3 Ways How Drinking Is Destroying Your Sense of Self-Esteem

Alcohol has been known as “liquid courage” because it makes people bolder to do the things that they wouldn’t normally do. However, that does not mean that alcohol gives you self-esteem; it just makes you more inhibited. While you feel like alcohol makes it possible for you to conquer any challenge before you, that’s not the best way to build your self-esteem. In fact, alcohol has been known to actually destroy a person’s sense of self-esteem, and here’s how.

Alcohol Fills The Void Of Low Self-Esteem

One of the big dangers of alcohol addiction is that alcohol is used to self-medicate low self-esteem by dulling the mind so that the person isn’t constantly plagued by certain thoughts. A person with low self-esteem is concerned about the thoughts and opinions of those around them, valuing their opinions above their own. They no longer want to feel like an outsider and use alcohol to avoid these obsessive thoughts. They could also use alcohol to try and “fit in” by engaging in behavior that everyone else is doing. Either way, it can become a slippery slope that the individual doesn’t realize they’re sliding down until it’s too late.

Alcohol Reinforces Fragile High Self-Esteem

Although low self-esteem is not a great thing to have, having high self-esteem can also be dangerous when using alcohol. Those with fragile high self-esteem tend to think quite highly of themselves but become quite sensitive to opinions that call that into question. They tend to hinge their self-worth on how well they perform in regular tasks, and any failure can result in increased alcohol use or becoming aggressive toward other people so that they can tear them down to feel better about themselves. Alcohol further complicates these feelings and because it reduces a person’s inhibitions, these aggressive reactions can become dangerous.

Alcohol Causing Fluctuations In Self-Esteem

Alcohol is known to change the way the brain functions and how it perceives the world around them, as well as internally. It can damage someone’s self-esteem in sometimes irreparable ways. It can raise or lower it, increasing the person’s dependency on alcohol to either keep their self-esteem up or to dull thoughts pertaining to their low self-esteem. Continued use of alcohol in this way can lead to dependency and then addiction.

Treatment For Alcohol And Self-Esteem Issues

Someone who is dealing with both issues of self-esteem and alcohol use should seek treatment for both. Treating one while ignoring the other doesn’t really solve the problem and can make it very easy for them to relapse and continue their destructive behaviors.

It’s important to note that people with self-esteem issues are not alone in the world and that it should be talked about with other people. Compounding the problem with alcohol makes it more difficult to treat, so if you are dealing with both issues, it’s important to speak to your healthcare professional as soon as possible. They can discuss your options with you and help you build a plan to both build your self-esteem and develop healthier coping strategies.