Lack of Confidence

Most of us will have experienced a lack of confidence at one time or another. However, for some people, a lack of confidence in themselves becomes ingrained. They often feel inferior to others and doubt their own abilities, judgement and self-worth. They are also more likely to defer to the views and opinions of others rather than stick to their own, and may worry about what other people think of them or whether they have hurt someone’s feelings. Lack of confidence can affect their ability to live their lives as they would otherwise want to and use their abilities as they would wish to. For example, they may avoid trying anything new, for fear of failure.

There are many reasons why a person may suffer from a lack of self-confidence. Sometimes, unrealistic expectations or pressure from other people can lead to a crisis of confidence when the individual has been disappointed in their attempt to meet that expectation or goal. Past experience of failure and dwelling on previous negative experiences can promote low confidence. It is also possible that events outside the individual’s control, or a major lifetime event such as a relationship breakdown or death of a loved one can also be a trigger causing loss of self-confidence.