Inferiority complex in human life

Every person on our planet has had to face an obstacle at least once.
Immediately, anxiety arises, fear of varying degrees, a lack of understanding of what to do in this situation, and this is quite normal. A person overcomes all these sensations and solves the problem in one way or another. However, there are people who are so unsure of their own abilities that they are not ready to make any decisions. Sometimes, in order to get rid of the feeling of uncertainty, a person redirects his anxiety in another direction or closes it deep inside himself. And as a result, we can observe people who either become isolated on a permanent basis or splash out the energy of anxiety in the form of aggression, irascibility, etc. But why are such personalities formed? Our article will answer this question with the help of a story about an inferiority complex in a person’s life.

The concept of inferiority complex

First you need to understand the very concept of an inferiority complex.

The first scientist to research and explain the inferiority complex was Alfred Adler. The Austrian psychologist created his own system of individual psychology, in which he directly touched upon this concept.

A person with an inferiority complex feels different from everyone else, in a negative way. He feels abnormal, an order of magnitude lower than other people. Behind such feelings there is a vivid fear of being out of place in society, not accepted by people, lonely, unwanted by loved ones. Subsequently, we have a manipulative relationship with such a person, reproaches, devaluation, misunderstanding and frequent conflicts.

An inferiority complex often occurs when, at an early age, a child does not receive enough attention and emotional support from his parents. Other factors influencing such a sense of self include physical or cosmetic defects, psychological trauma, discrimination, parental suppression of the child’s personality, fears, and the like.

At the same time, Alfred Adler said that an inferiority complex is not a human shortcoming if compensation occurs, that is, the replacement of a feeling of abnormality with development in one area or another. An example of this is the famous psychologist Karen Horney, who considered herself absolutely ugly by beauty standards of the 19th and 20th centuries. She decided to compensate for the feeling of lack of external attractiveness by developing her intellect. And now Karen Horney's ideas and theories are used in psychology and taught in universities.

However, in cases where a person is unable or not ready to redirect the inferiority complex in the right direction, two situations arise.

The first option for the development of events is a person’s isolation. In this case, when for one reason or another an inferiority complex is formed, people do not put this energy of anxiety anywhere, plunging it into the subconscious. Then such a person closes himself off from the outside world so that nothing can remind him of, for example, certain traumatic events of the past. The problem is that anxiety does not disappear anywhere and from the back of our minds affects our lives. In such cases, a person does not even understand where protracted depression, suicidal thoughts, feelings of guilt, unstable emotional background, reluctance to do anything, and the like come from.

The second option is that the same energy of anxiety, arising from an inferiority complex, chaotically spills out into the surrounding social environment. In this case, a person often expresses aggression when faced with any difficulties due to a feeling of worthlessness, wrongness, and defectiveness.

At the same time, it is necessary not to forget that a person with an inferiority complex will definitely influence the people around him and his relationships with them. We will tell you about this further.

Reasons for the complex

An inferiority complex does not appear by itself. During diagnosis, the psychotherapist often establishes the following reasons:

Errors in parenting, poor parent-child relationships. If the mother and father ignore the child’s needs and devote little time to him, he withdraws into himself and begins to think that he is not loved. He begins to justify others, to belittle himself. Becomes vulnerable and prone to depression.
Anxious and difficult life situations. Overcoming problems and suffering from frequent defeats, many people stop believing in themselves. When trying to organize the future, they mentally return to the past. They see themselves as a failure there, so they decide not to change anything.
Criticism from others. Not everyone can withstand the pressure exerted from outside. It is important for everyone to be valued and accepted. If the environment has a negative attitude towards the appearance and actions of the individual, he begins to fade away.

Living with a partner with an inferiority complex

Despite the fact that many people know about an inferiority complex, there is still a chance to get into a relationship with such a person. But what will life look like with a partner with an inferiority complex who is unable to redirect energy in another direction? It is immediately necessary to clarify that not many people like this kind of life.

