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Even successful professionals suffer from low self-esteem.
Even successful professionals suffer from low self-esteem, particularly during major life transitions such as a midlife crisis. It may seem like an oxymoron to talk about low self-esteem and successful professionals, but many people experiencing a midlife crisis in men or women find themselves trapped in this situation.
They may have good jobs, strong careers, and stable relationships—at least on the surface. Internally, however, they constantly question their decisions, send negative messages to themselves, and fear expressing opinions due to anxiety about making mistakes. This pattern is commonly addressed through midlife crisis counselling and psychotherapy for midlife crisis, where self-esteem issues are a central theme.
These individuals are often trying to cope with low self-esteem while managing midlife crisis symptoms. Low self-esteem can translate into behaviours such as constant apologising for things outside their control, an inability to take even low-level risks, persistent guilt and shame, and chronic second-guessing. Many people experiencing depression during a midlife crisis also struggle to assert boundaries, leading them to take on more responsibilities despite already feeling overwhelmed.
Signs of low self esteem
One of the biggest challenges for people with low self-esteem is that they may not even realise they are struggling. This lack of awareness is common in individuals seeking midlife crisis help, as dissatisfaction may appear in work performance, personal appearance, or social interactions. Over time, these feelings can spread across all areas of life and remove any real sense of enjoyment or fulfillment.
Low self-esteem often develops gradually through repeated negative feedback from significant people in one’s life. This may originate from harsh or critical parenting and later become internalised, making the individual their own harshest critic. In both midlife crisis therapy and midlife crisis psychotherapy, this internal dialogue is frequently explored and restructured.
Typically, signs of low self-esteem include:
- Withdrawal from interactions and social situations
- Isolation from friends and family
- Hostility and aggression to others
- Extreme reactions to criticism
- Headaches
- Digestive problems
- Insomnia
- Decrease in work or school performance
- Guilt and shame over issues outside of your control
- Perfectionism
- Pessimisim about the future
- Resentment over others' achievements
- Any failure seen as a permanent indication of the future
Improving negative or low self esteem
For many individuals with low self-esteem, particularly those undergoing a midlife crisis, success becomes the primary measure of personal worth. Unreasonably high expectations are set as proof of acceptance, and when these expectations are not met, the cycle of negativity intensifies. This pattern is frequently addressed in midlife crisis treatment in the UK, especially among high-achieving professionals.
Breaking this cycle requires changing how success is defined and how the individual relates to themselves and the world around them. In midlife crisis therapy in London, the focus often shifts from external validation to internal measures of growth and self-acceptance. By redefining success as personal progress rather than external achievement, the negative failure loop can be interrupted.
Through counselling, structured exercises, and ongoing practice, people experiencing low self-esteem can learn to recognise and value their unique skills and abilities in a realistic and positive way. This approach is central to men’s midlife crisis therapy and therapeutic work with midlife crisis in women, supporting not only improved self-esteem but healthier relationships and more confident interactions with others.
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