Being hard on yourself
“Blaming myself for everything. I have to fight the urge to beat myself up constantly. I’ve also struggled with feeling like I’m not good enough, which makes things like school, dating, and applying to jobs really hard.”
It may feel impossible to enjoy certain tasks, especially if a child was taught to do it perfectly or not at all. Over-achieving and perfectionism may seem like helpful traits from afar, but up close, they can destroy a person. Despite any accomplishments, they can leave the person feeling empty and worthless. Unfortunately, self-esteem won’t come through being perfect. Adults with childhood abuse may struggle to learn to enjoy something for the sake of it, especially if they’re bad at it.