Such people constantly claim that you don’t love them and don’t pay enough attention to them. A person with an inferiority complex in a relationship will often be offended and find reasons (and these reproaches may even surprise you with their absurdity). But this is not the main problem. No matter how much love you give, how much attention you pay, how many gifts you give, and the like, it will always seem to a partner with an inferiority complex that this is not enough. And the point is not that you are not delivering something in this relationship, but that the person does not know how to accept love and see it from you. Subconsciously, a partner with a feeling of inferiority has formed the attitude that he is unworthy of love. Due to his inadequate self-esteem, memories of how he lacked maternal warmth in childhood (for one reason or another) or aggressive attitudes from others in the past, a person no longer believes that he can receive love. Therefore, whenever it manifests itself, he has a fear that it will end. And it requires more and more heat. Sometimes, in aggravated cases, violence may even appear in a relationship with a person with an inferiority complex.

At the same time, it is important to clarify that people who enter into this kind of relationship are subconsciously ready to tolerate all manifestations of an inferiority complex in their loved one. The question remains open as to why we find ourselves in such relationships. It is possible that now someone will think that the obvious explanation for this phenomenon is strong and sincere love. And this is probably one of the factors that influences us to stay close to such people, despite our own discomfort. But why do we even develop feelings for people with an inferiority complex? A psychologist can best help you figure this out, because the answer to this question is probably stored deep in your subconscious. Perhaps you are a person with the same problem as your partner, or you have been taught since childhood that this attitude towards yourself and others is normal (for example, you have seen similar situations in your family). And in order to break out of a relationship with a partner with an inferiority complex or avoid it altogether, you need to work through your own psychological problems and traumas.

How to deal with feelings of inferiority

To cope with feelings of inferiority, first of all, you need to free yourself from stereotypes. And this can only be dealt with by resorting to the philosophical question with which we began: am I satisfied with myself, am I happy? Adler distinguished the concepts of life purpose and lifestyle. Thus, a consciously set life goal helps to cope with feelings of inferiority. A life goal projects a bright future; uncertainty or troubles are overcome in the desire to achieve it, which is transformed into a lifestyle.

But everything is not so simple. It would seem, who knows more than a person what he needs? However, the hidden agendas that we unconsciously pursue can be destructive. For example, Adler noted that neurotics often set fantastic goals about superiority, paying more attention to them than to goals that lead to real achievements. Neurosis is often a conflict between repressed desires and social norms. Therefore, it is so important to truly identify your goals, abstracting from the “normal”, generally accepted ones.

Karen Horney writes that society considers neurotics to be those people who differ from others in their approach to life:

For example, we will tend to consider as neurotic a girl who prefers to remain indifferent, refuses to receive higher pay and does not strive to achieve a higher position, or an artist who earns only $30 a week and prefers to be content with little instead of working hard and striving for it. more. The reason we will call such people neurotic is that most of us are familiar only with a pattern of behavior that implies the desire to succeed in life, to get ahead of others, to earn more than the minimum necessary for a normal existence [1].

The paradox is that by borrowing a generally accepted model of behavior, ignoring true desires and following goals not set by us, we experience a feeling of inferiority. The same thing happens if we do not suppress our desires, but follow them, but do not find a response in society.

Fromm considered the problem of freedom in a similar vein. How can you be yourself, be free and at the same time remain part of society? He saw a compromise in the possibility of free realization of personality.

Spontaneous activity is not forced activity imposed on the individual by his isolation and powerlessness; it is not a robot's activity conditioned by an uncritical perception of patterns suggested from the outside. Spontaneous activity is the free activity of the individual; its definition includes the literal meaning of the Latin word sponte - of its own accord, of its own accord. By activity we do not mean “doing something”; We are talking about creative activity, which can manifest itself in the emotional, intellectual and sensory life of a person, as well as in his will [2].

Each of us is capable of living spontaneously. But first we need to answer the question: what really makes me happy?

The second way to get rid of feelings of inferiority is purely practical and seems to us to be the most effective both in terms of time spent and in terms of effectiveness. This method consists of systematic and systematic work using the “TS” deprogramming technique [5].

