Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by QCity Editorial Stuff
Self-esteem is the measure of how you feel about yourself. It is a judgment that has to do with your thoughts and feelings about who you are as a person, not necessarily what others may think of you. Self-image is different from self-esteem because it can be related to physical attributes such as weight or hair color. Sometimes people might have an image in their head for themselves and compare it to reality so they don’t like what they see in the mirror. Low self-esteem leads some people to engage in negative behaviors such as drinking or drugs which can lead them down a path of addiction.
Self-esteem is a mental state that people have when they evaluate their worth, abilities, and appearance. The term was initially popularized by the American psychologist Nathaniel Brandon in 1975 as an extension of self-concept. Self-image is the mental representation of oneself which includes thoughts about one’s past and present selves, physical appearance, personal attributes, and social roles. In this blog post, we will be focusing on the difference between self-esteem and self-image so you can better understand what each means and how to improve them.
Comparison Between Self Esteem And Self Image
| Parameters of Comparison | Self Esteem | Self Image |
| Feelings | Self-esteem is the ability to feel good about oneself. | Self-image is how one sees themselves, often based on what others see as well. |
| Happy | Self-esteem can be improved by doing things that make you happy and proud of yourself. | Self-image can be improved by dressing nicely and making sure your hair looks good. |
| Cause | Low self-esteem causes people to feel down on themselves | the low self-image may cause someone to not care about their appearance. |
| Confidence | More confidence | Less confidence |
| Change | Can be changed | Can not be changed |
What Is Self Esteem?
Self-esteem is a term that means the level of respect you have for yourself. It’s how much you like and accept yourself, and it can affect your mood, relationships, and work. For example, if you’re not happy with who you are or what you’ve done in life so far, self-esteem might be below. On the other hand, if you feel good about your achievements and abilities despite making mistakes now and then – congratulations! Your self-esteem might be high.
High self-esteem doesn’t mean being cocky or arrogant; it just means appreciating all that we do well to help us grow as people (and feeling okay when we fail). Low self-esteem may cause us to think less of ourselves than self-esteem can be described as a person’s overall feelings about themselves. It is the evaluation of oneself and one’s abilities that contribute to their confidence in themselves. Self-esteem has been shown to have an influence on many aspects of life, from parenting skills to academic performance. In this blog post, I will explore what self-esteem is and how it impacts people in various ways.
10 Differences Between Self Esteem And Self Image
Feelings: Self-esteem is the ability to feel good about oneself.
Sees: Self-image is how one sees themselves, often based on what others see as well.
Happy: Self-esteem can be improved by doing things that make you happy and proud of yourself.
Look: Self-image can be improved by dressing nicely and making sure your hair looks good.
Cause: Low self-esteem causes people to feel down on themselves, but the low self-image may cause someone to not care about their appearance.
Confidence: For a person with low self-esteem, improving it will help them have more confidence in themselves and do better in school or at work.
Change: Self-esteem can be changed by your thoughts and actions, but self-image cannot.
Good Enough: A person with low self-esteem may think they are not good enough for anything or anyone.
Challenge: Someone with high self-esteem will say “I am the best” when faced with a challenge.
Confidence: People who have low confidence in themselves usually compare themselves to others.
Interesting Statistics Or Facts Of Self Esteem
1. One study found that people with high self-esteem are more likely to have better physical health.
2. People with lower self-esteem are more prone to depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
3. A survey of over 10,000 American adults found the average person spends about 45 minutes per day worrying about their appearance.
4. The most common age for low self-esteem is between 11 and 17 years old.
5. Women tend to be less confident than men in professional situations.
6. Students who feel they don’t belong at school are at higher risk for suicide or other dangerous behavior.
Interesting Statistics Or Facts Of Self Image
1. The average person spends 1/3 of their life looking at themselves.
2. Women are twice as likely to be dissatisfied with their appearance as men.
3. The majority of women think that they need to lose weight, change the shape of their bodies, or improve other aspects of them.
4. 81% of people have said that they would trade up for a better-looking partner if given the chance.
5. Men are more likely to feel satisfied with how they look compared to women.
6. People who are happy with how they look usually have higher self-esteem and confidence levels.
Conclusion About The Differences Between Self Esteem And Self Image
The key difference between self-esteem and self-image is that people with high levels of self-esteem feel good about themselves. People who have a healthy level of self-image, on the other hand, tend to be concerned with how they look or what others think about them. If you’re not sure which one applies to you, there’s an easy way to tell – ask yourself if your feelings about yourself are based on reality (self-esteem) or not (self-image).
Self-esteem is the way you feel about yourself. How others see you affect your self-image, but it doesn’t define who you are or how much value you have as a person. Self-confidence can be strengthened through building skills and understanding more of what makes up the personality that’s uniquely yours.
References:
Resource 01: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-self-esteem-2795868
Resource 02: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12942-fostering-a-positive-self-image
