What do we mean by Low Self-Esteem?

Self-esteem is an aspect of the way we view ourselves. It's different from self-image, which might describe a whole range of characteristics (such as 'I'm British' or 'I'm female') but without implying whether they are good or bad. Self-esteem refers to the overall opinion we have of ourselves and the value we place on ourselves as people. Low self-esteem means that the tone of this opinion is negative: for example, 'I'm unlovable' or 'I'm useless'. Of course, most of us have mixed opinions of ourselves, but if your overall opinion is that you are an inadequate or inferior person if you feel that you have no true worth and are not entitled to the good things in life, this means your self-esteem is low. And low self-esteem can have a painful and damaging effect on your life.