How to Avoid Developing an Inferiority Complex
Look for any hidden agendas., Fight against relational aggression., Be aware of criticism., Deal with microaggression., Find social support.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for any hidden agendas.
Most often, people who like intimidating others do so to further their own ends.
Keeping someone uninformed or less knowledgeable often helps strengthen this person’s sense of well-being at your expense.
Instead of taking it, try things to empower yourself in these situations.
If you let someone else steal your self-worth at work, you could develop an inferiority complex in relation to that.
Take pride in your work and don't let them push you down or steal your thunder. -
Step 2: Fight against relational aggression.
If someone is trying to manipulate you, you need to understand what it means and how it affects you.
If someone makes you feel inferior at work because you both want an upcoming promotion, this is something called relational aggression.
They may try to strengthening their own position by putting you down and making you feel inadequate and unsuitable for moving up the career ladder.
This happens most often among women, but it can happen to anyone.Examples of relational aggression include: social exclusion, spreading rumors or lies, the silent treatment, and threatening to end the friendship unless you do what the person wants.If you experience this, document every incident in a notebook, including dates and times of the incidents and the names of those involved.
You can then take your log to your human resources department where further action can be taken.
The HR department can then follow through on any company policies regarding bullying.
If you are dealing with relational aggression at school, also keep a log and take that log in to the school’s principal or other administrators.
They can then follow the school’s policies and procedures on bullying. , You may experience criticism that involves circumstances that you cannot change.
This can involve others criticizing you for things that you cannot change, such as disabilities, sexual orientation, skin color, race, ethnic background, or any other aspect of your life.
This verbal abuse very often leaves a person feeling emotionally scarred with serious self-esteem issues.
This kind of criticism feeds inadequacies and can create or add to an inferiority complex.
Since you cannot change your looks, race, or sexual orientation, you may suffer great harm because you cannot change what causes this form of mockery.
If this happens often around people you know, be willing to cut these people out of your life.
You should not have to be around people who make racist, sexist, or other discriminatory comments.
If you can’t cut them out of your life, work to set boundaries with people who criticize you in this way.
Minimize your interaction with them as much as possible, and let them know their behavior is unacceptable by saying something like, "What you're saying is disrespectful.
If you don't stop, I'm ending this conversation."
Sometimes discriminatory comments can happen in subtle ways, such as a simple assumption made about you based on your race, class, gender, or other identity.
This is called a microaggression.
Example of microaggression include: assuming a person is foreign-born because she looks different from the dominant culture, assuming someone is dangerous based on his race, making judgements about a person's intelligence based on his or her race or gender, denial of a person's experience of discrimination.
A recent study showed that high levels of microaggression correlate to increased levels of stress and rates of depression.
The study also showed that actively engaging in coping mechanisms rather helped lower rates of depression and overall stress.
This proves that, even though you can’t control the behavior of others, you can control how you cope with your reactions to their behavior.
Some strategies for coping with microaggression include: self-care, spirituality, confronting your aggressors, seeking support from allies, keeping records and documenting experiences of abuse, mentoring others, and organizing a public response., Studies have shown that people have physical reactions to fitting in and being excluded from group dynamics.
You are also more likely to have self-worth, especially if the people around you are positive, happy people.A good group of friends will make you realize how great you are and help you fight against an inferiority complex.
Having a happy group is also better for your health.
When you are surrounded by a group that makes you feel like you belong, your immune system increases its resistance to communicable viruses and diseases.
When we are rejected or no longer part of the group, your body increases its inflammatory response and decreases its resistance to communicable and viral disease.Look for people who offer encouragement and embrace you for who you are, with all your quirks and imperfections.
Enjoy their wisdom and grow from their example, striving to become stronger and more reliant on yourself in the process.
You can only grow better and more self-assured in a healthy, positive environment.
Greater independence leads to more self-confidence.
A healthy self-confidence in turn allows you less dependence or reliance on others for determining your self-worth, which will help you avoid an inferiority complex. -
Step 3: Be aware of criticism.
