People Who Secretly Feel Inferior Usually Share These 10 Sad Traits (And It’s All Mental)
They might act confident but deep down, they're battling feelings of inadequacy.
Rohan G | Unsplash Having low self-esteem is detrimental to your progress in life. When you fail to see the value in yourself, you miss out on beneficial opportunities. People who believe in their own worth tend to do better in school and their careers. They have good, healthy relationships, are less antisocial, and maintain good mental and physical health.
Chronic low self-esteem can easily become a full-fledged inferiority complex, sabotaging everything you do in life. An inferiority complex is feeling of inadequacy, real or imagined. These feelings can result from a physical impairment or a mental health condition that makes you feel less intelligent than others.
It is normal to have negative thoughts about what you are capable of from time to time, but those emotions should lead to growth and development instead of imagined physical or psychological deficiencies. The sense of inferiority can cause people to block their own blessings by counting themselves out in instances where they are fully capable of achieving their goals.
The notion of an inferiority complex is that you are less than or more undeserving of something or everything than other people. What causes a person to have an inferiority complex? There are several ways people with an inferiority complex may have gotten that way.
Most often, these feelings are developed in childhood. Perhaps you were invalidated or taught that you were just not good enough. Though it sounds counterintuitive, a person with an inferiority complex may appear to have a superiority complex. The latter is sometimes used as a reaction to a feeling that you are less than.
When considering an inferiority complex vs. a superiority complex, think of them as two sides of the same coin. One is an overcompensation for those deep, dark feelings of inferiority.
Australian psychologist Alfred Adler coined the term "inferiority complex" out of his curiosity to understand why some of us lack the motivation and faith in ourselves to reach our ambitions. Mental health professionals have also linked the condition to adult experiences, personality traits, and cultural messages that seemingly confirm our inadequacies.
People who secretly feel inferior usually share these 10 sad traits, and it’s all mental:
1. They expect the worst
One of the signs of an inferiority complex is catastrophic thinking. You assume the worst of every situation and automatically decide that people have ill intent.
2. You're anti-social
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People who feel inferior tend to avoid social situations. They are uncomfortable getting to know people out of fear that their shortcomings will come to light.
Research has found that some people with an inferiority complex overcompensate for their feelings of inadequacy by becoming overly aggressive, competitive, or by putting others down to make themselves feel superior. Individuals who feel inferior may use manipulation, control, and exploitation of others to build their self-esteem and achieve their goals.
3. You give up easily
If you already believe you can’t do something, you won’t. People who feel incapable see no point in trying their best, so they give up after investing little effort.
4. You have negative self-talk
An inferiority complex truly starts in your own mind. You enforce negative thoughts about who you are and your worth and manifest them into your life.
Mental health professionals consistently observe and document negative self-talk in clients who struggle with low self-esteem and feelings of inferiority. In therapy, challenging and reframing these automatic negative thoughts is a standard approach.
5. You're often depressed
When you have negative feelings and thoughts, your energy is impacted, so it is no surprise that those emotions lead to depression.
6. You're overly competitive
If you have an inferiority complex, you will always try to convince yourself or others that you are worthy. That leads to excessive competitiveness. When you compete with others and perceive that you have lost, your value will decrease in your eyes.
Psychologists suggest that people have an innate drive to evaluate themselves against others. For those with low self-esteem, this comparison becomes a toxic cycle that fuels feelings of inadequacy and a constant, unhealthy need for external validation. They view competition not as a fun challenge but as a measure of their inherent worth.
7. You're judgmental
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You tend to judge other people harshly, pointing out their flaws and faults to distract from those you believe you have.
8. You can’t take criticism
In your eyes, criticism toward you could never be constructive. You can dish it out, but you can’t take it. Every negative word of feedback is taken personally and internalized.
Research suggests that threats to our social standing are biologically potent, on par with threats to our physical survival. In individuals with feelings of inferiority, criticism is not just an unwelcome comment but a full-blown threat to their place in the social order.
9. You fail to take accountability
Feeling bad about yourself is enough. You absolutely refuse to take accountability for any of your actions. Adding more negativity about yourself would be too much to bear.
10. You like to see others fail
You love it when someone is doing worse than you are. It makes you feel like you might be better than you thought you were. Now there is someone beneath you to make you feel good about yourself.
For those with low self-esteem, seeing a high achiever fail can serve as a compensatory mechanism, research has found. It creates a temporary and fleeting sense of superiority and makes the person feel better about their own shortcomings, without having to improve themselves.
One of the best ways to treat an inferiority complex is to find a therapist who can help you overcome your low self-esteem and trauma. Meditation and journaling are good additions to getting help from a mental health professional. These can help you to get your thoughts on paper and identify thought patterns and triggers.
Practicing self-love and self-care can go a long way in realizing the value you bring. Treat yourself in the same way you expect others to treat you.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and the author of seven books. She focuses on lifestyle and human interest stories that deliver informative and actionable guidance on interpersonal relationships, enlightenment, and self-discovery.
