As depressing as it sounds, Inferiority Complex has a quite negative take on society or particularly on somebody’s state of mind. It is interpreted in our society in many ways which, to be honest, are not healthy. It is sometimes considered as a self-inflicted injury done to our self-esteem, as a disease sometimes, and sometimes as a pitiful thing.
What exactly is Inferiority Complex?
The purpose of this article is basically to know that what exactly is Inferiority Complex? How did it effect a normal human beings’ life? How does it happen? Is it because of materialistic values and societal pressure? Or because of constant failures in life? These questions demand further inquiry, like is there any relation between inferiority complex and depression? Is it because of constant unconscious flashback from your horrid past which doesn’t allow you to move on? Is it self-inflicted or because of some physical and mental disability?
Then there are two more perspectives on it: feeling inferior and having an Inferiority Complex.
We all are inferior to one another in different aspects. Which is sometimes healthy. It’s like being left behind in a marathon where you don’t quit running because you are left behind but you try even harder to get at least some considerable position. It’s completely healthy as winner’s position is only one person. The famous psychologist Alfred Adler said that feeling inferior is often a healthy motivation. This becomes sick and unhealthy when you stop considering failures as motivation and start assuming that you can’t compete because you are inferior to the one you are competing with. You lose hope without even trying. It’s as if your feeling of inferiority paralyzes you instead of motivating and this is Inferiority complex.
Watch for the signs of an Inferiority Complex:
Before going into the discussion about reasons and cure of inferiority complex, let’s have a look at the signs of inferiority complex:
- You feel a continuous void in your personality.
- The urge to don’t let anybody cross your comfort zone or the imaginary bubble of loneliness that you have created for yourself.
- Self-injury brings you comfort or worse, pleasure.
- Your self-defense becomes so weak that you let people manipulate you esteem easily.
- You either start blaming yourself for all the wrongs in your life or worse start blaming others especially people from your immediate surroundings. (This is basically the sign of failure which later turns into inferiority complex)
- A childhood trauma that doesn’t leave you even in your adulthood and you receive constant flashbacks of it which either leaves you in the ultimate dire situation.
- Gestures of kindness (even the smallest ones) make you emotional and you end up crying a lot.
- You may experience feelings of anxiety, reluctance to trust others, low self-worth, and fear of rejection.
- Compulsive behavior like overeating, over enthusiasm for unnecessary things, overshopping etc.
- You try to find escape in drugs or other unhealthy things.
Reasons for Inferiority Complex:
There are many reasons for an inferiority complex. The treatment one’s complex can only be found easily when you know the root cause of the inferiority complex. If you don’t know the reason it can not be treated well. Though it’s not easy to get the direct root cause instantly one may eventually get to it once being their case analyzed professionally.
Here are some of the major reasons that usually causes a person to suffer from an inferiority complex:
Rejection and ignorance to love:
There are people around us who will always want to put you down without any fear in the world. They are the ones who won’t let any chance miss to make fun of you and degrade you without any shame. Then there are the ones who secretly harm you and you on the other hand not being able to know the root cause, blame it on karma which also adds up to your inferiority complex. In today’s world of constant competition, receiving criticisms, facing hateful comments, and racist attitude and bullying by the privileged one’s inferiority complex has become a.
To treat these issues and in order to deal with the inferiority complex, you need to learn how to reject and how to ignore all the negative criticism in a positive way.
Worthlessness:
Feeling down after coming across a rough patch or after a significant disappointment or after a tough interpersonal conflict is natural yet very unhealthy. This gives you feeling of worthlessness which later turns in to an Inferiority Complex. You will rarely stand up for yourself (or your view) and have difficulty asserting your needs, just because you lose hope and lack self-worth.
This can only be cured once you start treating yourself better. By living an authentic life which means doing what you truly love and above all project a deeper sense of self-worth by acting confidently.
Obsessiveness to the comparison:
Comparing yourself to others is like trying to fit in someone else’s shoes. But just like Cinderella’s shoe only fitted in her foot, you will not be able to fit in another person’s persona. This can only bring you shame, discomfort, sense of low competence and integrity etc.
So, from today let’s stop claiming yourself the person you are not. Just be yourself and live the way God has created you. Because you obviously your tombstone won’t say that you are Tom who was like Tony. NO! It will only say that your Tom and you live like Tom.
How to deal with the Inferiority Complex:
We know the meaning. We know the reasons. Now, it’s time to know how we should deal with it. God forbid, that any one of us would ever need these personally but we should know the key points to help others. This is to the awareness of an issue which is increasing in our society very rapidly.
Belief in Thyself:
“I don’t deserve her”. You surely do.
“I am far beyond from this achievement”. Who told you.
“I can not be successful in my life”. Says or thinks your haters only.
We only think such things when we feel unhealthy-ly inferior to someone. We lose faith in ourselves and forget that we can definitely do whatever we want to do. At this stage, we need to remind ourselves that there is no need to feel inferior to someone or feel defeated if the achievement is a bit far away. Because always remember that far only means long distance and nothing close to unreachable distance. If you can dream it then you can definitely achieve it despite all odds. Tell this to yourself repeatedly and have faith in yourself. This will help you in dealing with your complex in the best way possible.
Let’s prove bullies wrong:
Ugly truths said funnily or being laughed at on your ugly truths are seriously one of the sickest things. Me, writing these words can definitely feel your pain. But one thumb rule in treating inferiority complex is to never let bullying disturb your comfort zone. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “no one can make you feel inferior without your permission”. So, make your tolerance strong and stand firmly on your grounds to prove the bullies wrong. If you are being ridiculed by others, no matter what reason or for whatever fault of your’s, never let that get to your head or heart. This is the best way to prove bullies wrong.
Join positive company:
The negative company is poisonous for everyone at every stage. Obviously no second thoughts or argument in this. But if you are going through inferiority complex phase this poisonous thing can harm you beyond your thinking. Surround yourself with positive people who not only accept themselves as they are but also appreciates others for who they are.
It’s not all about you:
One of the main reason that provides roots to your inferiority complex and that’s been nagging you for ages: How low people think about you for all your downs? No dear! You, with all your faults and problems, is definitely not the center of attention in a group. Why would you be? You are not James Bond or Brad Pitt. (excuse the lame reference) But the point is everyone is so wrapped up in their own bubble that they don’t bother thinking about you even for a second. They have their pile of problems, issues, tragedies etc that they don’t even want to hear your problems let alone have a discussion over it. So get over this phase and start thinking about yourself only.
Summing it all, Inferiority Complex is definitely one of the harshest things one can ever face. All we can do in such a painful condition is to give every possible comfort to the people facing it and take immediate measures to cure it.
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