This system (TS) is based on the idea of getting rid of stereotypes through their gradual “working through” and for the system to fully reveal itself, it may take a lot of time, but the first powerful results can be obtained within a few months.

Bibliography:

Horney K. Neurotic personality of our time. New paths in psychoanalysis. Peter, 2013.
Fromm E. Flight from freedom. AST, 2015.
Adler A. The Science of Living. Port-Royal, 1997.
Frager R., Fadimer D. Personality. Theories, exercises, experiments. Prime EUROZNAK, 2006.
Dmitry Leushkin Turbo-Suslik. Brutal speed system - ISBN 978-5-9573-2948-0

Author: Komarova Ilona

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Rules for taking care of yourself in a relationship with a partner with an inferiority complex

If, after reading our article, you realized that you are in such a relationship, then we suggest that you take into account the main rules of self-care in a relationship with a partner with an inferiority complex:

The most important thing is that being without a relationship is better than being in a relationship with a person with an inferiority complex. You need to understand that you are the closest and most important person. Self-care is one of the most important parts of your life.
If you still want to stay in a relationship with a partner with an inferiority complex, then learn to say the word “no” without changing your mind, and to defend your own boundaries. This is important for your own comfort.
Don't be afraid to tell your partner the truth, even if it may cause conflict. (if a person with an inferiority complex introduces violence into conflicts, then seek help from other people and learn to live without your partner).
Don't force yourself to do anything. If you do not want to fulfill your partner’s request at the moment, which is uncomfortable for you, then do not force yourself and take care of your emotional state.
Notice the manipulations of a person with an inferiority complex. Draw his (her) attention to the fact that manipulation has just occurred on his (her) part, devaluation of you, and the like. This will help open your partner's eyes to his behavior.

A huge number of similar rules can be derived, but the main thing is not to forget about yourself and do not try to save a partner with an inferiority complex at the cost of your own happy life (especially when he doesn’t want it himself).

Signs

Symptoms of an inferiority complex may include:

in the occurrence of fear or strong tension in society, during any social contacts;
in being offended over trifles, “inflating” oneself regarding the predominance of negative personality traits;
sentimentality, vulnerability;
ingratiation in search of even the slightest approval from loved ones and authorities;
cultivating your share (misfortune, bad luck, etc.).

The disguised complex can be expressed:

in demonstrativeness and flaunting of one’s “best” traits and life achievements;
in a painful attachment to social status, expensive and prestigious things (houses, foreign and exotic cruises, cars);
in an exaggerated fear of mistakes and failures;
in the manifestation of verbal aggression;
in ostentatious arrogance and hypocrisy.

Physical manifestations of an inferiority complex are:

tics;
nocturnal enuresis (urinary incontinence);
tension in the facial muscles and body;
speech defects.

How to get rid of an inferiority complex?

But what should you do if, after reading the article, you caught yourself thinking that you have this complex? You can use a small list of rules that will answer the question: “How to get rid of an inferiority complex?”

Contact a specialist. In order to determine the causes of an inferiority complex, it makes sense to seek the help of a psychologist.
Adequately evaluate yourself. One of the main signs of an inferiority complex is often low self-esteem. Be honest with yourself about your own strengths. And development in those areas in which you think you are not successful enough will help raise your self-esteem.
Talk about the problem with loved ones. Very often, in order to understand the causes of an inferiority complex and ways to get rid of it, a person needs the support of family, friends or other close people.
Find a role model. Usually, examples for a person are those people who are somewhat similar to him, but have achieved more in life. This will become an incentive for development and overcoming life's difficulties.
Take time to relax. When you spend the day with a fun company or in an entertainment center, for example, you unload yourself emotionally. It is as if you are breathing in life and finding joy in it. In the fight against an inferiority complex, such relief will help stabilize the emotional background.

As we see, a person with an inferiority complex is not doomed to a lonely life and rejection by society. There are opportunities to compensate for the feeling of wrongness in various areas or to get rid of the complex altogether.

When in a relationship with a partner with an inferiority complex, always pay attention to yourself. And if a loved one turns to you for help in fighting this complex, then support him, because this process requires great effort.