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Step 4: Deal with microaggression.
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Step 5: Find social support.
Detailed Guide
Most often, people who like intimidating others do so to further their own ends.
Keeping someone uninformed or less knowledgeable often helps strengthen this person’s sense of well-being at your expense.
Instead of taking it, try things to empower yourself in these situations.
If you let someone else steal your self-worth at work, you could develop an inferiority complex in relation to that.
Take pride in your work and don't let them push you down or steal your thunder.
If someone is trying to manipulate you, you need to understand what it means and how it affects you.
If someone makes you feel inferior at work because you both want an upcoming promotion, this is something called relational aggression.
They may try to strengthening their own position by putting you down and making you feel inadequate and unsuitable for moving up the career ladder.
This happens most often among women, but it can happen to anyone.Examples of relational aggression include: social exclusion, spreading rumors or lies, the silent treatment, and threatening to end the friendship unless you do what the person wants.If you experience this, document every incident in a notebook, including dates and times of the incidents and the names of those involved.
You can then take your log to your human resources department where further action can be taken.
The HR department can then follow through on any company policies regarding bullying.
If you are dealing with relational aggression at school, also keep a log and take that log in to the school’s principal or other administrators.
They can then follow the school’s policies and procedures on bullying. , You may experience criticism that involves circumstances that you cannot change.
This can involve others criticizing you for things that you cannot change, such as disabilities, sexual orientation, skin color, race, ethnic background, or any other aspect of your life.
This verbal abuse very often leaves a person feeling emotionally scarred with serious self-esteem issues.
This kind of criticism feeds inadequacies and can create or add to an inferiority complex.
Since you cannot change your looks, race, or sexual orientation, you may suffer great harm because you cannot change what causes this form of mockery.
If this happens often around people you know, be willing to cut these people out of your life.
You should not have to be around people who make racist, sexist, or other discriminatory comments.
If you can’t cut them out of your life, work to set boundaries with people who criticize you in this way.
Minimize your interaction with them as much as possible, and let them know their behavior is unacceptable by saying something like, "What you're saying is disrespectful.
If you don't stop, I'm ending this conversation."
Sometimes discriminatory comments can happen in subtle ways, such as a simple assumption made about you based on your race, class, gender, or other identity.
This is called a microaggression.
Example of microaggression include: assuming a person is foreign-born because she looks different from the dominant culture, assuming someone is dangerous based on his race, making judgements about a person's intelligence based on his or her race or gender, denial of a person's experience of discrimination.
A recent study showed that high levels of microaggression correlate to increased levels of stress and rates of depression.
The study also showed that actively engaging in coping mechanisms rather helped lower rates of depression and overall stress.
This proves that, even though you can’t control the behavior of others, you can control how you cope with your reactions to their behavior.
Some strategies for coping with microaggression include: self-care, spirituality, confronting your aggressors, seeking support from allies, keeping records and documenting experiences of abuse, mentoring others, and organizing a public response., Studies have shown that people have physical reactions to fitting in and being excluded from group dynamics.
You are also more likely to have self-worth, especially if the people around you are positive, happy people.A good group of friends will make you realize how great you are and help you fight against an inferiority complex.
Having a happy group is also better for your health.
When you are surrounded by a group that makes you feel like you belong, your immune system increases its resistance to communicable viruses and diseases.
When we are rejected or no longer part of the group, your body increases its inflammatory response and decreases its resistance to communicable and viral disease.Look for people who offer encouragement and embrace you for who you are, with all your quirks and imperfections.
Enjoy their wisdom and grow from their example, striving to become stronger and more reliant on yourself in the process.
You can only grow better and more self-assured in a healthy, positive environment.
Greater independence leads to more self-confidence.
A healthy self-confidence in turn allows you less dependence or reliance on others for determining your self-worth, which will help you avoid an inferiority complex.
About the Author
Jason Reyes
Specializes in breaking down complex hobbies topics into simple steps.
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