those goals can make a person feel helpless and frustrated because he or she cannot satisfy their needs. 

In the previous section, it was mentioned that aggression is a common trait that may be seen in people who constantly deal with feelings of inferiority, and this is because aggression is a direct expression of frustration. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, stated that frustration has four different modes: aggression, resignation, fixation, and regression. 

Those who express resignation will find themselves isolating and withdrawing themselves from others and have a lack of interest in their surroundings. They might even try to escape when placed in a social situation. This is why people with inferiority complexes can also be perceived as shy.

These types of behaviors, especially aggression and resignation, can have severe consequences for a person, and they can facilitate the development of maladaptive behaviors in response to feeling frustrated and hopeless due to low self-esteem. According to psychologist Robyn M. Dawes, the link between problematic behaviors and self-esteem and inferiority issues has been established and has been associated with risk-taking, substance abuse, and poor academic achievement. 

How substance use can exacerbate an inferiority complex

Substance abuse is extremely problematic and of great concern, especially because its use has been growing amongst young people, who often resort to drugs and alcohol to cope with their negative feelings, like shame. Shame and low self-esteem arise from "a disparity between the ideal self and the actual real self, leading to feelings of inadequacy and disgust," which then results in inferiority and powerlessness. 

Continued use of substances may result in addiction because the individual will continue to use them to combat their feelings of inferiority, and the more dependent they become on substances, the less time they are spending developing themselves, and as a sense of self decreases, addiction increases. Keep in mind that addiction does not necessarily need to be related to a substance; rather, it can apply to any activity that can be pleasing such as food, sex, or gambling.

It is human nature for people to look for ways to reduce negative feelings, and our brains are hardwired to want to experience rewards and pleasure. Addictive behaviors like the ones mentioned above can provide this, along with some relief from feelings of inferiority. It's important to remember that many of these types of addictive behaviors can come with a cost. Inferior feelings may be better dealt with through therapy and the support of others.

Build self-esteem with a therapist's support

The development of inferiority complexes can be complicated, and it has been of interest to psychologists for many decades, but scientists have figured out many reasons why people can develop one and which behaviors may accompany one.

At the core of it, self-esteem is the main issue, and thankfully, this is something that can be improved with some time and effort—and with support from others. Inferiority complexes arise from negative feedback from other people, so the reverse will need to be gained to fix it.

Friends and family can be supportive and their love can be healing; however, in some cases, they can also be the cause of a person's sense of inferiority. Therefore, the help of a therapist may be required for certain individuals who lack an immediate, positive support system around them. No matter who it comes from, though, positive feedback and reassurance will be crucial to making progress.

The benefits of treatment through online therapy

However, kind words and praise can only go so far, and the individual will need to learn the skills necessary to change their negative thoughts into ones that are positive so that they can learn how to value and appreciate themself. This is a strategy used by online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and it has helped many people overcome depressive symptoms like worthlessness and hopelessness. Online CBT can be applied to any condition where negative thoughts are present, so it has numerous uses. In addition, online CBT can be just as effective as CBT performed in person.

If you or someone else that you know is struggling with feelings of inferiority and the possible issues that come with it, like risk-taking behaviors and substance abuse, seeking out a therapist is highly recommended. If you are not sure where to begin, Regain has licensed mental health professionals that are available online to help you or anyone else in need and can be the first major step in overcoming self-esteem issues. You can connect with a Regain therapist in a variety of ways, from texting to phone calls to video chat, whichever you are more comfortable with.

Takeaway

Feelings of inferiority can be a completely normal response to a person's environment and life events, but unfortunately, these feelings can be persistent and problematic for many individuals. Despite this, it is possible for one to learn how to value themself and start taking healthier approaches when responding to negative feelings.