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Causes

Persistent insecurity and a feeling of worthlessness do not form on their own. There are a number of circumstances that contribute to the development of the described condition.

For example, as a result of incorrect upbringing, negative experiences, or frequent criticism, an inferiority complex arises in adolescents.

Children can enter adulthood with a heap of psychological problems and uncertainty as a result of either excessive parental care or their deprivation of their children’s support, attention, and care. With overprotection, lack of independence arises, with alienation of parents, insecurity is formed.

Often the inferiority complex under consideration is born on the basis of physical defects, which can be both truly existing and far-fetched. The latter is more common among girls, since they are more picky about their own appearance and are prone to the desire to follow the canons of beauty established in society. Guys, in turn, are more often concerned with the “caliber” of their own reproductive organ.

Often, a factor contributing to the development of an inferiority complex is the negative impact of society. As they say, the world consists of “good” people who always know everything better. Value judgments from such “well-wishers” often become a catalyst for the development of a feeling of one’s own worthlessness. Sometimes such behavior is due to their focus on self-affirmation at the expense of weaker or overly impressionable people.

Critical statements from those close to you are not harmless, and sometimes even more dangerous. After all, ignoring the judgments of strangers is much easier than not reacting to “injections” or impartial comments from loved ones.

If luck constantly runs out, then people tend to associate this with their own worthlessness. Against the background of fortune's favorites, a person who invariably walks along the black stripe unconsciously develops the inferiority complex in question.

Negative self-hypnosis often becomes fertile ground for the blossoming of all kinds of complexes. There is a certain caste of people who constantly beat themselves up, looking for defects in public life and their own existence.

Some girls consider themselves less attractive after childbirth, as a result of which they are afraid of becoming sexually unattractive and not arousing the desire of their partner. For guys, in turn, an inferiority complex can arise after harsh criticism or impartial statements from a partner about his sexual viability or the size of his “manhood.”

Constant family brawls, lack of mutual understanding, and conflicts often give rise to a subconscious feeling of guilt in one of the partners. If the other side takes the position of a despot, then the feeling of guilt deepens and takes root, and the “injured” partner loses his own opinion, replacing it with a feeling of his own inferiority.

Often, the factor that provokes the emergence of an inferiority complex is betrayal. Marital infidelity can cause enormous emotional pain to partners of both sexes. Just one obsessive thought that the beloved has found a more spectacular or more intimately experienced partner on the side can even develop the described phenomenon in a narcissistic personality.

Often, an inferiority complex gives rise to various types of discrimination (for example, sexism, racism). Sometimes there can be collective bullying, even leading to suicide attempts.

What is this

The term itself was introduced by the German psychoanalyst A. Adler. He also identified several components of this phenomenon, which is a combination of emotional and psychological experiences, expressed in the feeling of being a flawed person, suppressed by others.

Components:

continuous and powerful self-doubt;
too low self-esteem;
thoughts that everyone around is superior to the individual in one way or another.

Otherwise, the combination of these problems can be called the loser syndrome, since a person does not believe in his worth, in the presence of positive traits, in his own abilities. In literature, such characters are called “superfluous.”

What is dangerous about an inferiority complex and how does it manifest itself?

We will not analyze in detail the consequences of an inferiority complex, but will simply point out them. We think that just by describing them it will be possible to come to a clear understanding of what the feeling of one’s own inferiority and worthlessness can lead to.

Common consequences of an inferiority complex are mental disorders of varying degrees:

suicidal thoughts and tendencies;
psychological dependence on people, habits, living conditions;
various manifestations of neurosis;
prolonged depression;
personality degradation;
self-flagellation, guilt, self-pity and other forms of self-destruction;
discord in relationships with others, up to the breakdown of the family;
loneliness, seclusion, escape from the world.

As we see, individuals with an inferiority complex risk finding themselves in a very unpleasant, if not deplorable, situation, the consequences of which may be irreversible. Therefore, it is imperative to fight it. However, you shouldn’t take on too much and think that you have an inferiority complex just because you sometimes feel insecure and incapable of doing something.

