Many teenagers, and even adults, are thinking about how to get rid of an inferiority complex.
The problem prevents live, develop, build a career and personal relationships.
What it is?
An inferiority complex is a combination of sensations, a feeling of worthlessness and self-doubt.
Especially clearly the signs are manifested in difficult situations when need to make an effort, to show their own abilities, to take responsibility.
Man feels useless to others, worthlessness. The result is neurosis, avoiding contact with society.
Who introduced the concept of scientific terminology?
For the first time the concept of "inferiority complex" introduced Alfred Adler, Austrian psychologist. However, the term “complex” was previously encountered in Jung - these are repressed into the subconscious, emotionally colored thoughts, often traumatic.
Psychotraumatic situation, according to cabin boy, strongly pronounced and different from the usual. The complex can be suppressed, but does not disappear forever. Manifested in behavior, attitudes, dreams, in situations where consciousness is not able to suppress them.
According to Adler, an inferiority complex is a pathological feeling. It requires compensation and satisfaction. At the same time it hinders achievements, puts barriers.
Often originated in early childhood, initially this feeling of inferiority, which then develops into a complex.
According to the psychologist, the feeling of inferiority is inherent in any child, since he is initially weak, needs help and support from adults.
Performing various tasks, being engaged in creativity, the kid understands that it makes it worse than older or older children.
Feeling of inferiority generates comparisons of oneself with others. According to Adler, it is the driving force of development, without him there is no movement towards success. Complements it desire for excellence.
It becomes pathological when it ceases to stimulate a person, help development, and prevents the creation of relationships.
As a result, it may appear superiority complexwhen the aspiration of the individual becomes dominance, power, she is convinced of her exclusivity.
The superiority complex is a consequence of the reaction to the presence of an inferiority complex.
Symptoms and signs
In women and men, symptoms may vary. It depends on the features of the psyche, perception, gender roles.
In men
One of the reasons are physical disabilities.
A man can try to overcome them by constant training.
If there is not enough willpower and aspiration, backlash - self-care, alcoholism, reduced social contacts.
The desire to overcome shortcomings often becomes the reason that a man copes with defects becomes famous and sought afterwhich is illustrated by many actors.
Especially painful man perceives problems associated with the sexual organ. In this case, he begins to realize himself in other areas.
But sometimes it becomes the cause of deviant behavior - aggression, hatred of women, physical and moral violence. Failures in the intimate sphere provoke the appearance of neurosis.
Often suffer from an inferiority complex homosexual men, it is connected with gender identity, rejection of society, understanding that he is not like everyone else.
Psychological traumas suffered in childhood and adolescence affect the personality development of men.
He sets due to failures, looks, lack of physical strength, intelligence. This is reflected in his behavior, attitude towards women, himself, self-discovery and self-incrimination.
If there was not enough parental love, then this further affects the relationship with the opposite sex.
A man enters toxic relationship, trying to look for his mother in a woman, compensating for what he did not receive as a child.
- Napoleon syndrome. Small height is a problem for most men, so he has to prove his superiority since childhood. Such people usually succeed and they seek fame and recognition.
- Lost Time Syndrome. I want to catch as much as possible and faster. At a later age, when the forces are already less, it becomes more difficult for a man to keep up with his aspirations, which leads to fatigue and frustration.
- Fear of not being on top. Sexual viability is very important for men, with age libido decreases, which affects the character, self-esteem.
- Kotovsky syndrome. A man shaves hair due to the fact that others do not see that in fact he begins to lose them. Hair is associated with age and a sense of its masculine strength and attractiveness.
- Don Juan syndrome. He cannot survive the fact that they will abandon him, so he does this first and often. As a result, there is no long and serious relationship, and he is in constant search for partners.
- Alexander syndrome. Even heterosexual men may fear that they will think of him as a homosexual.
The accusation of non-standard orientation causes the strongest stress and violent reaction, up to the readiness to enter the fray, defending its viability.
Among women
In women, an inferiority complex appears slightly different, although similarities are also present:
- lack of communication;
- fear of personal relationships;
- fear of making a mistake;
- dissatisfaction with their appearance.
A woman with an inferiority complex can deal with the imperfections of her body, while Often they are far-fetched.. Trying to prove her worth, she is actively engaged in a career.
A woman may have problems in intimate life, fear of opening up, being more liberated sexually.
This and various fears - to be rejected, imperfect, unloved.
Teenagers
Teenage years - one of the hardest. In the period of growing up, the psyche rebuilding takes place, the society acquires a greater influence than the parents. A teenager wants to be liked by the opposite sex, to stand out among his peers.
Low self-esteem, bullying classmates, excessive demands from parents are incentive for the development of an inferiority complex.
During this period rises self-criticism, the child compares his appearance, achievements with peers.
The development of an inferiority complex provokes isolation, timidity, fears.
In adolescence, there are strong changes in appearance, there are secondary sexual characteristics. The hormonal adjustment of the body begins, and the psyche may not keep pace with the changes.
If a child hears ridicule in his address, this may affect his attitude towards himself, lead to alienation from friends, society, relatives.
It is important for teenagers to identify themselves with a group, so they join communities, unite in companies by interests. If he does not belong to any of the groups, his peers consider him strange, alien.
Non-ownership causes feelings of uselessness, loneliness. As a result, an inferiority complex develops, which is then transferred to adulthood.
The reasons
The reasons for the development of an inferiority complex often come from childhood or adolescence.
- Improper upbringing. If the parents were engaged exclusively in themselves and did not pay attention to the child, then he was in his own thoughts, assessing the outside world from the point of view of his childish perception, not relying on the experience of the older ones. Hyper-care could have affected, when, on the contrary, parents unnecessarily cared for their children, preventing them from learning, acting independently. Over time, the child begins to evaluate their actions in terms of how adults will react to it, trying to justify their expectations.
- Negative life events. If a child was ridiculed, criticized, it was reflected in his self-esteem. As a result, he stopped believing in himself, constantly returning to the traumatic event.
- Defects of appearance. One of the most frequent reasons for the development of an inferiority complex. If jokes of close people are added here, this aggravates the situation even more, plunging the child into a world of anxiety and feelings.
- Negative suggestions. Close people can say: "you can not do anything," "you will not achieve", "you are a loser." When a person constantly hears such phrases, it is deposited in his subconscious, which controls his reactions to the outside world and his behavior.
Parents are already at the stage of growing up their children to pay attention to the first signs of the emergence of an inferiority complex.
You can fight it in adulthood, it requires conscious will power.
How to fight?
To begin with, we must recognize its presence.
If the problem interferes with living, then it is recommended psychological counseling.
To get rid of the inferiority complex:
- Stop worrying about what other people will say.
- Stop searching for ideals that don't exist. Recognize the imperfection of the world.
- Stop blaming yourself for the losses and failures. Mistakes are made by each person, and they form part of life experience, allowing to act more successfully in the future.
- Let go of old grievances.
- Forgive parents for the imperfection of education.
- Set attainable goals, break tasks into feasible stages.
- Expand your social circle, social contacts increase self-esteem.
- Allow yourself to be free, happy.
To get rid of the inferiority complex, it is necessary first of all to work on changing your own attitudes, long-standing fears, try to contact people more often and develop your communication skills.
Gradually, fears and insecurities go away, and the person begins to lead a full and successful life.
Is it possible for older people to get rid of an inferiority complex? Opinion psychologist:
