.png)
By Eddy Sanchez
While I was researching low self-esteem, the connection between low self-esteem and suicide became apparent to me. I was unhappy in life and I definitely had low self-esteem, which is why I started doing research into it. I was shocked at what I found. "Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide." (Armand, 19-32). If you want to do your own research, there’s a link to the article down below. It’s a start.
In this article, I’ll be talking about my self-diagnosis of low self-esteem and depression. It took me a long time to realize that I had to take care of myself. Low self-esteem is something that a lot of people suffer from but really don’t like to talk about. There are different signs, and they aren’t always noticeable to others. If you feel like you are at the point of no return where you want to commit suicide, it’s time to reach out to a professional. The most important thing to know is that you're not alone. There is help out there, but you need to ask for it.
For some time, I believed I was suffering from depression, but it ended up being a completely different problem. All my life, I thought that I needed to be in a relationship in order to be happy. At least that’s the picture society paints. I wanted to be "normal" like everyone else, so I kept trying. One after the other, my relationships failed. One day, I decided to take a break from dating because I was tired of the same results. I kept attracting the wrong people, and my relationships ended up exactly the same way. Like most people, I blamed the other person. I never once blamed myself; I just kept looking outward. While on my break from dating, I started doing things on my own, and it was weird at first. People have a tendency to judge the person that goes to dinner by themselves. I have to be honest, it’s nice to go where I want and when I want.
After about a month of being alone, I came to a conclusion: I was no longer feeling depressed and I felt good about myself. This might sound like a crazy idea at first, but bear with me. If you're in a relationship and believe you're depressed or have low self-esteem, I'd like you to try spending some time getting to know yourself. Here’s why: since I wasn’t dating anyone, I only had to focus on the things that made me happy. I started to feel good again. It’s crazy to think that I found happiness by simply focusing on myself.
In closing, I'm not advocating for you to be alone, but I am saying that you have to find happiness within yourself first. I challenge you to spend time alone and get to know yourself. You'd be surprised at what you learn. If your partner truly cares about you, they'll understand. As humans, we all need to interact with others, but that doesn't mean we can't take some time to reflect on ourselves. You'll be glad you did. References CHATARD, ARMAND, et al. “Self-Esteem and Suicide Rates in 55 Nations.” European Journal of Personality, vol. 23, no. 1, Feb. 2009, pp. 19–32. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1002/per.701.
Comentários