This negative condition has a number of characteristic signs - symptoms that can be used to confidently indicate its presence. Let's look at them:

inadequate self-criticism, descending to self-deprecation;
unhealthy dependence on the opinions of others;
painful lack of praise and positive evaluation;
a constant state of anxiety and inexplicable fear;
pronounced demonstrative behavior;
inappropriate aggressive behavior;
victim behavior and exaggerated fear of making a mistake;
arrogance and rudeness in communication;
self-isolation from society, isolation;
excuses and the desire to shift responsibility to other people;
fear of competition and lack of interest in achieving success;
an endless search for flaws in oneself and in others;
hypersensitivity to criticism and objections;
immersion in a fictional reality: computer games, movies, TV series, the Internet.

Everything we have said can be attributed to general symptoms of an inferiority complex. In addition to this, you definitely need to know that it can manifest itself differently in men and women, and also be experienced differently by them.

Men with an inferiority complex are characterized by aggressiveness, arrogance, and the desire to emphasize (including with the help of appropriate attributes and accessories) their status and significance, masculinity and position in society. Also in men with this mental state you can often observe:

Don Juan syndrome;
boss syndrome;
Napoleon syndrome;
Lot's syndrome;
Alexander syndrome;
King David syndrome;
Kotovsky syndrome;
Hercules syndrome;
male impotence syndrome;
lost time syndrome.

We advise you to read about these syndromes in additional sources to better understand what you may encounter.

As for women, they themselves are more emotional than men, therefore they are more prone not only to worries, but also to self-criticism, and also pay increased attention to their shortcomings. For this reason, some psychologists argue that in the female psychological space an inferiority complex is present a priori.

Be that as it may, manifestations of this complex can be expressed in women in the following forms:

dissatisfaction with one’s own physical characteristics;
dissatisfaction with one's appearance;
aggravated guilt complex;
fear of loneliness;
dislike of the male sex;
denial of one's gender identity (desire to be like a man);
feeling of unfulfillment;
feeling of uselessness;
the feeling that no one loves you.

We can talk about the presence of an inferiority complex only when most of the symptoms we have cited are present in a person’s behavior and manifestations. As a rule, it can be dealt with quite simply and painlessly, but in aggravated situations, the help of a specialist may be required. Below we will touch on both.

How to overcome an inferiority complex

How to overcome an inferiority complex?
An inferiority complex is a set of emotional and psychological perceptions of a person, manifested in a person’s feeling of his own limitations and inferiority, as well as the belief that others have a significant superiority over him. An inferiority complex appears in a person as a result of mental trauma, a difficult perception of his own mistakes and failures, and also as a result of discrimination.

An inferiority complex spoils a person's life , forcing him to stay away from other people and feel worse than the people around him. By acquiring an inferiority complex, a person begins to feel defective, belittle his own importance, concentrate on everything negative, and painfully perceive the situations that happen to him.

A person who does not experience an inferiority complex can rightfully be considered the darling of fate. Only such a person can achieve real success in life. Other people who experience the complex in question spend most of their time looking for shortcomings in themselves, and most often these shortcomings are invented by the person himself. Alas, if we take into account society as a whole, a disappointing picture emerges - more than 70% of people experience an inferiority complex in one way or another, only each of them experiences it to varying degrees. Some people think that he has an ugly face, others think that he is overweight, and others think that he is a terrible conversationalist. As they say, who knows what.

What is the main source of development of an inferiority complex in a person? Surprisingly, all the words spoken to a person by other people, and all the events of life that go against all of a person’s expectations, no failures and failures occurring in human reality contribute as much to the development of an inferiority complex as a person’s reaction to these events. It is a person’s reaction to events, and not the essence of the events themselves, that influence a person’s future, leaving a negative imprint on a person.

Don't believe me? Let’s consider a simple example from “childhood”: two students brought home bad grades in mathematics, for which they were angrily scolded by their parents: “What kind of son is this? All the children study, try hard, and you walk around, wiping your pants in class! You are an ignoramus, what else can you look for.”

