A low sense of self-esteem can damage you in more ways than one. Did you know that it can lead to numerous health problems, both physical and emotional? Here are seven serious health issues that can result from not having a sound sense of self-worth.

1. Anxiety: If you have a feeling of low self-worth, you’ll also be lacking in confidence. In new or uncomfortable situations, this can easily cause you to experience an anxiety attack.

2. Stress: We all deal with stress in our lives, but for a person with a poor self-image it can be crushing. They won’t be prone to dealing with their stress, which can cause even more tension and worry. Stress is often a precursor of heart disease.

3. Depression: Feelings of despondency and despair are widespread among those who experience low self-esteem. If you feel you’re worthless, you’ll start to isolate yourself from your family and friends. Cutting yourself off from those who love you allows your negative thoughts to run wild and will take you down the path to depression. Severe depression can even lead to thoughts of suicide.

4. Alcohol Abuse: Others look to booze to obscure their troubles and give them a sense of self-confidence. Alcohol becomes their lifeline because it provides a quick boost in confidence without having to work at it. After a few drinks, their self-consciousness disappears and they feel invincible. But becoming addicted to alcohol is so easy, and your health will suffer as a consequence. Alcohol abuse leads to heart disease, liver problems and cancer.

5. Addictions: Another way people try to prop up a poor self-image is by abusing drugs, either prescribed or illegal. The temporary high takes away their problems and worries for a while. However, the consequences of long term drug addiction are well known, and they’re likely to end up dead if they don’t deal with their issues.

6. Weight Gain: People with low self-esteem commonly attempt to fill up that hollow feeling by eating too much. Weight gain is an inevitable consequence, and morbid obesity could be the ultimate outcome. Carrying around too many pounds is linked to heart disease, diabetes and numerous other ailments.

7. Weight Loss: On the other hand, some people with self-worth troubles become fixated on their appearance. They develop eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia in their pursuit of the ideal figure. But no matter how much they starve their bodies, they are never pleased with the results, and eventually they become dangerously ill.

These are some of the more serious issues that can result from low self-esteem. So if you or someone you know is dealing with this problem, it’s important to get help and learn how to value yourself. Otherwise, in the long run, you might be facing these health problems, or worse.

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