The first student’s reaction: “Well, they scolded me correctly. It's true - how could you get two marks in a subject like mathematics? I really am not capable of anything, even if I failed here. No, studying is not my thing, I’ll just waste my time. Besides, I upset my parents, something a normal son would never allow.”

Of course, with such a reaction to failure, a person will develop a phobia, which will subsequently turn into an inferiority complex called “I am a loser.” In adult life, a person with the “I am a loser” inferiority complex will see in every life situation, first of all, the probability of failure (even in a favorable one). Fear of failure will force a person to refuse many opportunities to improve his own life, to become closer to the “gray mass” of people who have nothing and are happy with it.

Reaction of the second student: “I was scolded because of a bad mark? Problem for me too! Yes, I'm not as good at math as many of my classmates, but my singing teacher is delighted with me. He tells me that I am the best voice in the class. Singing is my favorite subject and my teacher's opinion is very important to me. I know that I have talent, and I am confident in the possibility of its further development. A bad grade in math is not a problem, I’ll fix it next time. And my parents' criticism is clearly exaggerated. Imperfect knowledge of mathematics does not make a person stupid. When I grow up, they will understand that I am very talented and capable.”

Of course, with such an attitude towards the problem, a person will be successfully realized in life, and the inferiority complex will bypass him. The main difference between the second student and the first is the belief in his own uniqueness and reluctance to depend on the opinions of other people, even parents. The second student chose the school subject that was most interesting to him, for which he had a passion and ability, and continued to realize himself in this area after graduating from school. And his parents, who so harshly criticized him for receiving a bad grade in mathematics, later felt real pride in the fact that they managed to raise such a talented son.

The surest way to protect yourself from an inferiority complex is to realize that every person is no better and no worse than other people. He is different. If a person cannot skate like Evgeni Plushenko, this does not mean that he is in any way worse than the great figure skating champion, and certainly does not mean that he is a loser. Figure skating is just not his thing. But how wonderfully a person speaks in public! Each of us has such abilities in one or more areas of activity in which we are the best. It is only important to find what we are actually the best at. A person should not be allowed to develop a feeling of inferiority due to the fact that he is not a master in any matter.

It must be remembered that most of our complexes (if not all) originate not from life situations, but from a person’s judgments about this situation. Therefore, in order to protect yourself from the appearance of an inferiority complex, when analyzing your own abilities in a field of activity in which you are not a professional, you should simply admit it. Your judgment about the situation should be: “Yes, I can’t…. (lift weights, run 40 kilometers, sing like Luciano Pavarotti, write a scientific book, etc.), but I can... Moreover, in what I can, I am a professional.” By thinking this way, you will never feel inferior. And how can you feel it when in another matter you are a real professional?

One of the serious mistakes that a person can make to develop an inferiority complex is to try to measure himself in a matter in which his abilities are far from perfect, not by his own standards, but by the standards of professionals who have reached the highest heights in this matter. And, of course, when comparing oneself with professionals, a person will always find himself a loser, which will immediately contribute to the development of an inferiority complex in a person. A person simply tries to immediately become like someone who has achieved real success in a certain business, but he does not take into account how much time the person himself has spent developing the necessary abilities and skills that allow him to proudly bear the title “professional”. Without the inclinations and unwillingness to sacrifice your own time to hone your skills in a certain matter, you will never become a professional in this matter. That is why, if becoming a master in any endeavor is not your true goal, it is best not to compare yourself with people for whom this endeavor is their life's calling.

Another mistake, similar to the previous one, is a person’s judgment that he should be “like everyone else.” The only difference from the previous mistake is that in this case the consideration of a matter for which a person actually has the inclinations, and with their further development, the person will be able to consider himself a professional in this matter. So, if a person has an “entrepreneurial spirit” and can easily open his own business, he may be stopped by the fear that he will no longer be like other people. A person thinks: “Well, how can I open my own business and become successful when the people around me are barely making ends meet?” As a result, a person does not dare to take concrete steps to open his own business. And then, one fine day, a person goes from being surrounded by losers to being surrounded by successful people. Then the person understands that all his successes compared to the successes of these people are a drop in the bucket, and the person begins to develop an inferiority complex.

So, let's look at tips that will help you prevent the development of an inferiority complex in yourself:

1. Understand that you are not better than others, you are not worse than others, you are just different ... You are you, and only you. You are not Vasya, not Petya, and certainly not Vladlen Petrovich from apartment 45. You are a unique personality, the like of which is not on Earth and will never be again. This is why you should never compare yourself to other people. You don't have to be like another person, and other people don't have to be like you. This seemingly simple truth will help you get rid of your inferiority complex forever.

2. Pay special attention to all the positive comments other people have about you . People with an inferiority complex do not take all positive reviews about themselves on faith, since these reviews are not consistent with their perception of reality. So, if you say to a person who is confident in his own stupidity: “You are so smart!”, he will only grin in response, wave his hand and answer: “Come on! How smart am I? I'm stupid! (options are possible).” Even if thoughts about your inferiority are firmly entrenched in your head, accepting praise addressed to you on faith, you will already take the first step to change your opinion about yourself and your reality.

3. Never hesitate to express your own opinion on an issue that interests you. Even if your inner voice tells you: “What are you thinking? Don’t dare stick your neck out - you’ll be ridiculed, and it’s unlikely that your opinion will interest anyone much,” you will still step over yourself and express everything you think about the question. By doing this, you will most likely refute the opinion that no one is interested in your point of view, which will deal a serious blow to your inferiority complex. Even if your opinion runs counter to the opinions of others, it doesn’t matter, you have the right to have your own point of view. It is much better not to be like everyone else than not to have your own opinion and simply repeat the words of others.

4. When you do something and are afraid that you will look funny in the eyes of the people around you, remember that you are not surrounded by soulless robots , but by people who have the same feelings and fears as you. Other people are also afraid that some of their actions will make you laugh, so treat other people with understanding and they will treat you the same.

5. Keep a notebook in which your strengths will be described . This simple exercise will allow you to forget about the feeling of inferiority forever. Start now by writing down your five best qualities. But what about the shortcomings? Don’t you dare not only write down your shortcomings, but don’t even think about them. You don’t need them, because you are a wonderful and wonderful person, consisting of nothing but merits. Having written your main advantages in a notebook, do not put it in a desk drawer, but regularly update it with notes about your wonderful qualities.

6. In the exercise with a notebook, do not stop at the qualities you already have and start writing down in it those qualities and virtues that you currently do not possess and, after regularly reviewing them, these virtues will begin to appear in you.

7. Praise yourself for every job you do well . Look for a reason to praise yourself and, if you suddenly don’t find it, do it for no reason (in advance, so to speak). If you praise yourself more often, your self-esteem will increase and others, noticing this, will also praise you. In addition, if you praise yourself, the work you have done, into which you put part of your soul, will no longer be perceived by you as a useless routine work. Don’t wait for someone to praise you after a job well done—praise yourself first. And, even if you are doing something for the first time and you managed to do the work not very well or not on time, still praise yourself for having the courage and courage to take on work that was previously unfamiliar to you.

8. Stop being afraid of responsibility . Almost all people who are characterized by an inferiority complex do not perform most of the actions that are important to them due to the fear of being responsible for their actions. Fear of responsibility makes each new task more difficult and impossible for a person. In order to begin to take responsibility for one’s actions and life in general, a person should realize that responsibility is not scary, but quite the opposite. By taking responsibility for his actions, a person grows in his own eyes, and those around him, seeing a brave and determined person next to him, support his decisions and follow him. As a result, a person begins to feel significant and important, and his inferiority complex begins to weaken.

The tips discussed above will help a person prevent the appearance of an inferiority complex, or effectively resist it if it exists in a person. And one more final piece of advice: if none of the above tips help, contact a professional psychologist. Ask your friends and acquaintances which specialists they know they can recommend to you. Do not spare any effort or time to fight your inferiority complex. Otherwise, the negative consequences of the inferiority complex will many times exceed the possible costs of eliminating it.

Good luck and good health to you.

Author: Anton Yasyr for the website therapy.by